I need a 4 barrel carb for my '86 Regal....

Discussion in 'V-8 Buick Powered Regals' started by Lebowski, Feb 1, 2012.

  1. Lebowski

    Lebowski Mark it 8, Dude...

    The '86 Regal I bought in October is acting up on me again. The mechanic at the local garage said the carb on my 307 (Olds) V8 needs to be replaced. It won't idle anymore (except when the engine is cold) even though the car only had 53K miles on it. They have several remanufactured carbs at Advance Auto for $400 to $600 each plus whatever it would cost me to have it installed but I don't know if that's the best way to go. Does anyone out there have a 4 barrel carb that would work on a GM small block?

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    [TD="class: cms_table_alt3, bgcolor: #F0F0F0"]Here's a little history on my problem. I took the Regal to a local garage the first week of December because it was running poorly and backfiring through the carb. They adjusted the timing, which he said way way off, and also cleaned out something near the carb that was clogged up and not working, and also stopped a gas leak near the carb, all for $90 (1.5 hours labor at $60 an hour). He told me at the time that the carb had issues but he had it running a lot better. Then last week I stopped at Advance Auto and was asking the kid there if he knew anything about carbs and he said not really, but I should ask the guy who was walking out the door who is a full time mechanic. So that guy ended up taking a look at the Buick and the first thing he said was that the car looked familiar because he had worked on it a few weeks ago. It turns out he works at the garage where I had taken it earlier. He spent about 10 minutes working on it in the parking lot and said it needed a couple of things which I should have written down because I forgot what they are. He also said that the carb should be rebuilt or replaced. He said I could use an older model 4 barrel but I would have to replace the distributor with a different one. I'm hoping to find a similar carb for less than the $400-600 that Advance Auto wants for one and bring it to them to have it installed along with whatever else it needs. I even called the local Buick dealer and the parts guy said he can't get those carbs anymore. I haven't driven the car in several days and I'd like to get it back on the road ASAP. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I should proceed with this?[/TD]
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  2. steve covington

    steve covington Well-Known Member

    The Rochester E4ME carb was about the end of the line on carburetors, before Throttle body injection took over. There are LOTS of vacuum functions on that carb, each with their own line; quite a few electrical/ electronic connections leading to and from associated parts; and there is the basic mechanical aspect of the carb itself; any of which if degraded will affect how the carb itself functions. Emission carbs are no fun at all. Any one thing can cause that carb to be a gas hog.
    A friend of mine had a burned out bulb in his dash (the check engine light) and couldn't figure out why his car suddenly went to crap. Turns out the temperature sender was bad, causing the computer to make the car think it was cold, maknig it run rich to try to warm up, staying in open loop mode all the time, clogged up the catalytic converter from never getting hot enough and fouled the oxygen sensor. See what I mean? A simple light bulb burned out, combined with a failed sensor got slightly expensive.
    FIRST: Does your check engine light come on when you just turn the car on, not cranking it up?
    Second: does the check engine light flash, or stay on , after you crank it up?
    Third : Does the check engine light come on after running about three minutes after starting?
    These are just the ULTRA basics for just the start.
    If you disconnect the battery, or the lead to the computer, you remove the codes, but NOT FIX THE PROBLEM.
    SO much more...
     
  3. Lebowski

    Lebowski Mark it 8, Dude...

    Thanks for the long reply to my thread, Steve. My carb is an E4MC and not an E4ME if that makes any difference. The check engine light has never come on since I bought the car in October. Anyway, about 10 days ago I bought a rebuilt carb on Ebay from Mountain Man Fuel Systems out of Arkansas for $205 plus shipping. I had a local shop install it last week and they also put on a new purge valve and now it runs great. I highly recommend Mountain Man to anyone who needs a rebuilt carb at a reasonable price....
     
  4. steve covington

    steve covington Well-Known Member

    Are you saying that with the ignition ON, but car not running, that the check engine light doesn't come on? It may be as simple as a burned out bulb, or MUCH worse (see above post). At least that bulb is relatively easy to swap out; it is accessable by taking off the lower dash trim and taking out the plug in connector 2 light blue wires to a twist in light socket to the right side of dash... All others are into the circuit panel itself and changing the bulb (#194, I think). If that is the case, you have no clue what may be wrong, other than having someone hook up an OBD1 capable diagnostic machine (which are getting rarer than hens teeth; OBD2 went into full effect on 1996 models.
     
    Last edited: Feb 12, 2012
  5. Lebowski

    Lebowski Mark it 8, Dude...

    The car runs fine now so there's no reason for you to concern yourself with it anymore. Thanks....
     
  6. steve covington

    steve covington Well-Known Member

    OAH KAY!!! Wash my hands.
     

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