I wonder if this is your problem. That diaphragm on the distributor controls the ignition advance. Look at the test on page 24-10 of that shop manual.

 

Doesn't one advance the timing and the other retard it at certain times? I could be wrong be I thought the one that retards it bleeds vacuum and will not hold vacuum when testing it.

 

Common vacuum leaks, the hot air door diaphram on the breather snorkle, [good luck getting the hose off],the advance on the dist. and the choke pull off on the front top left of the carb.
To run the engine with the breather off, plug all hoses on the passenger side of the carb, the one on the drivers side of carb is a vent, no need to plug it.
To test the choke pull off pinch off both vacum lines to it and start the engine and see that the pull off opens the plate.
With the breather off you can 'stuff' the carb; run up the RPM to about 5000, close the choke plate or put your hand over the top for a few seconds..Don't let the engine stall.
This lets the engine vacum pull gas thru all the jets at high speed to clean them out.

 

open up Item #2 in this drawing and check that the flapper plates are all in one piece, it might be the 'rattle noise you hear;

 

Well let's see, I looked up section 24-10 and it showed checking only one of the vac lines to the distributer ( the outer-most one ) even though both vac lines are visible in the diagram.

Since my thinking is check everything that I can before replacing parts or rebuilding the carb, I checked the hot air door diaphram, and the choke pull off, no change, I also went around the carb again with needle-nose pliers pinching off every line one at a time to see if there was any change, no change. then I revved it up good and closed the choke flap to clean out the jets like hondadude suggested, no change.

Any idea what I should check next?

 

By the way, I drove it yesterday and I noticed that when I stepped on the clutch it didn't boost the idle like it normally does, so I checked out the manual and it had a diagnostic flow chart to check that switch and the power to it, it is supposed to have 3v going to it, the switch is fine, but I wasn't able to tell if it had proper power to it ( my tester consists of a simple probe with a bulb that lights up ) so I don't know if 3 volts will acually light it. does anyone know what that circuit does to the carb and how it does it so that I might be able to check that out further.

Other than that it looks like I'm getting down to rebuilding the carb, which I was hoping to avoid as it's been years since I rebuilt one and that was a simple 2bbl that was on my 72 Scout II, though that one came out fine. I've been out of work for several months and I don't want to pay $350. for a rebuilt carb not knowing for sure that the carb is the problem, though $40. for the rebuild kit isn't a problem, and then there is the issue of whether a top rebuild or a full rebuild is what I need.

Once again any advice is appreciated.

 

I have an 1988 Honda Accord LX carburetor. After warming up it idles up to 2000 then it will surge up and down from 1500 rpm to 2200 rpm. Where do I start in the trouble shooting process?

To the orginal author did you ever get things resolved?
thanks

 

I've found much of the info in this post very helpful for getting my 89 accord lx back into great mechanical shape. But I am still having a bit of a problem with it. It likes to stall when taking my foot off the gas once the car is warm and it will sputter as the engine decelerates. When I start it cold, it fires right up, within a second or two. It will start and drive great, but once I've driven it to a normal operating temp. Once I put the clutch in, the car will try to die unless I keep giving it gas. I've followed the checklist provided, the only thing I have yet to try is checking the intake and carb gaskets for a leak. It's been a while since I've worked with vacuum systems. I've done almost a complete tuneup in this car (Both fuel filters, cap, rotor, plugs, wires, pcv valve, breather filter). I know I have to change the oil, it's dirty, but otherwise shows no signs of contamination and doesn't appear to burn or leak oil for the most part, on a side note I have to replace the valve cover gasket due to a slight leak that was only evident when driving on the highway. I checked the venturies and they were tight. It is a high mileage motor 250k+ miles, 5pd. I want to guess a vacuum leak, but I've looked at the vacuum lines and they look and feel ok. The only problem I can find that is obvious is that vacuum line #20 was broken and someone sealed it off with a screw. I think the line only goes to a thermal check valve. I'm stumped. Anyone have any ideas? By the way, when I'm driving around and on the highway, the car drives like it has plenty of life, and I have an exhaust leak somewhere (I can both hear it and smell it leaving the garage in the morning). I have the same post over at 3geez but I'm putting the same one here in hopes of getting some advice on this issue, any help is greatly appreciated.

 

Once warm, look down the throat of the carb.....do you see any drops of gas? Pull the screen, two 10mm nuts-don't drop them down .

There is a red arrow - hard to see? and a bad blue circle in this pic of areas to check.

 

That is exactly what I see. It's been a while since I've worked on a carb. But if I recall correctly, shouldn't it be spraying out of the needle and not coming out in droplets? It is coming out as a stream per say, but more like if you have your sink faucet just barely turned on.