Desperate Help...

Wow, David, thanks that was a lot. I will try to answer everything.

First off, the car ran pretty awful when I first got it (about a month ago now). It did the same thing as what is doing now (dying at idle, dying when accelerator is pushed).

The carb was just rebuilt last weekend. what you said about the float, I didn't set anything with it. That might be a problem. The guy that was helping apparently told me wrong cause he said it was fine. It rotated on the pivot rod about 1/4" Now looking back on the manual, it says "Float Level 1 3/32" w/ Metal Float." Not exactly sure what that means.

I compared the new accelerator pump and the old one. The old one didn't look like it was pumping AT ALL, but the new one looks nice and gives a good spray of gas.

Vacuum leak - I think I may have found one. I noticed, when tightening the choke, that when you try to tighten it, it "un-tightens" itself. It is impossible to make it flush with the carb. The new gasket is there and everything. Since there is a vacuum line into that area, that could definitely be a leak.

Another thing. I can't do the timing till it at least runs a little, because as of now, when it is started and idles for about a minute, it just dies. No idea why it started this. I went over there after letting it sit there for a couple days, and the choke plate thing was wide open. I'll bet it's not supposed to be that way.

Thanks again, hope that helps answer your post.


Didn't forget about you 66 Fastback. How do you "rotate the engine" where the rotor is pointing at #1? And I can't find that darn notch on the pulley to match the timing marks. I went all the way around it. Oh well, I'll look again.
 
Several ways to rotate the engine. You can bump the starter with it in neutral but that is kind of a hit and miss proposition. If you have a manual trans., with ignition off, you can roll the car in first gear until the rotor and timing mark are where you want it. You can but a wrench on the bolt in the center of the dampener that is visible in the photo above. And if you have the old steel fan, you can usually rotate the engine using those fan blades. Taking out the spark plugs makes it easier to turn it over by hand, especially if using the fan to rotate it.

I don't recall if the notch is on both sides of the pulley on this car. But look at the side closest to the timing tab. Get under the car and rotate the engine using a wrench and clean the dirt off the pulley. When you find it, put a little white paint or liquid paper in the notch or groove.
Doug
 
To mysavioreigns: All the previous suggestions are totally on the money and worth looking into and this might be a complete rookie observation on my part. You mentioned that you installed a "Pertronix II" in your six. I installed the first generation Pertronix in my six because I was told that it was especially suited for 6-cyls. and that the later Pertronix II was designed for 8-cyl engines. Am I off base on this? Could this be causing the problems you are experiencing? Did you begin having problems after installing the P II?

Just trying to be helpful.

Best of luck on this!

Wade
 
Howdy Again:

Another thought is that the fuel pump is not keeping up with the engine. But that usually doesn't appear until the engine is warm.

Keep us posted on your progress.

Adios, David
 
I agree about the fuel pump. It is a possibility, but I doubt it.

Rookie Sixer, I don't think that's true. They make a kit for the 6 cylinder, so it's gotta work with it. The Pertronix II is just the more recent, more powerful version of Pertronix (I). It was acting this way before I did anything to it.

Heading over there hopefully in the next 20 minutes to give this all a shot.
 
Welcome Rookie;

Had a similar problem a few years ago, check the coil for hot spark to plugs. Could be that coil has given out with upgraded ignition. :)
 
So did this ever get fixed? Because I'm having the EXACT SAME problem and I've got new points, condenser, cap, rotor, plugs, plug wires, ignition coil, fuel sock, sending unit, fuel pump, fuel filter, and carburetor. Next up will be new fuel tank and tank-to-pump line.
 
I just did a quick scan of this thread and was looking for anything regarding voltage regulators, or the alternator. Alternators can be tested for free, but I would go to a real auto electric shop rather than your local Autozoned. I took a friend's unit in to be checked and it failed on the part store machine. But they didn't have a replacement, luckily, and we went to a real shop. It was tested again, passed and was not part of the problem. I would also check all the wire connections as a bad ground or connection can show up under odd conditions.

And if you need a new alternator see my G3 swap thread.
And even if you don't it's a dandy upgrade! (y)
 
I say start all over, turn the engine around to actual TDC, verify timing properly, then move on. Also, after that, make sure the magnetic pickup is pushed all the way down on the dizzy shaft, and that the pertronix unit is flush and not tilted where you tightened it down. =)
 
SHE'S RUNNING!!! bypassed the rusty fuel tank by running a long rubber fuel hose from a gas can directly to the fuel pump. Then I replaced all the spark plugs (they were all fouled by fuel) and cranked her over for a while...she finally started up and after I tweaked the carb she's running better than ever before! Must be something nasty in the tank-to-pump fuel line...
 
Must be something nasty in the tank-to-pump fuel line...

Yeah. Crud at the intake. You need to clean the tank out and make sure there is a screen on the tank inlet to the fuel line. You can blow the line out with compressed air and then make sure the tank is clean inside by having a shop boil it out.

Or just get a new tank. They are like $200.
 
Back
Top