engine problems: carburetor?

[2500sierra81]

my truck is infamous at school for breaking down at least once a month. Until today it was two months overdue to have something go wrong. today sitting at a big intersection driving home from school, the truck stalled and wouldn't start up again. everyone behind me missed the light when it turned green but after a couple minutes of pumping the gas pedal it sputtered back to life. i kept revving it in neutral to keep it going until the light turned green again.

as soon as a parked in my driveway, and opened the hood as the engine was still running, the engine sputtered and quit, i observed some hissing and some sort of leak of a hot liquid out of what seems to be part of the carburetor. i can't really tell because the air filter casing is in the way. as well as many of the air ducts. i struggled to get the engine to restart and after 5 minutes of running it did the same thing just with less liquid coming out like 5 drops

i left it to cool and havent really decided what to do. any ideas whats wrong?

my truck had stalled in traffic a couple of times in late december early january but after consulting a mechanic he said it was the HEI module in the distributor so i replaced the HEI module and the truck ran fine after that. also in january after the HEI i had to get a new fuel pump and starter motor. could it be the HEI distributor again?if so why am i observing this liquid sputterign out of the carburetor?

 

[bucket]

You need to take the air cleaner off and see what's come loose. You also need to see what the fluid is. Clear and quick-drying like fuel?

 

[crazy4offroad]

Need to know what kind of carb too. If it's the original Quadrajet it could be leaking at the throttle shaft. This will also make it run too lean (too much air) and run kinda hot. If you dont get it fixed soon, next time it does it instead of pumping the gas hold it to the floor while cranking it, that's what you do if it's flooded. Pumping the gas just floods it worse.

 

[smurph20]

MIne was leaking out of the accelerator pump and was doing that rebuilt it runs like a champ now.

 

[2500sierra81]

thanks for the tips guys! can't get any work done right now cuz its pouring rain outside. and yeah it is the original carb. i think its the last original part in my truck so maybe i'll just get a new one

 

[2500sierra81]

truck's dead now. not related to the carb tho. some electrical problem with the starter/ignition i think. how hard is it to switch out a carb? and anyone have any ideas to what carb i would have in my truck?

 

[Jims86]

truck's dead now. not related to the carb tho. some electrical problem with the starter/ignition i think. how hard is it to switch out a carb? and anyone have any ideas to what carb i would have in my truck?

You should have a quadrajet, and you should stick with that. Stay away from Edelbrock/carter carbs.
first thing you should do, is connect a meter or test light to the pink wire that goes to your distributor, and turn the ignition on to see if you are getting power tonthe ignition system.
common problems are usually Ignition module, coil, pickup coil...but rule out a bad ignition switch first. there is not a fuse in the ignition, and also make sure that the ignition wires have not been pulled out of the shunt on your fuse panel, under the dash.

 

[2500sierra81]

dash seems all good. fuse wire is in. i dotn have the equipment to test if the distributor is getting power. but i do know that the starter is not cranking. does this mean the distributor is also out? or owuldnt the starter be on its own circuit?

i'm gonna make a new thread for this starting problem since i think this isnt a simple fix

 

[Jims86]

dash seems all good. fuse wire is in. i dotn have the equipment to test if the distributor is getting power. but i do know that the starter is not cranking. does this mean the distributor is also out? or owuldnt the starter be on its own circuit?

i'm gonna make a new thread for this starting problem since i think this isnt a simple fix

Where in Cali are you?

 

[Camo]

Need to know what kind of carb too. If it's the original Quadrajet it could be leaking at the throttle shaft. This will also make it run too lean (too much air) and run kinda hot. If you dont get it fixed soon, next time it does it instead of pumping the gas hold it to the floor while cranking it, that's what you do if it's flooded. Pumping the gas just floods it worse.

Could be a float issue causing the gas to overfill and come out the top of the carb, Would cause these same symptoms. Pretty common on the Q-jets.

 

[2500sierra81]

Where in Cali are you?

marin county

 

[2500sierra81]

truck hasnt done anythign since when i posted. i feel the carb still needs adjustment with gas prices continually going up but i think this is goign to have to be a summer project. as to the igniton problem the new starter that was put it a month ago died so i got a new one on warranty. now starts fine