There are just some days I wish I didn't turn wrenches

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Ok, this morning got to work on a relatively easy, for me, older 1977 square body K10 4x4 manual transmission with a 5.7 Quadrajet carb. I had talked him thru his DIY timing chain replacement. His new exhaust. His carb rebuild and new choke thermostat install and choke pull off. New master cylinder and calipers and pads and shoes and w/cylinders and all new lines and hoses. Then it came time, today, to get the choke set up and check/set timing and adjust the air/fuel mixture.

First thing I saw was that the exterior cap of the choke thermostat was off kilter and not snapped down square and that the rod to the cark linkage was rubbing the edge of the cap hole that it came out of and did not have free movement. I removed and reset the cap so the linkage rod had free movement and then proceeded to let the very tiny, about 1/4" across, cir clip fly away as I was trying to attach the rod to the carb linkage. I opened up some of my treasure trove of cir clips and found a bevy of 4 of the same clip and got it all installed. Verified free movement and as I expected, at a cold start, the choke idle adjustment was too low so I shut off and adjusted to a "hold your tongue just right" setting. Did the cold start again and had my vacuum gauge attached. The cold start idle was almost perfect and I adjusted as needed and the pull off worked as should and the temp gun and thermal imager told me the choke thermostat was getting hot and that the port on the intake was likely not clogged.

Choke kicked off as should and I moved on to warmed up adjustments. Started with 18" of vacuum and I wanted more. I do not use a timing light. I use the vacuum gauge to set timing. I got up to about 19.5" of vacuum and snugged down the set bolt and then adjusted the air/fuel mixture screws and got just a hair over 20" of vacuum. I can live with that. I had a nicely hot engine and the choke plate was standing straight up. I shut off 3-4 times and did a "no foot on gas pedal" restart and it fired up each time very quickly. I then let sit for 4 hours and the choke set as should and the fast idle was where I liked it and it warmed and idled smooth. Again did the shut off and restart and performed flawlessly.

Then I put the young "fireman" owner in it and he was gone for 30 minutes and when he came back, he told me that he went by the firehouse on purpose because of a hill he climbs to get there and the truck would cough and cut out and now pulls the hill smooth and strong with no problems. In the pics, look at the choke off kilter cap and the rod rubbing the cap opening edge. Also, check out that cir clip. Tiny little s*h*i*t!

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I call them Jesus Clips... Cause when they go flying off, they either hit you in the eye/cheek, and you yell Jesus, or fly off into some nether region of the shop, and you, again, yell Jesus!.
It was small enough, that I knew I would not find it on the frame or ground. I had bought an assortment of those clips, 3-4 years ago.
 

89Suburban

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Ok, this morning got to work on a relatively easy, for me, older 1976 square body K10 4x4 manual transmission with a 5.7 Quadrajet carb. I had talked him thru his DIY timing chain replacement. His new exhaust. His carb rebuild and new choke thermostat install and choke pull off. New master cylinder and calipers and pads and shoes and w/cylinders and all new lines and hoses. Then it came time, today, to get the choke set up and check/set timing and adjust the air/fuel mixture. First thing I saw was that the exterior cap of the choke thermostat was off kilter and not snapped down square and that the rod to the cark linkage was rubbing the edge of the cap hole that it came out of and did not have free movement. I removed and reset the cap so the linkage rod had free movement and then proceeded to let the very tiny, about 1/4" across, cir clip fly away as I was trying to attach the rod to the carb linkage. I opened up some of my treasure trove of cir clips and found a bevy of 4 of the same clip and got it all installed. Verified free movement and as I expected, at a cold start, the choke idle adjustment was too low so I shut off and adjusted to a "hold your tongue just right" setting. Did the cold start again and had my vacuum gauge attached. The cold start idle was almost perfect and I adjusted as needed and the pull off worked as should and the temp gun and thermal imager told me the choke thermostat was getting hot and that the port on the intake was likely not clogged. Choke kicked off as should and I moved on to warmed up adjustments. Started with 18" of vacuum and I wanted more. I do not use a timing light. I use the vacuum gauge to set timing. I got up to about 19.5" of vacuum and snugged down the set bolt and then adjusted the air/fuel mixture screws and got just a hair over 20" of vacuum. I can live with that. I had a nicely hot engine and the choke plate was standing straight up. I shut off 3-4 times and did a "no foot on gas pedal" restart and it fired up each time very quickly. I then let sit for 4 hours and the choke set as should and the fast idle was where I liked it and it warmed and idled smooth. Again did the shut off and restart and performed flawlessly. Then I put the young "fireman" owner in it and he was gone for 30 minutes and when he came back, he told me that he went by the firehouse on purpose because of a hill he climbs to get there and the truck would cough and cut out and now pulls the hill smooth and strong with no problems. In the pics, look at the choke off kilter cap and the rod rubbing the cap opening edge. Also, check out that cir clip. Tiny little s*h*i*t!

View attachment 480793View attachment 480794View attachment 480795View attachment 480796View attachment 480797View attachment 480798View attachment 480799View attachment 480800



Nice to see you working on the old school stuff!!! Does it have a warm air pipe on it?
 

TollKeeper

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Its a corrugated flex pipe that goes from the exhaust manifold to the air filter horn, to help warm the air...

Looks like this usually

0002850_CSB_Air_Cleaner_Comp_73-91.png


Called the Factory Pre Heater Duct here..

Most have been removed by putting on a Edelbrock Air Filter housing, or something to that effect.
 
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I know it as a Pre-heater pipe and can be that flexible tubing but this one has the formed solid metal one in perfect shape. You can see the top of it in the last pic of the vacuum gauge. DUH! :chewie::chewie:
 

Fless

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Ok, this morning got to work on a relatively easy, for me, older 1977 square body K10 4x4 manual transmission with a 5.7 Quadrajet carb. I had talked him thru his DIY timing chain replacement. His new exhaust. His carb rebuild and new choke thermostat install and choke pull off. New master cylinder and calipers and pads and shoes and w/cylinders and all new lines and hoses. Then it came time, today, to get the choke set up and check/set timing and adjust the air/fuel mixture. First thing I saw was that the exterior cap of the choke thermostat was off kilter and not snapped down square and that the rod to the cark linkage was rubbing the edge of the cap hole that it came out of and did not have free movement. I removed and reset the cap so the linkage rod had free movement and then proceeded to let the very tiny, about 1/4" across, cir clip fly away as I was trying to attach the rod to the carb linkage. I opened up some of my treasure trove of cir clips and found a bevy of 4 of the same clip and got it all installed. Verified free movement and as I expected, at a cold start, the choke idle adjustment was too low so I shut off and adjusted to a "hold your tongue just right" setting. Did the cold start again and had my vacuum gauge attached. The cold start idle was almost perfect and I adjusted as needed and the pull off worked as should and the temp gun and thermal imager told me the choke thermostat was getting hot and that the port on the intake was likely not clogged. Choke kicked off as should and I moved on to warmed up adjustments. Started with 18" of vacuum and I wanted more. I do not use a timing light. I use the vacuum gauge to set timing. I got up to about 19.5" of vacuum and snugged down the set bolt and then adjusted the air/fuel mixture screws and got just a hair over 20" of vacuum. I can live with that. I had a nicely hot engine and the choke plate was standing straight up. I shut off 3-4 times and did a "no foot on gas pedal" restart and it fired up each time very quickly. I then let sit for 4 hours and the choke set as should and the fast idle was where I liked it and it warmed and idled smooth. Again did the shut off and restart and performed flawlessly. Then I put the young "fireman" owner in it and he was gone for 30 minutes and when he came back, he told me that he went by the firehouse on purpose because of a hill he climbs to get there and the truck would cough and cut out and now pulls the hill smooth and strong with no problems. In the pics, look at the choke off kilter cap and the rod rubbing the cap opening edge. Also, check out that cir clip. Tiny little s*h*i*t!

View attachment 480793View attachment 480794View attachment 480795View attachment 480796View attachment 480797View attachment 480798View attachment 480799View attachment 480800

Nice, readable paragraph. :confused:
 
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GMT800 2005 Tahoe Z71
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Looks worse on a cell phone. But, I went in to great detail because, let's face it, some members wouldn't know a choke thermostat if it bit 'em in the ass. Adjusting timing with a vacuum gauge? Wait! What? Adjusting a carb with a vacuum gauge? Again, what? Choke fast idle? C'mon now....speak English you sum beeeitch! LMFAO!
 

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