I've inherited my grandfathers 1986 F-150 and this is my first project. The transmission has been rebuilt and it runs. But the carburetor is not idling properly. Suggestions on where to start?

 

this is currently an issue on an 86 i6 i just bought. the vacuum system was a wreck and it still sorta is. ive slowly been making progress. are your hoses all where they need to be? do you have an air cleaner and the air cleaner housing? how is the breather element and the pcv valve? ive been using carb cleaner and its slowly cleaning out all the gunk (my air cleaner was not hooked up)

 

I have an 85 and when I got it it smoked like and old diesel tractor, I am not exaggerating. I bought a carburetor rebuild kit and opened up the carb and started cleaning, there was a diaphragm in there that was completely eaten up by ethanol in the gas and it was dumping fuel in. After rebuilding I just had to adjust the idle down and mess with the fuel mixture.

 

Pull the part number off the carb tag, google mikes carb parts, buy the proper rebuild kit for $50 or less, and rebuild the thing. Unless gramps can tell you it was rebuilt recently, its always a great place to start.

 

I had the same problem with my 86 with the inline 6. The emissions control system was completely jacked up. I couldn't straighten out the 30 years of people like me doing sketchy crap. I finally gave up and got rid of the feedback carb and computer. I swapped to a late 70s carb that isn't computer controlled and switched out the he GM type HEI distributor.

Here's everything I took out:



Wasn't an easy process, but she runs like a top now!

 

Define "not idling properly".

Could be lots of things, Carb, Vacuum, Valves, Ignition Module, Computer, or just an old fashion tune up.

How many miles on the Spark Plugs? Wires, Dizzy Cap & Rotor ?

Do you know if you have a Duraspark or EEC Ignition?