Good Luck....The fuel in the intake seems normal to me, especially if it doesn't really warm up with ignition issues... Step back and don't let it beat you up...It will click and you will fix it....Joe
That's something I did not know. I had 9 volts at the coil, and changed the wire thinking I had voltage drop from old wiring. I used the same gauge. There wasn't any kind of resistor or fusible link in there. If I pick up a GM style ballast resistor, I would just put it in line on the + side ? My factory wiring has a wire from the firewall to the coil, and then down to the starter. Should I separate the line so the resister is only on the coil wire? Thanks! Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I have an Edelbrock that I am having similar issues with and know of a few others doing the same thing. A rebuild will help for a short time and then it starts all over again. I'm about to get rid of it and go with something else.
Yea, timed on #8. It had a 304 2bbl and great milage. Ate the cam bearings right after I painted it. Had the engine in it in October and been trying everything I could think of to get it running since ( well not when it's -30, the truck is outside!) I like this truck and I hate that it's now kicking my ass... Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
The resister is on the plus + side of the coil. Some use the + side to power up electric chokes and shouldn't because of the voltage drop. 9 volts is a bit high and you might have resistance wire that has been tampered with (shortened) and that will change the value. If it were mine regardless of the problem, I would run a new ignition wire from the switch to the + side of the coil with a new ballast resister inline. You can get a universal ballast resister at you local auto supply and its usually mounted on the fire wall because it gets HOT to the touch. A coil can fail if it runs at a higher voltage for to long, so have a known good coil also to try once you get it up ready to run
Let me add that an extra wire on the + side of the coil is most likely from an extra terminal on the starter to provide a full 12 volts to the ignition while cranking then when you let off the starter the ignition wire takes over to maintain 7 volts to protect the coil...
When it starts to die, has it been running at an idle or at a higher rpm? A cold motor should be running at around 1,000 rpm until it warms up to close to normal temps. If your working on the truck out in the cold, gas on the floor of the intake is not unusual on a motor that has quit running. I would like to know how much the choke blade is open when the motor dies, cold motors need more fuel. The choke blade could be open too much, or not enough, you should be able to manually open or close it a little more to see if the motor will keep running. Until the motor reaches operating temperature and normal idle speed, setting the idle screws should not have any effect (unless they are open too far or closed tight), the motor should be running rpms above the idle speed circuits. Turn the idle screws closed and open them 1 1/2 turns and leave them alone until the motor reaches temp. You may have to manually run the choke and the throttle until the motor warms up and you can set everything correctly. I agree with replacing the wire from the switch to the coil with a new wire and a new ballast resistor, mounted on the firewall. For the time being, I would disconnect any other wires to the + side of the coil, and only have the wire to the points going to the - side of the coil. Replace the old condenser, use a known good coil (not new, but one you know works). 9 volts to the + ignition can kill a coil, a set of points, and a condenser in short order. One of the systoms of a bad coil is it overheats and does not deliver a hot enough spark, the longer it runs, until it won't fire the plugs. Gene
Thanks Gene. The throttle stop is set so it's around 1000 or so at startup. It never warmed up to kick the choke off, and drop to low idle. When it dies, the blade is pretty open, and fuel vapour puffs out. I thought that was not a problem because I was thinking more air is what I needed, not less. I did try more open or closed, couldn't get much improvement. The idle mix screws are set at 2 1/2 turns open as recommended, and I am not really sure what they do. I will definitely go through the ignition again and will let all of you guys know what the results are. Won't be this weekend, going to be -28 again... Paul Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Guys that dont know squat about carbs are the ones that say stuff like this, and you can flip name brands around to their preference. Never the hunter, always the gun
I have a visible spark on all 8, is there a way to measure a "strong" spark? Like I said, it runs great on initial startup. Going to add the ballast resister and new condenser when it gets warmer than -25 Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
It doesn't like to start right away(flooded) if I wait 5 minutes, fires on second or third crank, runs smooth Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Had a similar issue with a 401 AMC IN A JEEP cj I bought, I removed the electric choke and the problem was solved for me. I also use hot start either for starting below 0
Are you sure it's flooding? If the choke is opening too fast in cold weather it could be starving instead of flooding. As it dies, is there black smoke in the exhaust?
I don't think it's starving, although that is what it sounds like. I have opened the top of the carb after it died, and the bowls were still full, and if I wait a few minutes it fires up right away(not like an empty carb needing to get fuel) I pulled the carb a few times right after it died and found visible fuel in the manifold. I actually fired it up with no carb at all on the manifold and it ran for a few seconds. The exhaust exits under the truck, I have not noticed dark exhaust, cause I am usually under the hood trying to keep it running. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Needs more choke. Lean and cold don't mix. Try holding your hand over the carb throat (with a glove). Careful of backfires.
I've had cars that acted like that due to a bad coil....would run fine until the coil got some heat in it and the coil would short out internally...engine would die and with no spark, the unburnt fuel would still be in the intake. It's happened to me twice and a ohm-test of the coil showed a good coil...yeah, when cold. I'll bet you have an old coil you could try on your engine to check.
Coil is brand new, MSD blaster. Have 2 of them ( both new) and the original one that ran the last engine. All of them run the same. I think I will add the ballast resister and see what happens. Supposed to warm up to freezing by next weekend (-33 right now...) Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Joe he could also have two resisters in line, One in the coil and a wire resistor. Resulting in low voltage. JMHO.
I agree on more choke also try with breather to lessen the cold air affecting fuel charge.it is normal to find fuel in intake on shut down.when shutting down by key or stalling the vacuum still pulls the fuel off idle circuit.if the fuel stopped instantly you would have to crank to draw fuel for next start.hard on starter and not practical.my 2 cents
Thank you guys for the help. I installed a new condenser and added a ballast resister and it runs great. I never considered the ignition system, since it ran fine cold, but I have learned something new again. It's appreciated. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Thanks for getting back to us with the results. Threads like this, while interesting, ate useless unless the resolution is shown.
Here's what I found in a Google search, on another website. Hope it helps. "One thought is it could be carb icing. This is a common issue in cold weather. The velocity going thru the carb is so high the humidity becomes ice and sticks to the butterflies, also plugging up the idle circuits so the carb is forced to pull from the main circuits which creates a really rich mixture. In the really cold weather with my cutlass I had to run sea foam in every tank of gas to keep it from doing it. Since mine was a Vortec that had no heat cross over at the intake there was nothing to combat this problem. I could have likely rigged up a stove pipe but when you`ve got jet hot coated headers who wants to make them look bad with a stove pipe? " <!-- / message -->
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