And it died again...

[Ozz1967]

&^*(&%*%*&^*(&!!!!!

Drove it around the block and to the gas station...put about 10 miles on it the first day just tooling around making sure it was good here on base.  After the first 20 miles and I was satisfied that everything seemed to be good, I'd occasinally shift down rocking it to around 5k RPM in 2nd before backing off on the back roads of the base.  Everything seemed great for those initial 30 miles so I went for a drive today.  Got on I-15 and it purred like a kitten from Kaysville to South Ogden.  Got about 12 miles on it and with no one in front of me punched the throttle and rocked it to 5000rpm, buried the speedo (pretty sure I blew past 100 but the speedo stops at 85) but when I backed off the car suddenly lost power.  the exhaust didn't bark at me like it normally would when dropping back,  just sort of flat lined.  It started losing power, not wanting to run.  Push the gas and it it would surge, then flat line before wanting to die, sliding back to 0rpm unless I feathered the gas.  I had to feather the throttle just to keep it running or it would die.  Spent two hours in the Sears Parking lot where I work in the auto center with the guys and the best we could come up with is either I blew another valve spring (that would be 5 total now) or a fuel issue.  My inline pressure gauge won't come off 2psi which is what made us think that.  Still, I'd think the car should idle with even only 2psi of pressure right?  Maybe I should just drive it off a cliff or shoot it.  That's really what I want to do right now. 


Turn the key and it fires right up but almost instantly stutters. I can throttle up to 1500-2k some times but it instantly wants to die.  Doesn't sound like it's firing on all cylinders or firing intermittantly.  It's got a new cap, coil, rotor and plug wires.  Just installed new plugs two weeks ago, old ones weren't fouled at all but I just wanted to make sure.  what gets me, is that if i was runnign low fuel pressure and not getting enough fuel to the carb, I'd have found that out on those first 30 miles or so wouldn't I?  So, probably in the AM, I'm going to pull the valve covers and see if I blew another valve spring.  If I did...THAT would piss me off as this is a nother new set from comp cams this time (as opposed to the Lunati springs which came with the cam).

[Sweet_SS]

Sorry to hear. I'm assuming your fuel pressure gauge is in the cockpit? What does it look like when you try to throttle it? I'm coming up with a couple of things. First being, does it feel like its part of the ignition? I know you've changed quite a bit of stuff but you never know. Second thing is, what about your fuel filter(s)? I've had weird issues like this in my other car with a clogged filter.  

Oh, just out of curiosity, did you re-check the spark plug wires? Making sure none came loose when you got on it?

[Ozz1967]

It feels like I hit the top of a rev limiter the way it cuts out and studders.  Why I dont think its a valve spring because when I broke the last one the car would still run and sounded ok.  My fuel pressure gauge is in the engine bay, inline on the fuel line before the carb  and sits on 1 and doesn't move.  I called Holley about the fuel pressure issue and found out my pump isnt designed for  return style regulator and that its probably gummed up from sitting over the winter.

[Ozz1967]

hmm, no edit function when using my phone.  anyway...

Unlike a rev limiter, the engine doesnt pick back up once it drops off, it just falls on its face and if I am not fast enough to feather it, it will die.  also, all plug wires are tight and connected, no arcing that i can find.  If its not fuel, then distributor?

[Sweet_SS]

hmm, no edit function when using my phone.  anyway...

Unlike a rev limiter, the engine doesnt pick back up once it drops off, it just falls on its face and if I am not fast enough to feather it, it will die.  also, all plug wires are tight and connected, no arcing that i can find.  If its not fuel, then distributor?

Try this? On a normal running vehicle the idle should dip once any spark plug wire is removed...it will diesel down. Try having someone keep the car running why you pull on each individual wire. If the idle doesn't change then its your ignition system. If there is a change...the car starts to get worse then its not your ignition.

[Ozz1967]

ok.  I'll try that.  going to be hard though since it really runs rough.  Will need to do something about my fuel pump first thou won't I?

[The Sad]

If you are not getting fuel pressure it sounds like that is at least one of the issues. I would start there.

[Ozz1967]

i was thinking though, wouldn't even 1-2lbs be enough to idle the car?

[Sweet_SS]

i was thinking though, wouldn't even 1-2lbs be enough to idle the car?

Not if its struggling to make that 1-2 psi. My last car was making 45psi @ idle. This was the base fuel pressure of the vehicle. However, this was on a 4 cylinder.  

[Ozz1967]

My max pressure will be 6-7psi since its carbed. 

[Rockin C Racing]

Odds are it is fuel related.  2 psi is not enough to keep it idling.  Sounds like a plugged fuel filter.  Yeah the car ran fine for the first 30 miles or so and that is how long it took to plug the filter.  When I bought my motorhome, the auxilary fuel tank had rust and sediment in it that I didn't know was in there.  I would put a new inline fuel filter (clear) and I would drive about 20 to 30 miles and had the same symptoms.  Looked at the inline and it was plugged up.

[Ozz1967]

Ok, I'll take a look at it.  Thanks guys.

[Super Phil]

     Definitely sounds like a fuel delivery problem.  Hopefully its as simple as a clogged filter.  Maybe your fuel pump is going out?  But yeah, if there is a lot of crap in your fuel tank then replacing the filter will only be a temporary fix....

[Rockin C Racing]

Yeah I spent all day saturday draining, removing, cleaning, and reinstalling my 40 gallon metal auxilary fuel tank in my motorhome.

[Ozz1967]

I have never had to remove a fuel tank before.  I ordered a new Holley Black Pump from Summit lst night.  It should be here for the weekend so I can get it installed.  Hopefully it is only a fuel issue and nothing more serious.  If i need to clean the tank or replace it, I may look into one of the plastic 4th gen tanks, from everything I have read, it's a strait replacement. 

[j555]

problem after problem, lol  When I bought my marrow it had sat for 5 years and you would not believe the amount of crap I had in the tank.  There are some good kits for cleaning and conditioning tanks, but if i would of known about the plastic tanks I would have gone that route.  Hope to hear good news about spinning tires soon, good luck.

[Ozz1967]

Got the fuel pump yesterday and got it in and hooked to the fuel lines.  Just need to wire it today and then turn the key to make sure it works.  After that it's on to setting the pressure on the regulator and praying that this really was the problem!  lol

[Sweet_SS]

Got the fuel pump yesterday and got it in and hooked to the fuel lines.  Just need to wire it today and then turn the key to make sure it works.  After that it's on to setting the pressure on the regulator and praying that this really was the problem!  lol

Awsome. Let us all know if that solved your problem.

[Ozz1967]

   Damn...hooked it up, got it running, no leaks, set to 7PSI from the regulator.  It fires right up, but won't stay running.  Idles down till it dies.  I can flutter it to keep it running but if I just put the throttle down it sort of "sighs", then dies.  I think I"ve got a vacuum leak somewhere that's fairly significant or ignition issues.   

[j555]

what kind of carb are you runnin? 

[BumpaD_Z28]

what kind of carb are you runnin? 

that always seems to come up ...

[Ozz1967]

Qjet...blah  blah...i need the emissions crap to pass the test.

I got it to idle ok.  pulling 12'' of vacuum steady at idle, no deflection so no broken valve springs or valve train issues.  When I throttle up and get to 1500 rpm or so I get a hissing sound from the carb and the car will die, the vacuum dropping to 0 at 1500ish, if i don't take my foot off it.

[Chevycrew]

Has it been rebuilt recently?  Those q-jets are great carbs, but Ive seen many bases warp from overtorque.

I would pull it off, have it rebuilt, and check all surfaces for being flat and true.

[Ozz1967]

Has it been rebuilt recently?  Those q-jets are great carbs, but Ive seen many bases warp from overtorque.

I would pull it off, have it rebuilt, and check all surfaces for being flat and true.

I was just rebuilt. I had to wait 6 months to get it back after sending it in. lol  I had it modified from a base 305 model to handle the 350's 300+hp and increased torque. 

[Ozz1967]

what kind of carb are you runnin? 

that always seems to come up ...

Hoppie so loves to tease me over my choice of carb. LOL