Ok, well in looking at some things on my newly acquired '82 toyota I noticed a couple of things.
1. It doesn't idle very smoothly at all.
2. It smells really rich.
3. Plugs were really sooty with lots of carbon buildup.
4. Mixture screw was backed way the heck out. I tried redoing the mixure but screwing it in seemed to make the motor growl every once in a while. I wondered if it was due to detonation or preignition so I backed it back out.
5. There is a little pump thing on the bottom of the front passenger side of the carb that leaks everytime I push on the throttle. The diaphram is torn or something so everytime it goes to inject fuel into the carb a little leaks out and drips all over the place.

It seems to me that I also have a huge vacuum leak somewhere because it doesn't seem to matter what vacuum hoses I pull off,it runs the same. But if I cover up the intake a little with my hand the engine seems to run better. That tells me that I'm getting too much air somehow. Besides that faulty diaphragm what things should I check for large vacuum leaks? I plan on checking the EGR on Wednesday. Any other suggestions? Also as far as the mixture screw is concerned: Turn in= Lean or Turn in= Rich? Thanks for your help.

Sounds like you need to get a rebuild kit for the carb.

One way to find vacuum leaks is to take a propane torch, turn it on but do not light it. Pass it over the hoses and mateing surfaces on the intake manifold, when the engine speeds up you have found the leak.

and don't have a cigarette dangling from your mouth.....

Carb FAQ!

That diaphragm thats leaking is the Accelerator Pump Diaphragm and it comes in the rebuild kit. Sounds like a rebuild wouldn't hurt ya.

-Scerb

Here's a question for you Scerb. (Nice job on the carb FAQ by the way, I printed it out the first day I signed onto this forum and it has been very useful, well done) I located a tab on the carb that had the numbers 3517 stamped onto it.It was held on by one of the screws on the front of the carb, but it was on the passenger side not the drivers side is this the OEM number for the carb or is it longer and should I be looking somewhere else?

Ya, thats the OEM number. Either I am mistaken and its on the passenger side from the factory or your carb may have been rebuilt once before. Either option is possible <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/drunk.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

And it'll be impossible to get a good idle with a vacum leak like that. So get a new diaphragm and then tweak the idle. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

-Scerb

Thanks for your help!

The other thing about the carb tag is they are 5 digits, 35XXX, so you're missing one digit. Post or PM me your VIN and I can look your truck up and see what the right number is. There were a ton of numbers.

I ran across this problem yesterday on a piece of equipment at work. Vacuum leak somewhere was causing erratic idle, and hard starting in the morning due to someone adjusting the carb to try and compensate for the vacuum leak.

Unplugged the vacuum line to the brake booster, plugged it, and the idle smoothed out. Replaced the booster, re-adjusted the carb, and it runs great now.

Come to think of it the brakes really suck too.(Sorry no pun intended, but of course I'm going to leave it in there). I'll check out the booster. Thanks, I wouldn't have thought of that. Also I did find the fifth number on the tag. It was covered up by some crud. I figured it out when looking for rebuild kits online and noticed that they all have 5 digits at the end. My correct number is 35171. I'm going to buy a rebuild kit specific to that number today and get started on the rebuild. Keep the good info coming.