it was the clutch!!

i finally got to the bottom of the weird surging thing the pontiac has been doing since i got it. after two months of frustration and timing insanity and replacing everthing that did or didn't need it it all comes down to a greasy clutch and a weakening fuel pump. both of them were playing off each other to create a weird high load surge. it figured it was timing or carb problems and went over everything and it had me completely fooled but now that car goes like a son of a gun for real.

 

Congrats!

 

I bet that was a trip.

 

Glad you found the problem. That is why it is so tough when someone posts a question about their car not running right. No matter how badly everyone wants to help, without the car actually there in front of you all you can do is offer ideas that may or may not be even close.

Thanks for coming back and letting everyone know what you found. Most times we never get to hear what the actual solution was.

Don

 

Closure, we need closure! Most of us have been through a confounding problem or have a combination of them going on at the same time. This is where experience comes in and hopefully we get to help someone or at least pick up something from their experience.

Bob

 

That was a weird one. Good job getting it figured out.

 

That was a tough one, never heard of it before. Still can't figure out how the clutch and fuel pump played off each other? What exactly was it doing?

 

Congrats and thanks for posting the solution for others.

 

It was either running jerky from the clutch skipping going up a hill or it was jerking on a flat high speed run from low fuel pump output. Same feeling from both and the timing of the two things overlap. I put a new electric pump in and eliminated the high speed surge. Now it will surge from the contaminated clutch, but at least I know what is. That's as close a I have come in the three months of owning the car to getting any power out of it. Had a real nice cruise in it today.

 

Long Long long time ago we used to clean Oil off the clutch disc with Carbon Tetrocloride (spelling?) due to rear main seal leakage without taking them out. It worked grate but the Green thing kind of makes that a No No. However all is not lost. Wallmart of all places has a grate airosol carb cleaner (blue can red letters) I use on Brake Shoes that rinses off oil 100 percent and does not brake the bond between metal shoe and the friction product. If your clutch issue is all oil related buy several cans (it's cheep) and have your Honey push the clutch all the way in while your under the car spraying the disc till it comes clean. Be sure to rotate it to get all the way around, do the flywheel and pressure plate as well. You may find that old disc has a lot of life left in it.
The Wizzard

 

Thanks! I'll give it a go

 

I'm not sure what kind of Car your working on but many early cars had a access hole in the top of the bell housing with a cover cap. If yours does going from the top down would be a lot easier than bottom up.
The Wizzard