This is kind of weird but I recently adjusted my carb, I tried the method someone posted on here and it seems to have worked. I turned the mixture screw down to the bottom then out 3 full turns and started it, it ran perfect, I adjusted the idle to 750 on the dot. And took her for a spin, I now have almost no engine braking effect. What could possibly do that? It accelerates just as before and backfires when I let of the gas in gear just as before but almost no brake effect. Before it would practically slam my face in the steering wheel if I let totally off the gas while in 1st gear. It almost feels as though the clutch is slipping on deceleration but I doubt it's the clutch, since it was fine right before the carb adjustment.

 

So, I guess what I'm asking is what kind of engine braking is normal? Was it too harsh before and running correctly now? OR is it not running correctly now?

The engine seems to run better and I like that but I also like a little engine braking too.

Sounds to me like your timing is off. Engine, or compression, braking would be less or none if either valve is open or beginning to open. Also could be the cause of backfiring through the carb or after burning in the exhaust, which ever it is that's occuring. Why it's less now than before if all you adjusted was your idle mixture and idle speed? My guess would be that before you had a high enough mixture that you were getting some fuel/air ignition to cause some compression effect and now your mixture is such that there's not enough fuel to ignite in that condition.

I say timeing to also if that does not fix you back firing problem block off or replace the reed valves on buth sides of the motor they will cause the car to back fire

Yeah, I meant the exhaust type backfire sound, not a true carb backfire. It's always done that when I let off the gas (have a big hole in exhaust right in front of the muffler) and it doesn't do it any more or less often than before nor any difference in tone or loudness, just the lack of braking. I'll check the timing, I had it set at 10 degrees I think but I can't remember, it was just a hair above stock though I remember that. I checked both my ASV's and they are working right, (sucking not blowing).