Got a '55 Ford Victoria with a '65 289-2v and a C4 automatic. Car's been sitting for a few years, carb (Ford/Autolite 2100) was rebuilt 6 years ago and vacuum advance replaced on the stock distributor, along with replacing the fuel pump. Got it running yesterday and wanted to drive it up my driveway, which is uphill from the storage building. Car would idle OK and would speed up when I hit the 'go' pedal in Park/Neutral, and move while idling and in gear, but when I would go to step on the accelerator pedal to drive it uphill it stalls out, and does this consistently - did this over a dozen times and then gave up on it, started it again, idled in reverse and backed it into the storage building. What should I be checking for - vacuum leak, bad accelerator pump, or ? Why does it stall out when I hit the gas while in gear? I've got a feeling this should be a simple answer.
I would say accelerator pump would be my first check, than fuel pressure. Accelerator pump may have the old leather seal and it has dried out
The carb is an Autolite/Ford 2100 off of a '65 Fairlane - when it was worked over by a mechanic I trust, I had no reason to believe 'old-school' parts (i.e. rubber parts not compatible with Ethanol, or parts with leather) were used as we had the same problem back then. At that point in time a new fuel tank was put in, line from tank to pump and from pump to carb cleaned out, new fuel pump installed, and replaced the original vacuum advance. It well could be that he simply cleaned out the carb and put in a rebuild kit without replacing the accelerator pump. Since I can step on the gas in Park/Neutral and it will rev up, I had thought that the accelerator pump was doing its job. I guess I'll run to the parts store tomorrow to see if I can get a carb kit for a new accelerator pump and power valve, pull the carb off, disassemble, soak/clean it out and replace parts. I really want to get this car back on the road so I can use it. Thankfully the 2100 is real simple to go through. Thanks to all who responded or have additional comments to make - I'll report my progress later.
If you pull off the air cleaner and look down the throat of the carb while operating the throttle linkage you should be able to see if the accelerator pump is working. Either there's fuel squirting in there or there isn't.
Even if the accel pump is bad you should be able to slowly push on the pedal and drive up the hill without it stalling, the accel pump is just there to add gas until the main discharge tubes can catch up on a fast throttle opening. Anyhow if it has sat for a long period i would take the carb appart and clean and inspect all of its passages and components.
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