I'm a newbie here. This is my first 2nd generation car. I just bought this car a week ago. It was starting and running fine and yesterday didn't start. I jumped it easily so assumed it was a battery. I had the battery, starter and alternator checked and were all good. It started a few times at the auto parts store after jumping it. I took a look at the carburetor and noticed it was rigged to have the carb valves open all the time (zip tied). I tried jumping it again with no success and primed the carb with gas, no luck. I'm thinking it is a carb problem, but not sure.

Any ideas? If it is a carb problem, does anyone have advice or directions on how to install a new one and what type?

It's a 350, 4bbl, 4 speed. 1978 z28.

 

if it is the carb my choice would bea 600 or 650 holley but no bigger,if its a holley or quadrajet u can rebuild it unless the linkage is bad in it should be rigged to be open all the time,maybe it was running to rich thats why,could have fowled ur plugs i would take atleast one out and take a look.is it rolling normally or is it rolling over slow.

 

Are you saying they might have had it rigged because it was running too rich? I'll check to see if the plugs are fowled. It's turning over normally.

 

What "valves" are rigged open on the carb? Do you by chance mean the choke plate is wired open? If so, then the electric choke might have been out of adjustment, or failed.
When you jumped it and it started was it not turning over before that? A carb wont change the way an engine cranks, so if it's cranking slow or not at all, it's not the carb.
Try cranking it with the pedal to the floor next time it wont start. If it fires then I'd guess it's the carb flooding, and you'll need to replace or rebuild it.

 

Tried to push the gas pedal to the floor, didn't start. I sprayed some starter in the carb and that didn't work. I pulled one of the plugs and tried to start it so I could see if it was arching. No spark at all. I'm going to replace the coil and then an electronic component inside the distributor cap. Any other ideas if this doesn't work.

 

Before you replace any parts in the coil or distributor be sure you have power at the coil with the key on. It could be a blown fuse. I'd use a test light to see if there's power, and if there is, then remove the cap and replace cap and rotor and retest. The coil would be last, as it's the most expensive part.

 

I never could find a fuse box in the engine compartment, so I replaced the coil and ignition module. The car started right up! Thanks for the help.

 

Fuse box isn't under the hood, it's under the dash, driver's side.