Hello, does anyone know an easy way to get the lead plugs out of the out board carbs to access the mixture screws on the Holley 2300 series front and rear carbs? My 440 idles fine and the out boards open but bog. I have the black springs in the diaphrams. When they open at part throttle they don't seem to pull fuel through the venturies. I had the carbs on a 383 and they worked great, but on the 440 the same carbs seem to spike lean at part throttle. Thanks in advance for any replies.

They are really thin and soft. Take a 1/8" bit and drill VERY carefully only through the thin top, then take a hook pick and pull the cap out. really easy. Don't be surprised the adjusting screws are stuck in there. try not to break the tangs off, it then becomes a process to remove the brass screws. after 50 years the original cork material around the brass adjusting screw becomes like concrete.

Thanks I'll try that.

Be careful with those screws. If your carbs are very old and the cork gasket are hardened, you will break the brass screw. Then you are in trouble. I remove lots of those in carb restoration. First I remove the hardened gasket with a pick. I now have a lathe so I’ll make a special tool to clean them out faster, but a needle pick will work. You may need to soak it first in wd40 or carb cleaner.

The carbs are very old. They are running on my 440, but I'm sure you are correct. The screws are probably frozen. I will do as you suggested. Thanks for your help.

If you're not working on a "correct" car, there is a replacement base available with angled idle jets.
You'll only need it for the rear carb if only one gets boogered up trying to repair it.

DAMHIK

Have one on our Dodge, works great.

Joe

So the cork gasket is the only issue ?

And once you get that out the screw usually is free?

Or do the threads need to be lubed up too ?

I have an old set and am getting ready to flog them.

If you look at the bottom of some baseplates right where the idle screw goes in it sure looks like holley dimpled the base after the idle screw was set to lock it. Rumor has it that that really sticks them in there, I think drilling those would help relieve pressure. Soaking, lube and a small sleeve that fits over the idle screw so one side does not break off will lead to success.

I’ve heard the rumor too about that “dimple” . I’m not certain but that it may be cast into the base when it was made. I discussed that rumor with Bill Overcash when I first started using him to restore the carbs on my Superbird. He never found it necessary to drill out that dimple. Neither have I had any problems and I’ve been messing with six packs since 76. After Bill passed last year, I decided to start restoring carbs. So far, I’ve taken apart about 30 end carbs and have no problems getting them out if I’m careful. Carbs in better overall condition are easier. The old corroded carbs take more care. I get the gasket out and soak it with carb cleaner and/or wd40, but I’m still very careful. I have gotten them out on several that customers have sent into me already broken off. If you do break one off, give me a shout. I bought all of Bill stuff so I have some spare ones.

Thanks to everyone for the replies. Do the gaskets need to be replaced after they are removed?

Yes they do, common Holley item.

If you mean the cork gasket around the needle, then yes. They come out dried up and in pieces. It’s the same gasket as the center metering block screws.

If me I would work with the idle fuel feed restriction, 383 pulls fuel different than the 440 even using same cam. Ends carbs have no squirters so it has to be richened up a little in that restriction, like you said it idles good and moving the needle let’s air and fuel in, you only need fuel.

outboard air bleeds plugged.........?

This sounds like what I really need to do. Can you please explain the best way to address the idle feed restriction, and where it's located? I have heard of this before. Thanks for your advice!

Also I neglected to mention I have the Promax metering plates with 84 jets installed.

This “idle air bleed” modification is something that needs to be left to a serious professional. You start drilling out holes you better make sure you know what you’re doing. It’s not like this new carbs with the changeable air bleeds. Check to see if they are plugged up first. If you install a dual sensor wide band o2 system on your car, it will help. There are gifted individuals who can tune by feel, so to speak, but they are not new at this. Get the screws turning and get a wide band O2 unit and play with the carbs. It will help.

Thanks again to everyone for the replies. So to recap, does everyone feel that the out board idle mixture screw settings may be the reason the outboard carbs open but bog(lean) and even at cruising speed the car seems to bog when the out boards open. I've tried everything to remedy this to no avail. I don't understand why these same carbs would work so well on the 383, but behave like this on the 440. If changing the out board idle mixture screw settings, from where they are set from the factory would fix this than I'm all for it. But I would hate to break off one of the screws and open a can of worms. Is there anything else that could cause what seems to be a lack of fuel to the outboard carbs as ther open?

float too low . wrong spring in outboards. pluged kill blead orfice . wrong or bad power valve . incorrect timing . old bad fuel .

pluged idel circuts . bad gaskets someware .


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If it bogs with the black springs, just make sure it’s not the center carb. Those black springs open very late. Disconnect you vacuum line to the end carbs and plug it. See if it still bogs. The end carbs idle screws are mainly for idle mixture and not for off idle power. I think you have something else wrong.