carby help

[festivafeva]

88 has some problems and looking for input. Starts good but idles funky. sometimes it will idle low and sounds like its fighting itself to stay running. sometimes it will idle high and do the same thing. Most of the vacuum lines look good but i didnt go over them too well. If it is idling high you can tap the gas and it will idle down/die. it seems like maybe the high idle mechanism has something to do with it but at the same time it seems like that wouldnt make it fight itself to stay running. it will sputter and jerk if you dont ease into the gas just right. it will sputter when you're in gear and just coasting and when you let out the clutch it seems like you have to give it too much pedal to make it go.
any help appreciated

[2xclutchin]

Is this your non stock one?

If stock I had/have an issue with an extremely loose throttle shaft causing a loss of vacuum, so I need either a new feedback or to switch it out. Probably won't be of any help but hope it does! Haha

[bravekozak]

Ditch the stock feedback carb for an Escort carb. Search for carb conversion threads plus an adapter plate on here. Don't waste one penny or one brain cell trying to figure out what's wrong with the stock system. It is that complicated. So many solenoids and ECU inputs that govern the feedback actuator, that it's not worth it.

[festivafeva]

haha its the stock setup. i already have a conversion. i will run and drive fine but you just have to keep it alive at stoplights which isnt enough of a problem for me to justify swapping

[bravekozak]

There is nothing like the sound of a carb engine idling smoothly at 500 rpm with almost no vibration.

[WmWatt]

I'd give it a good cleaning with carb cleaner, including the exterior linkages on throttle and automatic choke.

[Banana Bonanza]

I'd guess vacuum leak someplace, but the OEM feedback carb is so complex with so much vacuum hangons that this can be nightmare. Probably needs to be meticulously disassembled, cleaned, and rebuilt with new kit and then everything hooked back up the factory way. When they work, the OEM carb works fine and dandy. When it gives problems, its a nightmare. But also you need to know about any local emissions inspections. Some places they can be nightmare to deal with, making the complicated carb seem better option.

If you have no emissions inspections or if visual inspection is not big deal, then switching to Weber or early non-feedback Escort carb is way to go. Webers can be leaned out to meet any actual test that can be met by a factory carb. But they will never look like the OEM carb setup though some have successfully camouflaged them enough for inspector in hurry.