79 Effie, 302, c4, factory carb and ignition, California emissions removed 8 months ago.
Drove truck around all last weekend, no problems. Got in to go out last night. Truck will start and run as long as the automatic choke is on. as soon as auto choke cuts off the engine dies. Will start with foot on pedal. as soon a I take foot off of pedal it dies. I've done nothing under the hood. I've been putting gas in and going for months, haven't touched anything under the hood. no chirping/squealing/sucking vacuum leak sounds. All vacuum hoses look and feel ok, no cracks splits etc. Everthin is where its suposta be.

It runs like a champ but have to give it pedal and cant drive it around trying to hold idle at 5 or 6 thou rpm's.

it's not a vacuum leak, its getting fuel (or it wouldn't run at all).
Must be ignition? looking into checking the advance unit on the Distributor(its a factory part).

Any suggestions would be a GREAT help.

tks Art

 

Sounds as if something has gotten into your idle circuit in the carburetor. The reason it runs on choke is simple. The choke butterfly valve is partially closed which will enrichen the mixture. The throttle is open and on the choke step up cam. The carburetor is running on the high speed circuit. When you drop off choke...the throttle closes and enters the transition slot area of the throttle bore and relies on the mixture screws to provide idle fuel mixture. Yours is likely plugged OR you have such a massive vacuum leak that the idle fuel that is available is inadequate to maintain idle. Check the PCV valve / hose. Check brake booster hose. Check carburetor base gasket by spraying starting fluid around the base of the carb. When I say "check" these hoses I don't mean see if it has them . Examine them closely for splits from rot / oil saturation. Don't just check the ends for the fact they are attached. Oil soaked PCV hoses can split in the middle or at the ends.

I'm assuming you are running the Factory 2bbl carb. If so you may have an aluminum spacer under it. Look closely at the base gaskets. I've seen a LOT of those sucked and leaking....which can cause the symptoms you describe. IF by chance your truck has the Variable Venturi Carb on it.... Run...don't walk to the nearest parts store and buy a Holly 500 2 barrel with Ford kick down linkage and electric choke. The Ford VV carb.... is a piece of junk.

 

Not the idle circuit. took both screws out blasted the ports with carb clean. than chased em with 120psi compressed air. can feel n hear the air flowing through to the carb.
There's posts all over the net about this problem with 2150 carb. but nobody follows through and post's what the fix was/is (bloody hate that).

 

Well....the 2150 will run with top off. Fire it up and watch what it is doing. If it has no flow in the bores....it's plugged some place. I have swapped several of these for the Holly 500. It's a much nicer carb in my opinion. But that said...the 2150 isn't bad and is easy to overhaul.

Here is a link you might find useful

Motorcraft 2150 2V Theory and operation

 

I wonder if this is it, missing caps. ImageShack Album - 3 images
or cap, found one in the carb, the other?