This has to be a carb problem doesn't it?

[porkchop]

Well I am still having trouble with the wag. It will idle great in park at about 900 rpm but as soon as I put it in drive or reverse it drops down to 400 rpm's and it wants to die. I have to give it a little gas just to keep it running. Is there a problem in the carb or is it still a serious vacuum leak somewhere? Or am I looking at a serious problem?

[nograin]

I think you're on the mark with it being a carb problem. (although I don't know the TH400 vacuum stuff).

My first guess would be that the choke isn't opening. When you give it gas, you are also opening the throttle plate. I've had very similar symptoms with vehicles that have been flooding from the fuel bowl overfilling (=way rich!), and from manual chokes when I forget to open them up.

[gsmikie]

i can fix it for you but only on the beach in mexico.................................let me know

[PhilSine]

You probably have a small vacuum leak. I had my carb perfect. 800 unloaded, 600 engaged. Then, I was screwing around inside my dash, popped off a vacuum hose that goes to my heater buttons, and now I have similar symptoms to yours. I can't put the hose back on without tearing the dash apart and I will not tear the das apart until I get the new tailgate switch that I need. The other possibility is that you need to tweak your timing just a hair. Here's how to do it.......

1) Loosen distributor nut so you can just barely rotate the distributor.

2) Hook up vacuum guage to a permanent location on your dash (for constant engine supervision all the time).

3) Start engine. If the needle is bouncing, find the vacuum leak and correct it (the needle should be steady between 18 and 22 in/hg)

3) Chock the wheels (VERRRRY IMPORTANT)

4) Put Jeep in drive

5) slowly advance or retard timing until you achieve maximum vacuum.

6) Shut down adn resecure distributor.

7) Start her up. If all went well, you will have about 21.5 in/hg of vacuum and an ilde speed at about 800 rpm (providing you've adjusted the idle set screw to the necessary place). At this point, put it in drive, and check rpm and vacuum (600 rpm, 16 in/hg)

Timing guns are neat and all that but there is always a bit of error involved in each engine that has a little to do with wear that requires the timing to be slightly different for each vehicle. That's why you adjust it under load with all vacuum lines hooked up including the one to the vacuum advance on the distributor.

Don't forget to remove the wheel chocks before you try to drive away.

[83 WagDriver]

I had the same problem.
So I looked at the Haynes book and adjusted whats called the fast idle screw. had to adjust with car in gear and the wife holding the break. That solved my problem.Hope that helps

Mario

[porkchop]

Ok since this is a new post I will put in a little back ground. The engine has about 5000 miles on it and the carb is an edelbrock 1405 sitting on a performer 2131. I have adjusted the timing. I even had a professional that I know do it and all is well there.

Mike, I would love to adjust it on the beach in Mexico but it would never make it there the way it is now :D .

Phil, I have no vacuum going up to my dash, so there must be a leak under the hood some where. Plus I am not to sure about the timing technique you are talking about. As soon as the idle gets to high it diesels when shut down, BAD.

Thanks for the suggestions so far. I am not going to trouble shoot it any more. I will be putting on a Q-jet soon and getting a new vac advance. When all this goes on then I will continue.