Could someone please lead me to the sticky thread on Motorcraft 2150 tuning. I read it yesterday then tried to find it today with no luck. My 302 with Motorcraft 2150 is idleing high after warmed up and when i shift to reverse or drive it idles low and stalls. I have set the choke to 3 rich and opened idle screws (both) one half turn? It has been over 20 years since i have adjusted a carb. Can someone also point me to the location of the fuel filter, i have traced the fuel line from the carb to the fuel tank and do not see a filter. Thanks for your help.

 

fuel filter is on the carb .. the fuel line runs into it and then directly into the carb

 

Seems we have *two* in our sticky
(80-86 front page -> 3rd sticky down, 80-86 Tech Tips -> Carb & Fuel Injection):

Motorcraft 2150 2V Carburetor
http://www.therangerstation.com/tech..._2150_carb.pdf

In the following picture, the fuel filter is to the bottom left of the arrow extending from the "1"
label (you can see the hose clamp holding on a piece of rubber fuel line):


You might also find the following helpful:
http://www.tekatlarge.com/Automobile...150 Carb3.html

 

Thanks for the link and the picture. At some point in time someone decided to remove the filter and just have the fuel hose go straight to the carb. I wouldnt be suprised if they stripped the threads to the filter adapter. I will try to install a filter tomorrow. I tinkered with the carb adjustments long enough today to get it to run and drive. I sure miss driving a vehicle with a real engine, it sure felt good. Contemplating trading my foreign SUV for another Ford truck.

 

I made all of the adjustments just like on the post and it still idles very high and stalls when in park or drive. I can get it to idle lower but it will stall when i put in gear. If i have the curb idle set higher i can keep it running when its in gear. I want both, low idle and to be able to drive it. I am not sure if the throttle plate is opening all of the way. I have tried everything with the choke, idle mixture screws ( 2 1/2 turns) and high speed idle screw. I am going to replace all of the vacuum hoses tomorrow. Any suggestions? Thanks

 

I suggest you go through and make sure there is no air leaks, you can check by spraying some carb cleaner on/around hoses or where they connect. Replacing old hoses will also be a good step.

Once you have done that see how it's doing, and check back in.

 

I went and replaced all of the vacuum hoses minus the hose that goes to the brake booster. I replaced all of the caps on places that have no hoses.While running i listened for hissing (the engine is very loud) and sprayed carb cleaner around with no change in sound.Is the choke supposed to open the throttle plate all of the way fully open? When warmed up the throttle plate opens 1/2 inch or so. If i turn the choke housing way past the marks on the top it will open all of the way. I have 11-12 volts on the choke connection. It idles good but it still stalls when i go into gear.

 

Once warmed up the choke should be all the way open.

In the morning when you go to start your truck, the choke should be open around 1/8 of inch than as it slowly warms up the choke should open slowly.

To me it sounds as if you need to readjust your choke. Heres a great article that i suggest you read through some as it should help you.

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech..._2150_carb.pdf

 

I adjusted my choke again and now it opens all of the way when at temp. The engine still stalls when i put it in drive or reverse. It idles really good with no load. I have tried adjusting the idle mixture screws from 1/2 turn to 3 turns. If i have the warm idle set high ( i have no Tach) it will stay running but it idles really high.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by FordNFishinLover

Once warmed up the choke should be all the way open.

Correct, I think you're donfusing the choke (large metal flap you can readily see
on top of the air horn) with the throttle plate (located at the base of the carb,
only viewable by peering down inside the carb).

If you have a factory carb with the factory choke, you should have I think it's
around 7 or 8 volts at your electric choke, and power comes from a white &
black wire leading to the S (stator) connector on the back of the alternator.

Have you ever taken a look at what the ignition timing is set to? Do you have a
vacuum gauge?

 

I checked the timing and it is set to 8 degrees BTC? The pulley i set the timing on has two marks, a little cut out and a point closer to the top of the pulley, I set it to the lower cut-out. The carburetor didnt have a filter on it, i have since installed one. Would it be worth removing the airhorn and checking what it looks like inside, and possibly rebuilding the carb and replacing the intake manifold gasket. That would cover all possibilities? How hard is it to rebuild a carb?

 

Rebuilding a carb isn't terribly difficult, there are instructions with the rebuild kit.

I just noticed... I have no idea of the year of this thing? You're sure it's a 2150 and not a
feedback carb? The distributor has a vacuum line connecting to a diaphragm on the front of
it, right?

Have you checked your fuel pressure?

When you say it idles really high, is this because you set it that way and it's the only way
you can keep the engine running with it in gear? Or, will it just not idle at a normal speed
(warm engine, in Park) at all?

How does the thing drive in general? Does it have plenty of power pulling the thing up hills?

Have you checked your EGR valve? It's supposed to be off when cold and/ir at idle, it
should kick in around 2000 RPM. If it's stuck open, it won't idle worth crap. With the
engine warmed up, see if you can watch the diaphragm on the back of the carb that
controls the EGR valve, it should leave the valve closed at idle but should open up at
higher RPMs.

Are all of your vacuum lines connected and all of the little valves and doodads in
place?

The timing specs should be on a sticker under the hood, either on the valve cover or on
the radiator support near the latch. I wanna say 10*BTDC is common but it's gonna
depend on the Calibration Code. In any event, such a small deviation wouldn't cause your
problem.

The carb does not in any way cover all possibilities for your problem... could be a stuck
EGR valve, vacuum leak, bad distributor, low compression/worn out engine (again I'm
gonna ask, do you have a vacuum gauge?), faulty torque converter, weak coil, something
electrical that is shorting out the ignition when you move the shift lever, etc. etc.

 

My engine is a 1981 5.0, 302 withe the 2bbl Carb. Yes the distributor has a vacuum hose attached to it and it lookd identical to the 2150 carb in the rebuild sticky that was posted. I haven't check the fuel pressure, how do i go about doing that? It idles really high because i have it set high so it doesnt stall when put in gear. I can turn down the warm idle screw and it will idle slowly when warm and in park. I have only driven slowly on the road in front of my house but it seems to drive good (when the idle is high, it idles normal once its in drive). I dont know where the EGR valve is on the truck? Is it the little thing screwed into the top rear of the intake manifold? I dont have anything attached to the capped port at the bottom of the choke housing or anything attached to the connection at the drivers side rear of the (top) carb. I set the timing when the engine was warmed up and idling normally, and i disconected and plugged the vacuum hose from the distributor. I do not have a vacuum guage. It runs really good when at idle and warm and the idle adjusted normally and in drive when idle is high. Sorry for bieng ignorant about the engine and carb, its been over 20 years since i have worked on them and thanks again for all of your time.

 

I think i have a thermal vacuum switch on the rear drivers side of the intake manifold but there are no hoses cannected to it? I think the connections are sealed with rtv or something.

 

OK, 1981 didn't have the feedback carb so you're cool there.

The vacuum diaphragm that controls the EGR valve should be behind and
below the carburetor and looks similar to this:



There should be a vacuum line (at least a nipple for one) on that diaphragm.

Fuel pressure and vacuum can both be measured using a combination gauge, similar to this:



Reading your posts, I'm betting fuel pressure and/or vacuum aren't your
problem and that you don't have a vacuum line connected to your EGR valve
(if you even still have one installed) as it sounds like somebody has been trying
to remove the emissions control stuff (and not very successfully given your
descriptions of how it runs).

You mentioned a little doodad on the rear of your intake manifold, my guess is
you're talking about a temperature-actuated vacuum control valve (VCV), looks
similar to this:


They come in different colors (tells at what temp the thing operates) and with
2, 3 or more nipples for vacuum lines.

Some of those VCVs & vacuum lines control the emissions control devices.

Can you tell us... that vacuum line connected to your distributor, to where is
the other end connected?

Quote:

Originally Posted by akmikek

Sorry for bieng ignorant about the engine and carb, its been over 20 years since i have worked on them and thanks again for all of your time.

Hey, no apologies needed! I had never before dealt with front wheel drive and
a sideways-mounted engine and MacPherson struts to any appreciable extent,
and I spent the entire weekend replacing struts, CV joints and lower control
arms on my daily driver, and I'm only HALF DONE! Ran out of energy and
had already been deflated because I broke my stabilizer (sway) bar.

Point being, nobody can know everything....