non nova truck problems

[1963DUCE100]

last night on the way home my truck (84K5, 350 4spd) lost power (did not overheat oil pressure is good) and slowly made it to the edge of the road, cranked over freely acted like no fuel or spark, so call my dad we tow it 1 mile home, being it's a stick I used the clutch to stop it damn thing fired up! and a damn near ran into the house so now my ford luvin neighbors are having a heyday at my expense. Now it starts and runs good, I'm afraid to take it back on the road, this thing has never done anything like this before it had been my most reliable vehicle yet.

I saw no fuel leaking from the weep hole on the pump (mechanical) Vapor lock was a good guess of one but the engine had only been running maybe 5 min, an Ive never had any issues before, so now looking for a bad wire. The funny thing is is did not buck jerk or nothing is was so smooth, like it went coasting, I could step on the gas pedal and nothing happened just like it was off but it was still running? I say just replace the pump and see about adding some shielding around the lines, replacing the brass filter in the carb. My wife was following me home she say no smoke nothing just me slowing down, sound and felt like vapor lock but when it is only 50* out and were are darn near at sea level and I'm had no other issues like this before??? My other guess was the crappy ethanol 10% blend fuel we have to use here in Oregon after all it has tends to run a little rough when cold (engine).

I went out his morning truck fired right up let it warm up all is good then I started to rev it up from idle to WOT and boom puff of smoke out the carb, it did this 3 out of 5 times so out goes the timing light timed @about 4-6*BTDC,so that looks good I pulled the valve covers no loose rockers (did not think so any way but never hurts to check) did not find a vacuum leak. The egnine is a GMPP stock replacement 350 (12K ago) with the original sealed q-jet (it was rebuilt about 50K ago) Stock HEI Headers 2.25" duel exhaust magnaflow mufflers and a "H" pipe.

[higleyml]

Have you checked the fuel filters? The inline and the one in the carb inlet?

[3DTim]

Could be coil going bad. I would say it is in the dis.side for things.

[RetchedOne]

replace your hei coil...

[1963DUCE100]

I bought a new pump and filter I do not know how old the pump is ( do not think that it was replaced with the engine). I'll give it a try after lunch and see it it works
thanks guys

[tvnl]

The only way to find the problem is to duplicate the problem, period. If you just start throwing parts at it at everyones request you may just end up wasting a bunch of money and not fixing anything. If you can get it to cut off again check to see if you lost fuel or spark. Check for fuel by looking in the carb an opening the throttled and watching the squirters. I doubt vapor lock is the problem if it was still warming up and since it wasn't hot outside.

[1963DUCE100]

I installed a new pump and filter runs better but still has the backfiring issue, it goes da da da poof then takes off can't hards start off driving with out killing it, bit does fine in revers???? it has always had a bog when kicking in the secondaries but nothing like this before. If you keep our foot in it the engine darn near stalls then takes off, it idles just fine and seems to run fine at 2500+ it is just getting the darn thing up there. I do not see this being a ignition issue, but I have been wrong before.

[RetchedOne]

I installed a new pump and filter runs better but still has the backfiring issue, it goes da da da poof then takes off can't hards start off driving with out killing it, bit does fine in revers???? it has always had a bog when kicking in the secondaries but nothing like this before. If you keep our foot in it the engine darn near stalls then takes off, it idles just fine and seems to run fine at 2500+ it is just getting the darn thing up there. I do not see this being a ignition issue, but I have been wrong before.

Did the vaccum hose fall off or crack between the base of your carb and the advance on your distributor?

Can you drop in a friends HEI dist for troubleshooting???
You can pick it up cheap at a picka part...

[burty]

Stuck float in the carb...? Give the float adjuster screws a clack or two with a wrench..you may have a gummed up float. Burt.

[1963DUCE100]

I went back out and checked the vacuum on the vacuum advance and at about 2500 I have 15" or so, I then took it out for a drive and it is allot better but still not quite perfect (although I did manage a few good burnouts). Carb float is a good Idea I'll look into that

[pro74]

I had the same problem on a truck I had. Had all the same symptoms until it finally just wouldn't start. Problem was the pickup coil in the distributor went bad (not the main coil- two different parts). Try and see if you can find another dist to try before buyin one cuz I've been wrong before. Also I've always had better luck with 8-10 degrees on smallblocks but thats just my 2 cents.

[1963DUCE100]

Thinking a new hi performance unit may be in order, should I add a ignition box like a MSD, or any of the others??

[veno]

MY $0.02..

Years ago.. Friend had a 76 vett L48 .. any how start and run just fine.. take it for a spin while cold it was fine till about 5 min in to the drive.. pop through the carb. and die... puzzed for a day or two.... swapped in a known good HEI... fixed.... the problem with his was the module would heat up and break connection... replaced his module in his HEI... life was good....

Like said above.. could also be the pickup electro mag....

swap in a known good hei....

[tvnl]

Is the accelerator pump working? Sounds like it might not be if you have a bad hesitation off idle but it's okay after 2500 rpms. look and see if it's squirting when you crack the throttle with the truck off of course so you don't get spit on.

[rhorne12]

Tried most ignitions and my best results have been with DUI. Bulletproof, properly tuned out of the box.
MSD is no longer made in USA and it is beginning to show.
Mallory seems a good choice, but the DUI is one piece, drops right in, and, did I mention BULLETPROOF?
I think your problem is in the ignition and the module is the most likely culprit, but the pick up coil is also a candidate.

[1963DUCE100]

I think I may buy this and upgrade at the same time.
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=SUM%2D850030&autoview=sku

[pro74]

Only problem with the kit is if it is the pickup coil the kit won't fix it. You may want to opt for the whole distributor.

[1963DUCE100]

That is true,Kinda thought that if I replaced the module/coil/cap/rotor there would not be much let to be bad, are there any other parts in the dist to replace???

[pro74]

Well the pickup coil for one. You may want to check the shaft for play too. There are bushings inside the main body. If the internal drive shaft has a lot of play you'd be better off replacing the whole thing. It would cost you more time and money in the long run trying to rebuild it.

[tvnl]

I'm not shure why everyone here is zeroing in on the distibutor? Hesitations are generally not caused by the distributor. Missfires yes, hesitation no.

[novaboy009]

Tvnl, I'm not sure where that info is coming from. More often than not, bogs are because of a lack of timing more so than carb issues. Always start with the dizzy and move to the carb/fuel side.

I'd stick a whole new dizzy in there. I have a Summit complete drop in HEI and like it a lot. I believe Mallory makes it for them.

Kev

[veno]

I'm not shure why everyone here is zeroing in on the distibutor? Hesitations are generally not caused by the distributor. Missfires yes, hesitation no.


The only reason I did was because of the type of problem he had and the tendency of electronics to have whats called intermittent failure due to heat... When the circuit heats up it breaks the connection, or remove its self from danger to prevent total failure, when it cools back down the connection re-establishes its self...

I have experienced before... and more than my friends 76 L48 vette... happened to myself in an BBC powered 4sp 64 Lemans runnin a HEI...

but a simple HEI swap can eliminate any doubt

[tvnl]

Veno,

I do agree 100% that the cutting off problem, if there is one, is more than likely electrical than fuel and should be dealt with first but we never got donfirmation if it was spark or fuel. It seemed to me like the hesitation became 63duce's real concern later in the thread. I have replaced my share of GM ignition modules and pickups. Normally the problem with the pickups are broken wires wich is obvios. With the modules it's normally it's the cutting off problem but I have seen them do some weird things with erratic spark.

Novaboy009,
Hesitations aren't caused by ignition timing they are caused buy a fuel mixture problems or very weak spark, most often due to not enough fuel from the accel. pump or an overly lean idle mixture.

Just to make sure we are talking about the same thing when I say hesitation I am talking about when you hit the gas pedal and it takes a second or two to actually accelerate, not something with misfiring or just poor power off idle. More timing can mask a lean problem but it doesn't fix it.

63 duce,
Try and get a look at the squirters and see if your getting good fuel out of them. You may have 2 seperate problems going here as far as the cutting off and the hesitation. It is possible the distributor is causing both but not likely.

[1963DUCE100]

I do not mind replacing the dist. The hesitation I was getting felt kinda like a "rev limiter" type feeling BUT I did notice when I worked the throttle by hand I could not see fuel being squirted in the venturis but it sounded like it was pumping fuel. So next it is a new carb if the dist. does not fix the issue. I think that you are right two different issues, lets hope that I have fixed them.

[1963DUCE100]

Well I got the new dist. last night and got it replaced this morning, boy was that a rough job:yes: Took all if 15 minutes and I dropped it in right the first time and got the firing order correct the firs time too!
Now on to the good stuff I timed it to 7* and it runs like a champ, just the slightest sag when the secondaries kick in but hey it is a 5100# truck. I think that it starts quicker idles smoother hey it even runs cooler, wont even hit 180*! I'm very happy with this dist.
Thanks guys for the help
This round is on me
:beer::beer::beer::beer:
Jon

[D-Man]

Very Cool... Glad I got one right?:rolleyes:

BTW this is VENO.. I am using D-mans computer! and he dont know it!:D

Boy could I get him in trouble!!!!:devil: