Major problem with the engine

[Anonymous]

This week-end, I was running with the car and after 10 miles, the engine (1955 223 I6) started to misfire. While slowing down (no more power), the engine began to be very noisy and ran erratically. The Oil Pressure lamp lighted on and the engine stopped.

Believing it is a lack of gas (I have no fuel gauge), I added 5 gallons of fuel, checked the oil level and restarted the engine. The engine crancked but missed erratically. Probably something was drained from the bottom of the fuel tank... 5 minutes later, everything was OK.

...

20 miles from there, the problem appeared again but this time with very noisy detonations in the exhaust system while driving without pressing the accelerator pedal. When I press, no more the detonations. At idle, the engine stop and I have A LOT of difficulties to restart. It occured 10 times in a raw (always at the cross lights...).

I checked the fuel alimentation (recently renewed) and the carb bowl
I checked the ignition wire and distribution head (all parts are new)
I checked the fuel pump (restored last week).

Everything is OK but the engine still has difficulties.

Having to return home, I drove with the issues. After 20 minutes of detonations, misfire and idle problems, the engine restart to run good.... until now.

To sum up, I wonder what occured and I am afraid it occured again on a highway. Could you advice what can I do to avoid new occurence, what to check, etc.

Thanks for your help

 

[addo]

I realise Belgium is not the place to easily find spare parts for these motors!

If not overheating, the problem could be in one of two areas - fuel supply or ignition. The first thing I considered was fuel pump leaking into the oil - but you say that is OK. Next is condensor (even new they can be problematic; you can test capacitance with a meter).

The coil needs to be tested with your meter but generally these fail with heat, so the problem occurs after driving a while - not when starting.

New points can be poor quality and the "rubbing block" that opens and closes them by pressing on the distributor hexagon, can wear rapidly and allow the points to close too soon. You probably knew that if you have had older cars before.

For the fuel, sometimes a piece of rag or plastic can be in the tank, and block the suction tube. Then you have carb problems. These are less common than most people imagine and generally show up slowly as parts wear. A carb problem that comes suddenly is usually contamination with grit or dirt.

It is not original, but to install a new fuel line with pressure gauge between the carb and fuel pump, will tell you a lot about how healthy the fuel supply is. If originality is not a concern, leave it in!

Finally I wonder about the overall health of the motor. Is the compression even in all cylinders? Probably, but if you can check with the motor warm from running, it's worth the effort.

Regards, Adam.

 

[Anonymous]

Was there black smoke out the exhaust? Or was there white smoke? Addo's suggestions are a good start. It could also be carbon breaking free and keeping an exhaust valve open for a while, which would also explain the ON again,OFF again conditions you reported.

 

[Anonymous]

The smoke is nor White nor Black

It could also be carbon breaking free and keeping an exhaust valve open for a while

It might explain the detonations when driving at idle. But why is there no noise when accelerating?

New points can be poor quality and the "rubbing block" that opens and closes them by pressing on the distributor hexagon, can wear rapidly and allow the points to close too soon. You probably knew that if you have had older cars before.

Could you explain. It is my 1st old car.

I recently changed the distribution finger, ditribution head and ignition wires. Is it anything I forgot to do after this new installation?

Thanks

 

[addo]

The rotor (you say the finger) sits above a hexagonal piece on the rotating centre shaft of the distributor. As the distributor shaft turns, the edges of this hexagonal part force the "points" to open and close.

The amount of time your points stay closed is called dwell. This is adjusted by loosening the securing screw holding down the points, and moving them closer to, or further away from the hexagonal section. The actual dwell reading is taken with a simple auto diagnostic meter.

(I am not sure how good your country is for locating these kinds of tools, but in the UK they are readily available.)

If the points stay open too long, or closed too long, the spark will be poor. If you look at exactly where the hexagonal piece contacts the points, you will notice a tiny plastic block. This is the "rubbing block" and it can wear down quickly, especially if not greased. As it wears, the points stay closed too long; the spark is weak and too late.

Also it's good to check the opening (gap) of your spark plugs, as often they are not set correctly for a specific motor when packaged.

Let me know if this is any help. Otherwise, I'll try some pictures to demonstrate.

Regards, Adam.

 

[Fred]

What carburetor are you running? It sounds to me like you have particles in the fuel that jam open the needle seat in the carb intermintatly, causing it to flood. The glass bowl carb on my '53 is bad about that.

The syptoms are explained like this: the needle sticks open and the float bowl fill completely. The excess fuel, under pressure from the fuel pump, overflows down the carburetor throat creating a very rich mixture. Since the fuel draining down the carburetor is no longer in proportion to the air drawn through the carb the engine runs badly. When you try to let the engine idle there is not enough air coming into the engine to compensate for the fuel, and the engine dies. If you are driving at a steady speed, say 40 m.p.h., and the carburetor starts to flood, floor the accelerator. When you floor the accelerator, you let a lot of air into the carburetor which helps the mixture situation. Also the engine uses more fuel at higher speed, which helps flush the bit of dirt (or whatever) out of the needle and seat in the carburetor.

The key information is when you stated the fuel pump was rebuilt the previous week. New or rebuilt fuel pumps usually put out more pressure than older used pumps. When you increase the fuel pressure you make it much easier to overcome the needle and seat. I had this happen on my '53 also.

To fix the problem make sure you are getting clean fuel and have a good needle and seat in the carburetor (new needle and seats are not necessarily better than old ones)

I have always had better luck gapping my points with feeler gauges on my old Fords that trying to fiddle with a dwell meter (not true of chevies).

Keep us current on the situation, Fred.

 

[Anonymous]

Well, after 4 days here is the status:

- I checked the vacuum line from carb to distributor. Screws were not adjusted and may be a leakage occured.
- I checked the spark plug gap : 0.032 OK for all 6
- I checked the distributor cap. This new cap was damaged by the rotor due to a default Replaced by the old one
- I placed back the rotor with the old one to make sure it fits with the cap
- I check the fuel line: no leakage. No idea about the pressure. However, the line is very close to the engine and I guess Vapor Lock occurs when engine is hot. How the protect against Vapor Lock :
- I checked the battery and charge process: OK
- I checked the spark plugs. They are black and dry
- I checked the fuel pump. It works fine

I did not check the points (no adequate material to do that)
I did not check the carb (idem)
I did not check the gas tank output (how to proceed?)
I did not checked the advance and timing

When cold, I have to cranck 1 minute to start the engine. It doesn't die at idle speed. However, the engine is not running well. It seems some some ignitions are missing.

When hot, the engine misses erradicaly and die at idle. No more detonations.

This is the status

 

[Anonymous]

Is there a hissing sound? maybe a vacumn leak?
Take WD-40 (if you have it) or starting fluid(ether) and carefully spray around the base of the carburator. If the engine speeds up, you could have a leaky gasket. Also do where intake manifold meets head.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks to you guys, it is a vacuum leak, a bad adjustment of the ignition advance and a very used rubber block..

I correctly set the advance with a timing light (3° for the I6 223), repaired the vacuum leak, changed the rubber block, adjust the points. Now the engine is running well on short distance. I did not test a long drive yet.

... Bengos

 

[addo]

Great to hear you got it going. Will you drive it in the winter, too?

 

[Anonymous]

I hope we will have sunny days in winter

 

[Anonymous]

BAD NEWS

The engine starts immediately and runs very well but the "flooding" problem appears after 15-20 minutes when the engine is hot. At idle, the engine dies. I have to floor the accelerator to "clean" and the problem is gone... for 15-20 minutes. Pretty sure the carb is contamined.

How to check the problem is the carb ?

 

[Anonymous]

it sounds like your fuel pump is pushing gas past the float valve. If your float is good {floating, not holed, or saturated with fuel) then check the valve and seat for wear. You might consider putting an aftermarket fuel filter in line before the pump, but from the way it keeps doing this regularly, I would consider replacing the float, needle, and seat. Even if they are new, doesn't mean they are good.

 

[Fred]

You can try to set your float a bit lower. What carburetor do you have? Is the float chamber cover made of glass?