weird starting problems

[mysavioreigns]

Well as of right now, I only get to go to my car once a week. It seems when I go over there, it takes a few minutes to get it started, then when it does start, and I try to put it in drive, it dies. Last time, I just let it run while sitting, then screwed around with the timing, then put it in drive and it went. Problem is, I just fixed the timing. How could the timing be changing without the car even moving or starting or anything? Or, is that even the problem? Thanks

 

[61Futura]

Have a look at your points. A dwell gage would be a great help for this. Your timing changes with a change in dwell. Make sure the points are tightened down & they are not burning up on you.

 

[The Plankster Prankster]

sounds like a classic symptom of a choke that doesn't work

 

[mysavioreigns]

Well, the points are gone - converted to Pertronix II

The choke - could be. I just replaced the carburetor though, with a reman. It seems to look like it's working though

 

['61 Draggin Wagon]

Or maybe the distributor bushings are worn out. Changing the timing. This is a common, though often overlooked problem.

 

[mysavioreigns]

'61 Draggin Wagon,

I am confused on what you mean by "Changing the timing. This is a common, though often overlooked problem."

I was thinking it might be the rotor and cap? This hasn't been changed since I've had it, so I might do that. They look pretty good though, so I dunno.

 

[The Plankster Prankster]

what i think he means is that the worn-out bushings change the timing because theyre worn out, but i wouldnt expect this to be a great enough change to steal that much power

does your car have an auto choke? probably the electric with a pipe from the exhaust manifold? those are prone to problems. i like converting to a hand choke for myself

 

[mysavioreigns]

Oh yea! that might have something to do with it. I just got this carb, and it's not the same as the old one, so I just sorta stuck the metal tube into the hole, but it doesn't screw in. It's an auto, not electric though. Just the pipe. Since I just ordered a new exhaust manifold, I guess I will have to figure out how to get that from the manifold to the choke, and actually make it fit.

Think that might have something to do with it?

 

[addo]

If the weather's warm enough you can try fixing the choke to full open, and plugging that heat tube inlet to the carb. Your idle speed could be a little low, too - that's one possible cause of the motor dying when it's slipped into D.

 

[az1966]

quit changing parts for the sake of changing parts,,,1st you say what it's not doing,,,well what is running good,,,,, you need to take a hard look at whats going on and ONLY CHANGE 1 PART at a time and see what happens,,, it's real easy to get into a nasty cycle of changing parts for the sake of changing parts,,,personnally get to a point where it just sits there and idles solid,,,,let sit like that for X Amount of time and see whats what,,,,,,if there's issues at idle,,, don't think it'll go down the road that includes cooling issues,,, ( gotta crawel before walking) check everything voltage at battery, lights/turn signals/radio/ everything works,, YES I KNOW IT'S CRAZY ,,but going back to what I said,,you might not know whats wrong,,BUT YOU KNOW WHATS RIGHT

 

[mysavioreigns]

hehe, I know you're right ... it sure is a bad habit to get into.

I am really thinking that this last part (the exhaust manifold) may be an important key. There are several cracks in it, and there is one giant hole about an inch long, .25 inches wide. Other than that, it seems to idle fairly well. The problem I was originally ( a few weeks ago) having was it would die at takeoff from redlights and stop signs. It turned out, thanks to ya'lls help, it was the timing (it was off about 45 degrees!). So then, it idles fairly well, but when I try to actually move it from the driveway, it just dies.

 

[JackFish]

How's the fuel pump?

 

[mysavioreigns]

Not sure. How do you check it?

 

[The Plankster Prankster]

Not sure. How do you check it?

redneck style is to take your clear siphon hose (you carry one, right?) and run it from the carb side of the pump to where you can see if its squirting to your cascan thats sitting on the ground. start the car and it should squirt fuel. if it fails, you should move your hose to the suction side of the pump, with the other end in your full gascan on the ground, and the carb side of the pump connected normally. start the car. you should be able to watch the fuel suck up through your hose (thats why you use a clear hose) into the pump.
if it fails both tests, its the pump. if it fails the first but passes teh second, then youre either out of gas or you have a clogged fuel line. if it passes teh first test, the second is unnecessary

good luck--josh

 

[mysavioreigns]

Josh,

What if I have seen it shoot gas into the carb (a friend was starting it for me)?

 

[The Plankster Prankster]

that means that there is still some fuel in teh carb, and hte pump IN THE CARB is good.
the issue that Jackfish mentioned, and i explained, is the pump that sucks fuel from the tank and pushes it TO the carb
but if that were the problem, it probably wouldn't get enough fuel to idle for several minutes at a time, as you've said it has.

your very first post says that if you let it run for long enough to warm it up, then it doesn't stall when you put it in gear, right? that sounds just like when i had my choke wired open, couldnt take off without stalling until it ran for 5 minutes (unless i had the T-case in low and was careful)
how does it respond when its cold and you put it in drive while holding hte gas pedal down enough to raise the idle speed to about double where it normally idles? if that removes your symptoms, then its likely that your choke isn't causing a high idle as it ought, and likely it isn't responding at all
thats all for tonight - i'll check back tomorrow--josh

 

[mysavioreigns]

Josh...Thanks for the reply,

Well, it's not normally cold here (Texas) but one time when I was having one of these problems, we had a freak snow storm and it dropped to like 30 degrees or so. That could have been a problem. i will try to push the gas when I shift into drive, and see if that does anything.

As for the first thing you said - "your very first post says that if you let it run for long enough to warm it up, then it doesn't stall when you put it in gear, right?" ... yes and no. it is picky, and sometimes it will work, sometimes it won't.