random stalling!

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uh oh...just as things were going great for a few weeks...i've stumbled across an old problem once present prior to replacing my autolite 1100 with a refurbed one from pony carbs....

maybe it was just my quick stops and restarts tonight (running errands around l.a.) but as i was leaving the gym at work i stepped on the gas (oh, the car had been sitting for about an hour) to get out on to the main blvd. and then bam she just stalled - but then came back to life. I had to nurse, and i mean nurse her home. If i more than gently hit the accelerator, she would stumble and want to stall - in fact she did once and thank god for inertia to get me through the light!!

Right now i'm thinking it's one of two things: either A. a loose electrical connection (not obvious or apparent per my visual inspection) OR B. i had a flooded carb and me punching the gas didn't help matters...I have a feeling she'll start right up tomorrow and drive fine but this sort of erks me!

The only thing I haven't replaced lately is a fuel filter (got a clear one on there for a few months now - doesn't look too bad) the alternator and the Mech. Volt. Regulator...

Any suggestions??
 
It's worth checking the accelerator pump is functioning properly, and that you hadn't dropped a hose off the manifold, causing a majorly lean condition.

Regards, Adam.
 
HI
If its steal not running you might check you pertronix I've heard of a lot of people haveing probs with them...
just a thought.. If its electrical and not fuel..
tim
 
Debris on the tank filter, stirred up by stop and go driving, that clogs the flow on hard acceleration?
 
If it's one of those clear plastic filters, thats your problem. I had one on my Maverick for about 6 months (around 5,500 miles) and it started doing the same thing. Replaced it with one of the glass ones they sell at Auto Zone and haven't had a problem since.
 
ludwig":2gseu7qw said:
Debris on the tank filter, stirred up by stop and go driving, that clogs the flow on hard acceleration?

thats what mine was...i have an inline fuel filter and it was clogged with...what looked like a disolved brown paper bag
 
here's the update...

i checked all my electrical components and connections and everything is in good shape (the only POSSIBLE exception would be an intermittent pertronix - which i really doubt, don't ask why). I went ahead and replaced my clear filter - which, despite having a rust tint to it, contained very clean gas and NO particles after about 6 months of service. when i replaced the fuel sending unit a few months ago I felt around in the tank and didn't find any loose debris/rust flakes. At this point, my father and I are pretty convinced it's NOT bad fuel. He thinks it may be a fuel pump that's gone south despite being replaced during the engine rebuild back in august...

Did i mention that since this occured yesterday, my car has started "dieseling" when I shut her down? This has NEVER happened on my car before but I know from others what the sound is....

So Now i'm pretty stumped and fairly frustrated - i keep asking myself how much longer I can put up with this....
 
Deiseling or 'run-on' is caused be a few things. What i suspect in your case is trash in your carb since you recently replaced you carb. a little trash from a fuel line or from the carb being cleaned will sometimes clog your main jet, The result of this is a lean condition which will cause stalling and hesitation and hi combustion chamber temps. Hi chamber temps will cause run-on especially on reg grade gas. ( I recently had an almost identical sit) Now an overrich carb --stuck needle, over rich jetting or adjustments-- can do pretty much the same thing--causeing excessive carbon build-up reduceing volume thus increaseing compression plus hot spots in the carbon also causeing run-on. Electrical spark is unneccessary if there is some form of ignition(hence the term 'Deiseling'). Take your carb top off check out the insides and also check your Vacumme advance on the distr.
 
Try some points, and remember you need to re-time after installing. You may have a minor electrical quirk that is killing the Ptx units, but otherwise pretty harmless.
 
Okay, so still no luck - what would you recommend first?

I can either...

...buy some points and put them in (thinkin it's ignition)
.....buy a new fuel pump (incase its fuel delivery)
........buy a new fuel tank and lines/hoses since i'll eventually replace it anyway if i keep it or decide to sell it.


It's funny, i use to just lose patience, now i simply lose desire to keep working on her just for the sake of keeping her running straight!

thanks to everyone who helped in this post and of course, if you have a suggestion - throw it up here!
 
Phenolic (plastic) floats become porous over time, and can become saturated, thereby changing float settings. Brass is the way to go if you want a "keeper."
 
please keep in mind I have been running a new/refurbished carb from pony carbs. It's gone a solid 1,500 miles with no problems what so ever, so i'd hate to think the float is already messed up or weathered...but perhaps you're right....i'll look into it. (currently, my local shop is taking a look at things to see what my dad and i missed).

thanks agian.
 
I was having problems with phenolic floats 40 years ago. They're junk, but still the OEM item. You can't go wrong by eventually replacing it with a brass float.
 
HAY MARV
When you said you have to baby it home if you mean just barely touch the gas pedal or it would die. Then I would say it wasn't getting enough fuel... If you had to keep reving it up to keep it going then too much fuel was getting in...
Just a thought
Tim
 
too much fuel can cause it to die when tapping gas too...its a flooding condition. mine did that when I had the choke set too rich

when you restart, does it require a lot of cranking? or does it start right away?

could you have gotten vacuum lines crossed? ask me how I know this....
chaz
 
it starts back up RIGHT AWAY...i can actually accelerate to about 20 miles an hour but if i don't do it gently, or attempt to exceed that amount then bam, she cuts out, stumbles, then comes back to life...

right now she's at my local shop (spendin the night!) while they keep looking at the possible problem.
 
Sorry you had to put her in the shop :cry:
I still think its in the carb... Did you check you fuel level in the carb??
Or the pertronix a lot of people have had prob with them...
Tim
 
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