Re: Adjusting a 53 Packard Carburator

Posted by Mike On 2012/5/1 8:41:32

Also do a casual check for vacuum leaks, and just for fun, if you have a fuel filter in line somewhere, check/clean it. If you're adventurous, you can take the top of the carb off and see if there's an abnormal amount of grit in the bowl or inlet clogging anything up like the float valve.

Generally, others here will tell you to hook up a vacuum gauge, get the car warm, set the idle if you can, and start adjusting the idle mixture screws, usually on the front lower part of a carb, one at a time.

Screw in until it starts to stumble, screw out slowly and watch gauge until you get maximum vacuum, then back in til the needle moves down some, then back out so you can find the position where you just reach maximum vacuum.

Do this back and forth 2 or three times, resetting the idle if it gets too high or low as you do it.

If it's running too rough, look for other carb/manifold issues, or timing/ignition issues and fix those, then return to the carb.