Well for those that saw my other thread (thoughts on car-Round 3) I ended up buying the car. Its a 68 SS with original 350 shortblock, newer heads, holley carb (650? - not sure haven't got a good look at it yet)

On the drive home i heard what i thought was some knocking when i got on the throttle. I assumed that moving the car from colorado springs with an altitude of over 6000ft down to Greenville S.C. with an altitude of about 800 ft would definitely result in lean condition due to the greater air density and the carb will need to be adjusted.

Unfortunately i don't know the first thing about carburetors. I have a very basic understanding of how they work, but i know i need to make some sort of crude adjustment to add some fuel since i'm sure its running a little lean right now. Should i just fill up with some 110 octane until i find a professional i trust?

Is there a good DIY somewhere on carb tuning? Is there a good shop manual for 67-68 camaro's? Are there any good books i could buy? I wanna learn, but i need to do something in the near future, given what i assume is fairly lean condition with the huge change in altitude.

Thanks for any info!!

-Rob

 

My guess is the knock you heard was detonation. That much of a change in elevation is going to have some major affect on timing.
I would see what the timing is set at and go from there.

 

Don't disassemble the choke mechanism! First thing a lot of manual will tell you is to take the choke stuff off. Good luck getting it back together.

I never dip a carb, but then I don't let them get so skanky that they need a dip. I just use a can of carb cleaner and use the plastic tip to squirt cleaner through all the passages. Wear safety glasses while doing this! Some holes in Holley main body are blind....as you will be if cleaner you squirt in there shoots right back out at you.

Observation during disassembly is vital. You'd be amazed at the carbs I've looked at after their owner "rebuilt" them. Misassembled, wrong gaskets, and parts left out.

Try to keep the original gaskets as intact as possible. Rebuild kits come with a lot of gaskets that look alike for various list #'s that particular kits services. When you go to reassemble, compare the old gasket to the new ones and choose the one that is exactly the same.

Holleys are great carbs. If you really want to learn them, pick up a book published by HP Books. Holley Carburetors and Manifolds by Urich and Fisher.

Has rebuild procedures, tuning, and theory, so you know what that tiny passage in the metering block feeds.