Good News/Bad News

[Stingray74CC]

Well the good news is that I was able to drive my baby for the first time today and she was wonderful. All that power made me kinda nervous for the first couple of hours especially after I opened up the Secondary Carbs. I don't think that I could've ended up with a better deal.

THE BAD NEWS!!!

I had to have her towed for the first time. I have a 1969, 427 w/ tri power. The entire car/engine/chasis w/ M2are in prestine condition (well atleast I thought so). Coming home to put her away for the day, she began to die out when I tried to accelerate. I could maybe hold 1200 rpms w/o a problem but anymore gas would cause the engine to lose all power. About a mile down the road I couldn't push the gas at all w/o losing power and then it quickly worsened and the engine died all together. After waiting a few minutes and pumping the gas she'd start right up and fun for a minute or so and die again.

I think that it may be a clogged fuel filter. I called the previous owner and he said that the only fuel filters were the ones that are built into each of the three carbs. He also said that it may have been vapor lock causing the problem. After letting the car sit for almost an hour it would do the same thing. Start, idle for about 10 seconds and die. If anyone has any ideas, I'd be glad to entertain them. Thanks for reading.

 

[Stingray74CC]

Addition

The interruption in my message there was going to say M21 Muncie four speed
--Anthony

 

[Stingray74CC]

One More Thing--I Promise

I had my first wave today! It has alot more meaning than I thought. Very Happy to officially be apart of the group.

Rock On,
Anthony

 

[Bullitt]

I think following the fuel system is the proper route. If your suffering vapor lock, there's a simple way to diagnose it. Take a towel and soak it with cold water. Wrap it around the fuel pump and start it up. If it runs, then you got vapor lock. I would put in a fuel filter between the pump and the carb line, to protect against the fuel thats used nowadays. Today's fuels clog filters faster and a good filter will protect the smaller ones in the carburetor. Some people have been known to remove the carb filters and just run a quality fuel filter, instead. Some claim that it enhances fuel flow, also. So after the vapor test and the new filter, you should be able to suspect the fuel pump or eliminate it. Good luck, Anthony. I got my fingers crossed for you. --Bullitt

 

[69MyWay]

Sounds to me like a fuel problem.

You must put a inline filter in the system.

If this does not fix it, I would suspect a bad fuel pump.


Hang in there and let us know!

 

[The Car Whisperer]

I had the same problem on a 69 I had many years ago. Turned out to be the gas cap. I had the wrong one on it. Caps are vented or non-vented. If you have the wrong one the gas can't get out of the tank, the cap will create a vacuum as the fuel pump is pumping the gas to the carburater. I didn't beleive it at first when a mechanic friend told me that was the problem, but I went to the dealer got the correct cap and never had a problem again! Check it out.

 

[Stingray74CC]

Thanks

As soon as I figure out what the problem is, I"ll post it. It ran too nice to be anything else.

--Anthony

 

[Stingray6974]

Anthony,
Don't forget about the filter in the gas tank. It's a sock filter that slips over the fuel inlet. They tend to collapse with age and block the fuel tube.
Also check the fuel hose from the line to the fuel pump. If it was replaced with bulk hose it may be kinked. It should be a formed hose.
Mike

 

[Ls1smlblck]

Ditto, sounds like a clogged fuel line or trash in your bowl(s). I had similar prob with the carb on the 81Z. Same prob, I rebuilt the carb (carter AFB) and found a nice bug in the internal filters for both fuel bowls. Still cant figure how it got in there and passed through the in-line filter. ..

 

[Tom Bryant]

It sure sounds like a clogged filter but I have heard of the gas cap problem before too. A vented cap may fix it. If it makes that sucking sound when you take it off after the engine runs and dies there is vacuum in the tank. Try to run the car with the gas cap loose to eliminate any possibility of vacuum.

I'd check the fuel filters next as they are cheap and easy to check. Pull the line off of the center carb as it is the primary and check the filter. If it has an original bronze filter try to blow through it. Gas tastes good. It should be easy with practically no resistance. If it has a paper element in it cut it open. If it's full of rust you are going to have to either replace the fuel tank or clean it out and coat the inside with a fuel tank sealer. This being an old car if it has sat for any length of time or seen limited use it probably has rust in the fuel tank. With that big opening you can see very well into your tank with a flashlight. Look for sediment or rust lying on the bottom of the tank or even water, which is heavier than gasoline.

If your hand is small or you have a sacrificial child/wife ect. have them feel inside the tank on the upper surfaces that aren't often covered with gas for rust scale. This is where it will start first from condensation when sitting.

I hope this helps you get the '69 rolling again.

Tom

 

[barrier5]

If it bogs or dies when you give it gas,check the accel.pump and rod.

 

[Stingray74CC]

Tank Rust

When I filled up for the first time, I did notice that the underside of the cap was rusted but the tank looked very clean. There wasn't any vacuum when opening the tank. I bet the top side of the tank is rusted like you suggested 59 Tom. I'm afraid that replacing/sealing the tank will have to happen before long.
-Anthony

 

[Nut]

Anthony,

As ls1smblk said, the tank line sock is very likely clogged too. When I had my '72, I'll bet my son and I had to hand pump the tank clean at least twice a year. The good part is that big filler tube opening will make it very easy to get in there and clean it out. Btw..... be REAL careful NOT to suck the sock in the pump hose. Bad mojo and nasty to replace.

When the roads dry out a bit, I'll drive over and take a look at it. (I assume you can now exit the grounds?)

Good Luck........... Nut

 

[Stingray74CC]

Leaving the Grounds??

Well, that's still in the air. It can change anytime. They are still going to give me 60 more days of yard restriction, but until they give it to me I am allowed out on Saturday's. Hopefully it'll be put off for one more weekend. I didn't get enough.

--Anthony

 

[widewhites]

may be way off on this one

I may be way off on this one but that was happening to me. I have a manual choke carb with a "pull lever" (pull it choke closes, etc.) I miscalulated the open/close measurements. Choke was too closed and was causing the car to stall when I stepped on the gas. Just a suggestion.

 

[Stingray74CC]

Choke

I was going to actually try and use the choke to see if I could keep an idle but the choke has been removed from the car. That introduces a small problem for cold starts, but I've been able to get by pretty well so far w/o it.

Someone suggested that the points may be the cause of the problem. Does this sound reasonable? If so then I was thinking about going with the Pertronix that I've read about in these threads. Does anyone know if there's a major difference in the Ignitor and Ignitor II and whether or not it's worth going with the Flamethrower Coil? Gotta do it right if you gonna do it at all.

-Anthony

 

[Eric]

I have to agree with everyone that said vapor lock but I also can attest to what Mike and Nut said about the sock filter in the gas tank becoming pretty clogged up. When I had took my tank out last sumemr of 2000, the sock filter on mine was caked with crud. If you end up having to go into the tank for any reason you should go ahead and replace the filter, they're one of the least expensive things I've replaced on mine.

 

[resto75]

Choke removed from engine

If someone removed the choke from the engine make sure the choke butterfly isn't just sitting there flapping in the breeze. If the choke linkage is gone you need something to keep the butterfly from closing at will. Wire it so it won't move and so its wide open, should this be the case.

You would have a rich condition if this was the problem,prpbably black exhaust smoke etc.

Sounds more like lack of fuel but I thought I would throw this in also. Good luck

 

[Stingray74CC]

Here's the Ailment!!

All three Carb. filters were full of trash as there was no inline filter b/w the tank and the carbs. The points were gone and the timing was way too far advanced fouling the plugs. The carbs could've also used some tuning. I had a few problems with the car, mostly general maintenance stuff that kinda shut her down temporarily. The parts are ordered and after a couple hours work she should be back on the road again, better than ever.

Thanks for the advice on everything.

--Anthony

 

[Tom Bryant]

Glad that it wasn't anything big Anthony. I'd keep an eye on those carb filters for awhile and carry spares just in case. Maybe after a few tanks of fresh fuel are cycled through the system it will be free of debris.

Tom