Help! 63 rivi engine/trans

so my 401 nailhead runs ok now(except that you have to put gas in the carb from the top to prime it????) but everytime i put it into drive or reverse it dies. anyone have any idea on either of these problems?

 

[If it has been setting]...... it could have a bad accelerator pump in the carb'......see if when the carb's bowl is [full of fuel] that it "squirts" a shot of fuel into the venturi' when the pedal/linkage is moved.....IF NOT-its bad.....
also you may try a new fuel filter/or fuel pump next.........

 

i'll have to check that today. it has a new fuel filter and pump.

 

Kenny is right, you need to have the carb rebuilt.

 

check the carb & timing

 

just had the carb rebuilt. it has all new gaskets and a new accelerator pump.

 

And you still have to pour gas into it to get it running?

Still sounds like a carb problem to me, but the timing could be way off too.

Also check for a vacume leak, does it idle kinda hight when it is running?

 

yep still have to pour gas into it. it idles high until the choke opens then slows down, but thats normal. i still don't know why it shuts off right away when i put it into drive even after its been running for a couple of minutes?

 

Could it be something so simple as too lean carburator setting and not enough idle? (Either one or both.)
Now when you have new accelerator pump plus rebuilt carb, and you still have to pour fuel to carb, I think you should check ignition timing first.

If you need help for tuning your Riviera, I have here books and few ideas...

 

prolly not feasable but i used to run a trans shop for years and we had a lot of trouble with like years of buicks with 400 trans that the converter would go bad and actually kill the motor when engaged in gear and more so in reverse. if we revved it up and hit a gear it would get going but would kill it at stop , just a thought, kinda like a lock up trans now days ..

 

i got it started and it didn't want to stay running so i would hold down the gas a little to keep it running and it would keep on back firing. so, i removed the plugs and wire brushed them again. they were black a couple days ago and they're black again, don't know why? it started right up and ran great for about a minute but then started to back fire again. so i have to check the timing but does anyone know why the spark plugs were black again and smelled burned but not like gas burning?

 

Now you are discribing a carb problem for sure.

Sounds like the float it stuck or adjusted too high. You are discribing a flooding situation once it starts up and that is whats fouling the plugs so fast.

My son has a 65 Riv with a 401 and it did the same thing even after he had the carb rebuilt, he took it back and they went through it again and it was much better.

If you had the carb rebuilt by someone reputable, take it back and tell them what it is doing.

Good luck man. Hope you get the problem ironed out.

 

Does it have the dynaflow or the TH400? It should be Dynaflow for a 63.

 

dynaflow.