Two fuel issues

[DoubleDingo]

Glad to hear you got the fuel issues fixed. Is it vacuum related on the brakes? Low on fluid? Other?

 

[HotRodPC]

Get the quadrajet built right with the well plugs sealed off and the throttle shafts bushed with bronze bushings, adjust it then you can weld the hood shut for 10 years before it'll need a kit again. Very common problems with Qjets, but once you get those issues fixed right, they're fixed for good.

 

[DirtyDYT]

Well f- me. I just checked the coolant on a hunch... it's white and frothy. That was the engine trying to hydro lock after all... I believe I've got a bad head gasket pressurizing the cooling system. Really hope it's not a cracked head!

The irony is that it doesn't miss or anything. Ugh.

...but there is a distinct “pop” to the passenger side exhaust and it appears to have steam coming out of it.

Glad to hear you got the fuel issues fixed. Is it vacuum related on the brakes? Low on fluid? Other?

The brake booster check valve’s internals were messed up so I suspected it might be the culprit... but I still didn’t have power brakes after replacing the check valve. I also checked the filter for flow, it was fine. Fluid level is fine. I think my booster just crapped out on top of everything else.

Get the quadrajet built right with the well plugs sealed off and the throttle shafts bushed with bronze bushings, adjust it then you can weld the hood shut for 10 years before it'll need a kit again. Very common problems with Qjets, but once you get those issues fixed right, they're fixed for good.

The nice thing is that the reman carb was nearly spot on out of the box. But now I've got bigger fish to fry...

 

[SrMousse]

Sorry to hear about the troubles! Pros and cons with these 30+ year old square bodies!

Pro: We can fix most things on our own!
Con: Most things need fixing!

Good news is, at least this is what I keep telling myself so I can sleep at night, eventually I'll run it of things to fix, and I should be able to get another 30 years out of it!

 

[DirtyDYT]

Sorry to hear about the troubles! Pros and cons with these 30+ year old square bodies!

Pro: We can fix most things on our own!
Con: Most things need fixing!

Good news is, at least this is what I keep telling myself so I can sleep at night, eventually I'll run it of things to fix, and I should be able to get another 30 years out of it!

Yeah, I love the fact I can fix anything at home. Problem is that I don’t always have time. I caved and took it to a really good local shop for the head issue.

Good news is that replacing the faulty check valve and actually connecting the vacuum line to the correct orifice on the carb seemed to fix my brake problems.

 

[SrMousse]

That's great news!

 

[DirtyDYT]

That's great news!

More amazingly, the shop says the head/gasket wasn’t the issue! Had a weeping hose run me low on coolant. Not sure about the cause of the frothy coolant but I’ve never been so happy to be wrong lol!

Guy also said he had a big ten back in the day and got mine tuned up beyond what I’d done. I pick it up in a couple days after he swaps that stupid drop spindle for OEM and finishes up the brakes. Score!

 

[DoubleDingo]

Sounds like it will come back better than you left it.

 

[DirtyDYT]

Sounds like it will come back better than you left it.

Absolutely. It’ll be even quicker and much safer. Not to mention checked over professionally.