carbed festy starving

[neanderpaul]

I didn't think it was hijacked. I personally enjoy watching topics evolve. You can always post back on topic if it gets too off topic. My past carbed cars have run great too. This one just had a fire.

[geezerstiva]

why cant mine run great!?!?

[ectonine]

I just recently gave up on my carb, and am now switching everything to fuel injection. Seems like the injected cars get better mileage anyways.--Jeremie

[neanderpaul]

I've seen at least 3 carbed festys that got 48 - 49 mpg, but that is not the norm. Usually the efi cars do get better mpg.

[barno68]

Anybody come up with a solution for the bucking problem yet? Mine developed some surging last week so I reset the timing and it seemed fine for a day. Yesterday I ended up pushing it home because it would idle but would die when given any gas.

Today I replaced the plugs, wires, cap and rotor... ran great for a mile, then all but died. Barely was able to get it home, now it won't even idle.

I checked the fuel pump and it is fine. Checked the coil, seems ok. It will start but have to keep giving it gas to keep it running and it is rough and it will not go much above 3000 rpm. The float level is high, but still within the sightglass. So it is not too little fuel.

An intermittent problem like this leads me to believe it is electrical... maybe the distributor? Someone earlier in this post mentioned getting the ignition control module tested; anyone done that? If so, who would be able to do that? Checker/Autozone maybe?

Can anyone help?

[25Horseplay]

Possible it could be a vacuum leak somewhere.

[barno68]

Possible it could be a vacuum leak somewhere.

Possibly, but it would be a problem all the time. This thing ran great for about a mile this afternoon and then just lost all power and finally stalled. Sounds very similar to problems that the others in this post have been having.

[25Horseplay]

Runs OK till the choke opens then it dies.

[barno68]

Runs OK till the choke opens then it dies.

Hmm, maybe. However it was warm and idling at 800rpm when I timed it. It has been sitting for 3 hours now and still won't idle. I think tomorrow I will pull the cat and see if it is clogged.

[easywind]

This is a fuel problem, I would like to know what your rpms are at when you shift into each gear?

[neanderpaul]

^ 5 grand

[barno68]

Shifting around 3500rpm or so. Depends on how well it is running.

The more I think about 25horseplay response, the more it makes sense. If it starts in the morning, then I will have a better idea where to start.

[barno68]

Well, this morning it fired right up. So, I am checking all over for vacuum leaks and can not find a thing. Pulled the EGR valve and cleaned and checked it out, all good. It was pulling 20"Hg of vacuum, so that looks good. It can off the chock and was still running fine, just idling high (1500-2000). Took it for a ride around the block and could not get it below 4000rpm, really wierd. I took a look at the carb upon return and the fast idle solinoid was not engaged, but the bowl and venturi were really wet with fuel. I am at a loss on what is going on, could it be a float issue? The level is at the top of the sight glass, but visable. What is the correct level?

[easywind]

I think that a 5 grand shift from first to second takes more fuel than doing any other shift so from second to third or third to forth your rpms will drop more during the first to second shift and demand more fuel. You said you've changed a lot of things but I'm wondering if your fuel pump is up to the challenge. Does this happen shifting at 4 grand? Does this happen when the tank is full or less than full cause the car will violently jerk at those rpms and the fuel pickup may not be able to keep up if it's looking for fuel. Try and put out some more info on this problem.

[easywind]

Reread your original post and an old problem came to mind. I had a 66 Dodge Charger with the 383 4v and it was always starving for fuel, had the car at the dealer for weeks at a time and they could not find anything. I wound up pulling the car and took it apart and there was an orange peel in the secondaries.
Another thing would be if you had debris in the tank and it settles at the bottom and when fuel is called for it can suck something up near the pickup and as long as you're demanding fuel it will stay stuck and who knows what it takes to dislodge it. Just another thought.