Fuel cut out on turns and now won't idle

[ntgarwood]

I have a 72' base engine, fuel pump went out me about 2 weeks ago and I had it replaced. Car would start and idle fine. However, I seem to get a hesitation when I take a turn like the engine isn't getting fuel. Once i straighten the car out it seems to get fuel fine. My tank is 3/4 full and i've changed gas in it since the problem started and didn't seem to help. The fuel sock in the tank appears to be clear. This problem was present before the fuel pump went out. Yesterday I drove the car about 2 miles to get gas and it would still start up and idle fine. However, on my way home the car wouldn't idle anymore and wouldn't fire the engine unless i pumped the gas pedal all the way to the floor. The carb has an electric choke and it's getting gas. I checked my plug wires and all are connected fine. The engine will still crank and start up for a few seconds when i turn the ignition as long as i pump the pedal hard, it just won't stay running. I figured if it was distributor or spark plug related that the engine would still run, it would just be rough. Any ideas???

 

[tmkassin]

Did you replace the fuel filter?

 

[ntgarwood]

I got the car last fall and someone had put an edelbrock carb on it, i have the original q-jet that I plan on putting back on the car, but I thought to check the filter yesterday and I unscrewed it and when i pulled it out there is no filter there, it's just a screw with the fuel line inlet on it.

 

[Hib Halverson]

Edelbrock AFB-type carburetors can have a problem with fuel delivery in turns and under braking.

I'd sell the Edelbrock on eBay then go back to a properly tuned Quadrajet which is a better carb design to begin-with.

 

[Rex S]

I have 4 cars w/Edels on them, 2 cut out on turns and 2 don't. They only cut out on low speed turns though and work great with speed on the twisteys.

Did you check to make sure the pick up sock isn't bottemed out on the pick up tube? Most off shore strainers don't have the "step" the OEMs molded in to keep the sock from sliding up the pick up tube and the symptom is just what you have. If the car has had a new, non NOS sender installed lately, look there.

Hib, I like Ya! You are about the 3rd other person I have met that likes the Qjet. It's a great carb that ranks up there with a Weber for excellent fuel mixing. Most people don't understand them and go for a Holley or lately the Edelbrock.

 

[ntgarwood]

Thanks Hib and Rex, I didn't know that those carbs had that problem of cutting out. Rex, you're right, it is only on slow turns. I notice it most from turning at a stop sign. The fuel sock, as far as i know, is original. It worked well until yesterday, but the carb is still getting fuel through the line when i press the throttle so figured that would rule out the sock. I'm going to try some carb cleaner tonight and see if it's gummed up, but that's really great to know about the carb's cutting out on low speed turns. At least now i know where that problem is probably coming from. Thanks for the input!

 

[ntgarwood]

1 bottle of techron in the fuel tank and a 1/2 a can of carb cleaner did the trick! I let the engine run for close to an hour and took it around the block and it runs great now. However, I still have the problem with the carb cutting out when taking slow turns.

 

[Hib Halverson]

First, when I say the Edelbrock carburetor has trouble with fuel control, I'm talking about the Carter-AFB-derived, "Edelbrock Performer" four barrel. It's an ancient design. Admittedly, Edelbrock has made some improvements but the core problem, fuel slosh under lateral acceleration and braking, and the problem that ended GM's use of the AFB in 1964, is the problem that can cause it's problem when used on Corvettes. The harder you drive your C3, the worse the problem becomes.

I had a pair of Edelbrock Performers on a modified Big-Block back in the early 90s and it was a nightmare of driveability problems and that was with extensive tech. and parts support from Edelbrock. Those performers would go way, way rich in hard cornering or hard braking. The problem with braking was so bad that the engine would consistently stall at the end of a hard stop.

As for the Quadrajet, while understanding any automotive device makes the user experience better, one does not need to be an expert on how the Quadrajet works to know it is the best four-barrel ever made for street use on performance engines making 450-hp or less. It is far better than any AFB or AFB clone and better than a Holley.

With proper tuning it make power as good as Holley but drives better and gets better gas mileage. It makes better power than most of the AFBs and drives much better and gets better mileage.

Sadly, the Quadrajet has been much maligned by those marketing aftermarket carburetors and because it is, admittedly a more complex carb then an AFB or a Holley, the culture of hot rodding what it is, the urban legends about the QJ have also contributed to it's sometimes bad reputation most of which is B.S.

I used a Quadrajet on my 71 Coupe until the engine went past the 500-hp level. Up until then, my QJ which was properly tuned for the motor, ran hard, never presented a problem during cornering and braking and got great mileage.

While I think the Edelbrock Performer carburetor is not a great choice for a car that corners or brakes hard, it actually is a pretty good drag racing carb. And finally, that the Performer Series carb is not my favorite product doesn't reflect badly on the rest of Edelbrock's product line. The famed maker of a wide variety of aftermarket performance products has a lot of other really great products.