Reference here for the symptoms I've been dealing with: https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=314204 .

So I changed the fuel filter today because it was cheap even though I didn't think it was the problem and while doing that I finally pulled my head out of my a$$ and took a good look at the fuel line and found this:





Now normally I would suspect this line is the problem, but this line has been like this since we bought the car. So why would the car all of the sudden start acting strange if it was running fine for 6 months prior if it was this fuel line.

One thing I have noticed with the car is it will run fine when you just start it up and the choke plate is somewhat closed. You can rev the car to any RPM you want and it will hold that RPM just fine. It will start to run like crap when the engine warms up a bit and the choke plate opens up more. Now I can get the car to run well if I am under the hood playing with the throttle and moving the choke plate as well. I tried to adjust the choke on the side with the spring assembly to no avail since it has a slot and can only be installed in one position. I'm at a loss at the moment, any ideas anyone?

 

Although not good, it wouldn't cause problems getting up a driveway, nor suddenly appear.

 

Which way do you have to move the choke in order to get it to run right?

 

Exactly why I don't think it's the problem because that line has been like that for a while now. I am moving the choke closed to get it to run better. Fuel pump maybe? I may try running the engine to where it starts to choke on itself and then spray some carb cleaner into the primaries and see if it starts to rev up. That would tell me it's starving for fuel. Then I would be suspect of the fuel pump.

 

It sounds like the choke is opening too soon then. You can't adjust the tension on the choke coil?

 

Yea, I cannot adjust it because it is slotted. I may try to file off the tang that fits into the slot so that I can try adjusting it. But it runs this way whether hot or cold.

I ran it with the choke fully open and revved it up so that it starts to die on itself and sprayed some carb cleaner into the primaries and it revved right back up. I'm leaning towards the fuel pump now, I'm not 100% sure.

 

I think I'd pull the carb and put a kit in it. You said it sat for awhile, and although that could cause a pump to go weak, it can also crud up the carb circuits.

If you could get it running long enough, you could pull the fuel line from the carb and do a flow check on the pump. Probably also wouldn't hurt to try to get a pressure measurement.

 

What is slotted, exactly?

 

The thermostat has a slot in the outer circumference which matches a tang in the thermostat housing. Another emissions keep-the-owner-from-adjusting-it thing.

 

Ahh.. I don't think I've ever actually seen one that hasn't had the rivets already drilled out.

 

That doesn't help. The tab is cast into the housing where the thermostat sits, meaning the thermostat will only fit in that one place where the slot is.

Mine had rivets, now has screws, but it still isn't adjustable.

 

I just meant I've never seen one in unmolested form.