[DeTomaso] any ideas?

[Barry Seib]

Seeing you are grasping for ANY ideas Dennis, I'll take a crack at this one.

This doesn't sound like a lean condition or vacuum leak to me. It sounds 
like a rich mixture at idle which is tolerated by a cold engine. Richness 
(maybe flooding) is also be minimized by opening the throttle. Perhaps a 
high float level or dirty needle/seats. If it's a Holley carb, maybe a bad 
or wrong power valve. Lots of other opportunities for idle mixture problems 
in some Holleys with wrong/bad gaskets at the jet blocks. Maybe Look into 
the carb venturis with a flashlight at idle while running and see if liquid 
fuel is dripping into the engine.

Good Luck and best wishes from the frozen North.

Wishing all you listers a good holiday with your families and time to 
reflect on the gift we have been offered at Christmas.

Barry


 Sun Dec 23 16:30:24 CST 2007

Thanks all for the responses to my engine problem.  I have checked and
changed the fuel filter and have fuel all the way to the carburetor bowls so
I don't think that fuel delivery to that point is the problem.  Up to the
point that the engine starts to act up, it idles well and revs up strong.
When the engine begins to stumble and die, holding the throttle open it up
keeps it running like normal and it will rev up strongly when throttled up.
After it dies, it will start right back up although I still have to hold the
throttle open for it to idle.  This makes me think that it is not an
ignition problem but a carburetor problem.  I guess that the key to this
problem is that it will run well until the motor has warmed up.  Can the
carburetor's idle circuit cause a symptom like this?



Mele Kalikimaka and Hauoli Makahiki Hou!

(Merry Christmas and Happy New Year)





Aloha,



Dennis