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Technical Car dies when you put it in gear

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by rhd, Mar 18, 2018.

  1. rhd
    Joined: Dec 2, 2008
    Posts: 351

    rhd
    Member
    from austin tx

    I' having hell with my wife' galaxie. We just had the fe rebuilt and a c6 rebuilt. I can' get the car to idle down or it starts to break up. When you put it in gear it just dies. I've looked for vacuu leaks. Tried adjusting the carb. Not real sure what do look for now but I'm about to set this thing on fire...
    It' a 61, 352 FE with a 2 barrel c6 trans, new torque converter, electric fuel pump.......the whole damn car is new
     
  2. Rickybop
    Joined: May 23, 2008
    Posts: 9,606

    Rickybop
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    So even in neutral or park, you can't get it to idle?
     
  3. dana barlow
    Joined: May 30, 2006
    Posts: 5,115

    dana barlow
    Member
    from Miami Fla.
    1. Y-blocks

    So many things can mess ya up,so need to check each. Timing,point setting n advace,vac.,fuel n PSI,float hight,valves working right. Besure the carb dose not have an open spot a hose should be on or a plug missing on the intake or crab.
    Any one or more of those wrong can do that. You got to get it smooth at idle first in "N" not in gear.
     
  4. Has the carb been rebuilt? Has it run properly with the electric fuel pump in the past? Have you checked the fuel system pressure (shouldn't be much more than 6 psi)?

    Don't set it on fire. It'll take longer to fix. :)
     

  5. Also, Holley or Ford 2bbl? If Holley I might suspect blown power valve.
     
    dana barlow likes this.
  6. Rickybop
    Joined: May 23, 2008
    Posts: 9,606

    Rickybop
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Even a low battery can cause an engine to run like crap.
    But if it's cranking ok, that's not the problem, of course.
     
  7. rhd
    Joined: Dec 2, 2008
    Posts: 351

    rhd
    Member
    from austin tx


    Neutral and park it will idle but I can' get it low enough .


    It' a ford 2 barrel.

    The carb has been rebuilt and was working with the electric fuel pump (think it's
    A 7psi pump)

    All vacuu lines are hooked up.

    No points it' get a hei (also new)
     
  8. rhd
    Joined: Dec 2, 2008
    Posts: 351

    rhd
    Member
    from austin tx

    It fires right up, no hesitation, real crisp throttle response
     
  9. dana barlow
    Joined: May 30, 2006
    Posts: 5,115

    dana barlow
    Member
    from Miami Fla.
    1. Y-blocks

    Idle,you say not low enough,well then its not really at idle at all,your on highspeed jetting an low speeds are likely closed or power valve is busted
     
  10. Johnny Gee
    Joined: Dec 3, 2009
    Posts: 12,603

    Johnny Gee
    Member
    from Downey, Ca

    Is the HEI a new addition as well?
     
  11. Might try bypassing the neutral safety switch.. JUST TO CHECK IT .
     
    F-ONE likes this.
  12. F-ONE
    Joined: Mar 27, 2008
    Posts: 3,271

    F-ONE
    Member
    from Alabama

    You beat me to it. My 62 did that.
     
  13. Jeezus how old are you that you are slower than me. I have ta B the slowest dude there iz on the confuser.
    I'm sorry. old fart a rockin.gif
     
    F-ONE likes this.
  14. F-ONE
    Joined: Mar 27, 2008
    Posts: 3,271

    F-ONE
    Member
    from Alabama

    I learned that 2100s are real sensitive to rebuilds. They are great but can be unforgiving as far as set up and tuning. Sometimes it takes several bench building sessions to get them right.

    The 2100 requires the factory fiber or plastic spacer between it and the intake. This is due to the 2100s hollow base. Without the spacer, or a bad one the engine can have a massive vacuum leak.
     
  15. Rickybop
    Joined: May 23, 2008
    Posts: 9,606

    Rickybop
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Two questions/thoughts.
    Does the idle seem to kind of "hover"...in other words, does it idle down at least to a certain point, but after hitting the throttle, seems to come down slowly? If not, no need to read further. But if so, I'd say it's a vacuum leak...and in that case, I have one more question. Does your car have power brakes? If so, when looking for vacuum leaks, don't forget to check (maybe try blocking off) the vacuum hose/port for that.
     
    Atwater Mike likes this.
  16. brigrat
    Joined: Nov 9, 2007
    Posts: 5,615

    brigrat
    Member
    from Wa.St.

    Does it try to die if you choke it while it's dying?
    This is cheap and easy block off all vacuum lines, and check manifold vacuum at idle. If all is well hook all back up again check for vacuum leaks with a throttled down water hose to see if it stumbles.
     
  17. dan31
    Joined: Jul 3, 2011
    Posts: 1,097

    dan31
    Member

    Vacuum leak at intake gasket?
     
  18. Sure sounds like a vacuum leak... I'd hook a vacuum gauge to it and go from there. And when horsing those heavy FE intakes into place it's not hard to screw up a intake gasket.
     
  19. Engine man
    Joined: Jan 30, 2011
    Posts: 3,480

    Engine man
    Member
    from Wisconsin

    Many things can cause a high idle but vacuum leaks and timing are the most common. Set the timing with the vacuum advance hose disconnected and plugged.
     
    olscrounger likes this.
  20. Bandit Billy
    Joined: Sep 16, 2014
    Posts: 12,287

    Bandit Billy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Let the clutch out slower
     
  21. A long time ago I had a small v8 that would idle well, and run well when underway, but dropping it in gear would drop the idle speed so much it wouldnt idle well, and would die a lot.
    I decided it must be a tight torque convertor designed for a bigger engine with a lot more idle torque than this little v8 had.
    After I put in a looser convertor, the problem went away, and the car became a joy to drive.
    Maybe it's a tight convertor designed for a bigger engine with more idle torque?

    WHY BE ORDINARY ?
     
  22. i had one that drove me nuts like that. turned out the bottom of the intake rotted through.
     
    Center of the Galaxie likes this.
  23. Hollywood-East
    Joined: Mar 13, 2008
    Posts: 1,993

    Hollywood-East
    Member

    Sounds like vacuum possibly to me, couple shots of starting fluid around base of carb could rule that out quick..
     
    Saxman likes this.
  24. Come to think of it I did once find an FE intake that had burned thru from the exhaust crossover into the intake plenum. A stock, cast iron 64 4bbl manifold. Might be worth checking.
     
  25. 1946caddy
    Joined: Dec 18, 2013
    Posts: 2,060

    1946caddy
    Member
    from washington

    I had a truck that would die when I tried to put it in gear and it turned out to be the alternator.
     
  26. Countn'Carbs
    Joined: Nov 8, 2006
    Posts: 975

    Countn'Carbs
    Member
    from CO

    What's your initial timing set at? Depending on how big your cam is it might need a touch more advance...especially if you have a low (tight) converter.
     
  27. Blues4U
    Joined: Oct 1, 2015
    Posts: 7,589

    Blues4U
    Member
    from So Cal

  28. morac41
    Joined: Jul 23, 2011
    Posts: 531

    morac41
    Member

  29. rhd
    Joined: Dec 2, 2008
    Posts: 351

    rhd
    Member
    from austin tx

    Haven' had a chance to less with it again yet but, the natural safet switch was already bypassed.

    The HEI is a new addition.

    As far as the bottom of the intake being rusted out I'm not sure but when it was rebuilt I woiukd think the builder would have noticed that.

    I swapped out the carb and that didn' seem to help the issue but I haven' been able to find any vacum leaks, if I smother the carb it dies out real quick but I didn' have any starter fluid handy last time I looked at it but ill get some. I doubt it' the torque converter since it won't idle down low enough when it's not in gear. I'l try some of the responses I've gotten and see what happens.
     
  30. "As far as the bottom of the intake being rusted out I'm not sure but when it was rebuilt I woiukd think the builder would have noticed that."

    This isn't a common problem. It wouldn't be something most people look for unless there was a persistent problem that hadn't been solved. I've been repairing vehicles for 45 years and only seen this a handfull of times on various makes.
     

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