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Hot Rods 350 chevy will die when you let off the gas while driving

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by 29moonshine, Jul 27, 2024.

  1. 29moonshine
    Joined: Dec 30, 2006
    Posts: 1,352

    29moonshine
    Member

    i have a 37 truck with a 350 engine , Edelbrock carb, with a stock hei new aluminum 4 core radiator and 185 thermostat. when it gets to 185 operating temp while driving if you let off the gas it will die but it will crank right back up , carb has been rebuilt i have changed the coil and cap on the distributor
     
  2. Will it still die in neutral?
     
  3. Die like cold turkey or stumble then die ?
     
  4. 29moonshine
    Joined: Dec 30, 2006
    Posts: 1,352

    29moonshine
    Member

    like cold turkey, just like it was turned off
     
  5. Wanderlust
    Joined: Oct 27, 2019
    Posts: 909

    Wanderlust

    Sounds like an electrical short to me
     
  6. ALLDONE
    Joined: May 16, 2023
    Posts: 2,351

    ALLDONE
    Member

    I don't know anything about what your problem is with out seeing it,... but some thing to check, when it's cold, it goes on fast idle... and when it warms up that goes away,.. maybe the hot idle is too low of rpms and when it warms up you need more idle...remember hot idle needs to be set when the motor warms up...
     
  7. ALLDONE
    Joined: May 16, 2023
    Posts: 2,351

    ALLDONE
    Member

    also, hate to even say the word but here goes.... whats your timing set at?
     
    Motorwrxs likes this.
  8. Unkl Ian
    Joined: Mar 29, 2001
    Posts: 13,509

    Unkl Ian

    Idle speed ? Timing ? Does it have a Choke Unloader ?
     
  9. Unkl Ian
    Joined: Mar 29, 2001
    Posts: 13,509

    Unkl Ian

    Someone once said: "Most carb problems, are electrical."
     
  10. gimpyshotrods
    Joined: May 20, 2009
    Posts: 24,023

    gimpyshotrods
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

  11. SS327
    Joined: Sep 11, 2017
    Posts: 3,334

    SS327

    Don’t let off the gas?
     
    Jokester, alchemy, '51 Norm and 3 others like this.
  12. Did you mean "choke pull-off" or "vacuum break" instead of choke unloader?
     
  13. Key element here, gets to 185 and "soils" the bed. I have had ignition modules do all sorts of evil things to me over the years.

    One would start right away and keep going, another would start and I'd get a short distance, rinse repeat. The last one would refuse to start again after it was shut off, I'd have to try again in 2-3 hours.
     
    Wanderlust likes this.
  14. Had an O/T carbureted HEI Ignition 350 Chevy years ago would do the exact same thing .

    start up
    Idle
    Accelerate and run fantastic .

    let off the gas and it would just shut off , no burps , farts or stumbles . Just off like you turned the key off .
    Then fire right back up .

    ended hp being a bad engine ground .

    chased that one for a bit before I found it .

    good luck .
     
  15. Unkl Ian
    Joined: Mar 29, 2001
    Posts: 13,509

    Unkl Ian

    427 sleeper likes this.
  16. SS327
    Joined: Sep 11, 2017
    Posts: 3,334

    SS327

    Those are the terms GM used at school. Pull off or vacuum break.
     
    jaracer likes this.
  17. I had an hei where mechanical advance weights were not returning/closing when throttle closed, due to corrosion and dirt.

    At low rpm it had too much advance and died.
     
    Last edited: Jul 28, 2024
    Algoma56 and jim snow like this.
  18. Jeff Osstyn
    Joined: Mar 21, 2016
    Posts: 43

    Jeff Osstyn
    Member

    Make sure all the adjustment steps are followed in the carb rebuild kit.
     
  19. have you checked for a vacuum leak? sometimes won't be an issue till the choke opens all the way up.
     
    Unkl Ian likes this.
  20. jaracer
    Joined: Oct 4, 2008
    Posts: 2,784

    jaracer
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    If it is warmed up and setting still, will it idle on it's own? If not, you either have a plugged idle circuit, or a fair sized vacuum leak.
     
    Unkl Ian likes this.
  21. 29moonshine
    Joined: Dec 30, 2006
    Posts: 1,352

    29moonshine
    Member

    thought i would let yall know the idler screw was missing the stop . i bent the stop and it seems to be working now.
     
    SS327, Unkl Ian, Algoma56 and 3 others like this.
  22. distributorguy
    Joined: Feb 15, 2013
    Posts: 113

    distributorguy
    Member
    from MN

    2 common ailments I've seen that cause this:
    1. the pickup coil and magnet are failing. They drop out at lower rpms and would give you a complete loss of tach signal before the engine even stalls.
    2. The heads got shaved but not the intake, and you have a vacuum leak in the lifter valley - at the bottom of the intake ports from misalignment.
    If you have a manual choke, it may be your best tool to enrichen the mixture and see how it responds.
    The fact that you're not holding stat temp leans me to say the timing is retarded, so I'd be trying a higher setting and verify the vac unit doesn't leak.
     

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