One thing that's always puzzled me ever since I've gotten the '53 running is, (It's a Ford-O-Matic) I if I hold the hammer down through second to hear the pipes and wind it up into third it does this, or if starting in low, then shift into drive (car shifts into second) at higher rpm in second gear, it will start to do the same thing. What it does is start to miss and I lose power, like it's running out of fuel. So if I let off the pedal for 2 seconds, then I'm able to get right back into the throttle and it'll be fine for as fast as I want to go... But if I accelerate at a normal rate to highway speed(not mashing it to the floor and holding it), no issue at all. Weird! Could I be emptying out the float bowl and it's taking time to catch up could I? Is it possible the valves are floating? Or a vacuum advance issue? Hmmm...doesn't cause me any trouble, but a puzzler none-the-less.
On my 55, (nearly the same fuel tank), the 5/16 line goes in to a bulkhead fitting in the lower front part of the tank. That bulkhead fitting would not p*** a 3/16 drill bit. On top of the tank, the designer knew I would need it, so he put in a flat spot big enough to cut a 4 X 6 hole and make my own pickup brazed into a 1/8 plate that I screwed on with a cork gasket. No more fuel starvation on mine. I also plumbed a boost pump in front of the tank for when it hasnt been run for two weeks or more.
When you are describing what it's doing I don't think it has anything to do with the fuel but it just might be . Are the fuel lines original ? Is you gas tank original ? Is your fuel filter clean ? Is your air cleaner clean ? Is your points set right or maybe burned some ? Is your spark plugs good and clean or are they getting fouled some ? Is your timing correct ? Is your distributor advanced working properly or are the springs getting too weak due to age ? These are all just some of the problems that will cause what is happening to your engine ! So the best thing to do is to start checking all the things in the fuel system , carb , timing and the rest of the electrical system that runs the distributor . It really could be anyone of these things causing that problem . OR you could just drive it like an old lady and then it won't happen ! I would tend to say it's electrical . Jim
If your car and engine are basically stock: Check these in this order. * Restricted fuel lines and/or filter * Fuel pump * float level set too low * restricted or dirty air filter
Retro Jim: All fuel lines and tank are all completely brand spanking new. Put it all in myself. Not running a fuel filter...just the little screen at the top of the gl*** sediment bowl. Spark are all new with a nice golden light brown look to them all. No points in this on anymore. I put the Pertronix Igniter II electrnoic ignition in it with the Pertronix Flamethrower II coil and brand new Pertronix spark plug wires. Timing should be dead on. as I used a vacuum gauge and worked with the idle screws until it pulled max vacuum (about 19 lbs) with the vacuum advance line out of the carb. Then with that line still unhooked, I timed the little blob on the crank pully exactly even with the timing needle on the block. Then hooked the vacuum advance line back after I snugged down the distrib. Is that right??? Should it have some initial advance at all instead? Not sure how to check if the advance is working or not...hmmm streetdreams: I don't "think" it would be any sort of restriction, as everything from tank to carb is brand new. Fuel pump is brand new (not that I couldn't get a bad one I suppose, but it seems to work well). Now, I did the carb myself and set the float exactly to spec per the little paper gauge they give you in the rebuild kit... However, I've wondered "float level" myself... however it seems to feel like it's "loading up" when it starts to spit and sputter...it actually bckfired just a tiny little bit out the tal pipe when it did it one time recently...otherwise it just misses the whole time, until I let off the gas for a few seconds, then it'll come right back. Now on to the air filter...I'm running the original oil bath filter...the oil level in it is exactly to the line it says to be. I did spray/clean out the filter element thing before painting it all up and putting it together last year, but that doesn't mean that it's still not clogged or something...or maybe I should ditch that filter all together and drive it without it and see if it still does this. Thoughts? Thanks guys!!!
Well....it was just a tiny little "snap" sound actually, but still be cl***ified as a backfire I guess... Man I wouldn't think so. The engine only has 1,000 miles on the rebuild. Everything is brand new on this baby.
Remember thins one thing , Just because things are NEW doesn't mean they are good ! Sad to say that but it's so true ! If you had any pop or backfire out the exhaust then that is fuel loading up in the exhaust which is usually electrical in some way . I would check the the float in the car to make sure you have enough fuel . Also how lbs of fuel pressure does the fuel pump have ? Too much or too little can be a problem . What do you have the timing set at ? One other thing I have missed somewhere along the line , what engine are we talking about ? 2 or 4 bbl carb ? auto or standard trans ? Jim
SOOOO true!!!! I just returned to brand new 180 thermostats that would not open...crazy. yeah....I know...I think I've been deluding myself into believing it's "not" electrical. Sorry, it's the original (now rebuilt) flathead v-8, bored 30 over, hardened valve seats. Stock otherwise. Factory 2bbl carb, Holly 94, rebuilt by me. And the original(now rebuilt) Ford-O-Matic Trans. I can definitely check the float level. The fuel pump is whatever factory would be, though I have not checked it with a gauge or anything. Somewhere around 3 or 4 I think is what it calls for? Hmm, timing. I don't know where it's at exactly. I need to measure out the damper, or else buy one of those little stickers to put on the crank to tell the # of degrees for timing. for now, it has the little circle blob on it and I just line that up with the timing marker on the block.
Ahh...flathead...I didn't see that. Nix the timing chain comment. Then I would have to agree with Jim and start looking at the electrical.
Try this . Pull the distributor and install your old one and see what happens . Pertronix have had their fair share of problems . they are nice when they work but when they don't your stuck . Before you do that , change the coil to another one and drive around the block and see what happens . Stock 12v are just fine . You really don't need the extra boost with a hotter coil on a stock flathead ! Coils sometimes get hot and loose their power and usually stop dead . You might have a bad coil as well . Other than that make sure all your ignition wires that are connected to the new distributor and coil are good and not damaged or broken anyplace . You could be shorting out someplace . We will get you going ! Jim
Hmmm.... I actually have the roginal distributer in her too. all I did was switch out the points with the Pertronix box. Might be able to switch the point back into it with a little work. I did check all the wires and whatnot; ignition, plugs, battery, ground. Everything in there is new, and was tight. I might throw a different coil in there and try that though. I still drive her a lot, but it worrying every time you're driving it about what's is it going to to it? will it be ok? Takes the fun out of it when the wife is with and the boys are in teh back...and then other times, it runs like a rolex!(usually on cooler evenings/days)
Just swap out one part at a time so you can rule out one part at a time ! If you swap out both and it fine , then you still don't know which one would have been bad . Just like I said , electronic ignitions are very nice until they stop ! With the bad points , they will at least get you home ! Was the engine running good BEFORE you did all the upgrades ? Jim
True enough. One "new" thing at a time. Nope. it's always done this. From the get-go, almost a year ago exactly when I go it running for the very first time, it's always done this. From day one, the engine barely turns over two times and it has already fired up and it idleing. I just got lucky with how I bench-set the carb. At the first hit of the key, she idled, and has always ever since. She fires right up will idle all day, I could drive it anywhere. but as soon as I rapped out the pipes and held the pedal to the floor, I get the sputter and miss...until I let off for two seconds, then I can ease right back into it. It's always been that way. Now...that said. After checking the vacuum at the intake, adjusting the two idle screws on the carb and "re"-timing it at the distributor. I now notice its "mis-firing" or "loading up" is more pronounced and will happen more frequently...and occasionally at a little lower RPM occasionally now. It's happened twice to me now, when it's had to "work" a little going up a hill on the freeway or just starting out with a full load of people in the car. It's like it's happening under "load" kind of...but if I ease into the throttle, then it seems to be ok and NOT do it... So I changed something somewhere along the line that afternoon last weekend. I just don't know what. I'm still "feeling" like it's timing/ignition...but don't know how to time it exactly or set the carb up perfectly... I just set things to spec and kind of went with it.
You say it ONLY does this under a load , then I would say the vacuum advance isn't working right . Either the vacuum advance is leaking , the springs in the distributor might be too weak or you have a vacuum problem at the carb . Jim
Yep. under heavy load when I mash the pedal and hold it through 2nd and third(Ford-O-Matic). Otherwise it runs totally fine! On the other hand, if I ease it up to 70mph, by using the pedal at only half throttle, then it will reach it just fine and operate totally fine there. It almost seems intermittant. I can get it to do it everytime I want to, so I can recreate the problem, but sometimes when I'm actually driving just normal, it will do it. It's wierd.
have you looked at all the rubber line connections, none ****ing air? I went for a long time with a filter someone before me installed allong the gas line under the body and on top of the frame. look all around. If it's been talked about sorry, long thread. Gerry
So - is the distributor a Ford "Load-O-Matic"? They deliver advance based on "venturi vacuum" so the line from your carb should deliver steadily increasing vacuum as the engine rpm rises. is that what it does? If you have a way to put a "T" in the vacuum line - run some hose into the interior and have a look at it as you drive and accelerate. That will at least prove you have the carb source working OK. If so, then take a look at the dizzy. You need to see if steadily increasing the vacuum - makes the advance steadily increase. I have used my Olds as a "vacuum donor" by parking it nearby and running a vacuum line from it over to the distributor being tested - and then bleeding away enough (tee with a pinched hose) to make it rise and fall - while looking at the timing light.
Thanks Gerry...no problem. Hey, Greenbird56. Yep. It's the original Load-O-matic. Hmmm...the vacuum line from the carb to the vacuum advance deal is a hard-line...the original steel one. Maybe I'll run a long vacuum line from the end of the hard line (where it whould screw into the vacuum advance module), shove it on that end and then run the line into the car to my vacuum gauge and see what it does. Is it possible to check that just in the driveway by raising the rpms slowly, or does it need to be driven to check it?
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