Oldsmobile/Buick Repair: Carb problem on my Olds, quadrajet carbs, olds cutlass supreme

Question
Hi Bill,
I have a 78 Olds cutlass supreme. Chevy 350 v8, Holley 4bl. carb model 4150 list# 6919. When I bought the car from Mich. to Colorado it became very sluggish and began to stall and back fire. I had it serviced at this carb. shop (Hutchinson Battery) 4 times everytime he fixes the problem, a week it's doing it again. I was originally told that it needed an adjustment. Not a rebuild. Then I was told that the electronic choke was not functioning. Everytime it was something new, or an adjustment was needed. The current problem is the rpm neddle jumps up and down, and the car idles eratically, especially in gear. Sometimes it will backfire when you attempt to accelerate. Also the car has become very sluggish. The last time it was serviced there 3 weeks ago, the mechanic/owner said that my plugs were fowled, and he needed to adjust the choke again, $90 later the same problem has came back up. I have probably spent over $300 with this clown, and I everyone in town says that this is the best place? I do not want to take back there because that usually means that I have to leave my car for several days and then he wants to charge me $$$ I am at the point where I just want to learn how to do this myself and stop wasting $$$
Thanks

Answer
HI MARCUS.HOLLEY CARBS ELDERBROCK AND QUADRAJET CARBS ARE ALL VERY COMPLICATED TO REPAIR AND ALL ACT DIFFERENT FROM ONE ENG TEMP TO ANOTHER .YOU HAVE SPENT 300.00 A NEW ONE WOULD BE LESS.NORMALLY I INSTALL A MANUAL CHOKE,THE CHOKE IS CAUSEING ALL THESE PROBS.PUT ON A MANUAL AND YOU ADJUST HOW THE THING RUNS FROM THE DRIVERS SEAT.THIS IS THE SIMPLE SOLUTION AND YOU CAN DO THIS YOURSELF IN AN HOUR .SET THE CHOKE WHERE IT STARTS BEST AS YOU ARE DRIVEING SET IT W2HERE IT RUNS BEST FOR YOU. JUST A SIMPLE MATTER WHEN IT IS COLD PULL THE CHOKE OUT WHICH SHOULD CLOSE CHOKE AS THE TEMP COMES UP OPEN CHOKE.THIS OR BUYING A NEW CARB AND STARTING OVER IS YOUR OPTIONS GOOD LUCK VOTE FOR ME TY BILLYMAC