I put a new Edelbrock 1801 carb (500 cfm) on my '80 Ford 302 (in a '69 Mustang)... it runs GREAT until it gets real hot... sometimes during moderate to heavy acceleration the engine will stumble and then quit -- and won't restart until cool. I didn't have that problem with the old (leaky) Holly 600 cfm carb. I've always had great results with Edelbrock, so I'm guessing it's probably something I did wrong. The fuel in the (clear) fuel filter is bubbly (like beer) when the hot engine is turned off... maybe fuel boil, but I've never heard of that problem when the car in running, just starting. I put a heat shield gasket on it a couple weeks ago, but the problem continues... any ideas would be MUCH appreciated.
Sure sounds like vapor lock. Are you running a mechanical or electric pump? Electric pumps usually don't have that problem. In the old days, people use to drive around with wooden clothes pins on the metal fuel line. Guess it helped to dissapate heat.
I had a problem with a 302 Maverick I had, but it was with the stock carb. In my case the fuel line from the pump to the carb was touching the block and was boiling the fuel. Moved the line a bit and wrapped it with aluminum foil for added insurance and no more trouble.
Where is the fuel line running in relation to heat sources? Move away if possible and insulate them as the newer fuels are more sensitive to heat and vapor-locking than the older ones from what I was told. Since you've got fuel in the filter then I've got to ***ume you've got fuel in the carb bowl (check by hitting the throttle and watching for the accelerator pump shot - if it's there then there's fuel...) If you've got fuel in it then you may be suffering from an edelbrock problem of fuel percolation / heat soak in the bowl... I had that problem in 2 boats (mine and a friend's) and a car - and swore off edelbrock carbs after that. At least that's what edelbrock tech said and couldn't do a dam thing about it - silly thing was the boat carb was sitting on a 1" plastic spacer and ran 160* and everything was water jacketed to not get hot (marine stuff) - it was a pain to restart when skiing and that's all they could come up with (spacer and heat shield) before telling me tough luck... Try a phenollic spacer (plastic/resin) and see if that cures it.
Make sure any rubber lines between the pump and the tank aren't cracked. If they are the pump will **** air in along with the gas.
Definite vapor lock. I sometimes have the same problem with my Edlebrock 600 on my 289. Stock mech pump, rubber line. They must be a bit more sensitive or somehting. I just choose to ignore it.
You might try a installing a plastic Edelbrock spacer between the intake and the carb. I have had the same problem on two different cars and that fixed the problem on them both.
What distributor are you running? Stock Ford distributor? You may have an ignition problem if not vapor lock....
I was messing with it yesterday, and I touched the condenser wire... the car died... someone made an "electrical tape" fix...that might be it or one of the problems. the coil has one of those slip on connectors on the coil posts, not the post and nut type... I'll replace it today and see what happens THANKS!!
hmmmmm ! didnt have problems with the old leaky holley ! excuse my punctuation i wish i could talk to my future customers with such dissregaurd !
I've had this problem. I ran my fuel lines on the outside of the frame farther away from the exhaust and that seemed to help quite a bit. Don't know if that will help in your case, obviously if your fuel lines are already on the outside.
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