Help! Possible fuel issue

[eoseitz]

So I'm not really sure where to start. I hadn't drove my 74 in a while. It was really rainy for a while and I assumed water got in the gas. I used fuel stabilizer that claimed to remove water and my car ran better for a day. It will start up and idle fine. It will drive fine for a while, but after warming up, it wants to stall out when you slow down for stop signs or put it in park. I've readjusted the choke (it wasn't opening all the way) and changed out the fuel filter. It almost seems like it's not getting gas. If I shut the car off and pump the pedal about 15 times and start it back up, it runs ok for a little while usually. Could my fuel pump be going out? I haven't done a vacuum test, but my headlights seem to open and close without issues. The last time I changed my plugs and wires were about 3 years ago, but I haven't put vary many miles on the car at all. The wires are slightly burned right by the manifold, but after inspection there are no bare wires. Also, I'm guessing if it was this, the car would always run poorly, not just after warmup. Any ideas? otfl

 

[tmkassin]

Does it have a Quadrajet carb? When they work they are great, but when they go bad they are a real headache. The good news is they are fairly simple to rebuild. Pull the air cleaner and see if the accelerator pump is spraying gas when you pump the accelerator. If not that would be a good place to start.

 

[Tom Bryant]

If the pump was weak it would be running out of gas at elevated rpm before it would at idle. There shouldn't be any water in the gas if it had a cap on it. Sounds like the carb is in need of a rebuild. It is probably gummed up from setting and the gas evaporating out of it. In the future use a fuel stabilizer when you are going to leave it set for a while. Ethanol mixed gas evaporates faster also so you can't leave it set without problems as long as you could with real gas.

If it smokes when it tries to die it is flooding. Q-Jets are famous for the fiber float becoming saturated and sinking. Or the choke could still be acting up. There is a choke pull off diaphragm on the side of the carb. Pull the rubber hose off of it and push the shaft in. Hold your finger on the hose connection sealing it off. Release the shaft. The shaft should stay in until you take your finger off the hose connection. Then it should pop back out. If it doesn't stay in with your finger on the connection the diaphragm is bad and needs replaced. It is not holding your choke open and the choke flap could be being pulled closed when the engine is running and staying that way when it drops to idle.

Tom

 

[eoseitz]

I found the issue finally. It was the vacuum line that comes off the intake and runs down to the transmission. The other part goes to the break booster. It appeared to be on there, but will checking my timing I realized it wasn't pushed onto the metal nipple all the way. The car runs fine now, however, I think accidentally retarded the timing or didn't get the idle screws set back on the carb correctly. It's idling a bit low. The bad part is the previous owner changed out the timing cover with a chrome one. It makes it hard to check with a timing light without marks.