OK i just purchased this car and recently am having problems just going down the road. Thru first gear it runs ok until about 3 grand then acts like it wants to die, if you let off of the throttle and wait you can start to go again but you cannot get on it this happens all the way up until you reach 55 or so and it will drive fine. Then I tried to pass a farmer and it acted up. I have a q-jet carb a new fuel pump and new igniton components (plugs, wires, hei coil, cap and rotor). It seems like I am running out of fuel. Is there a easy way to check my float level to see if it is to low? Also it is not the fuel filter. Running out of options please help Thanks.

 

All right, another fellow Husker!

Welcome aboard.

You can stick a little ruler like they provide in carb kits down the bowl vent, although I couldn't tell you off the top of my head what the measurement should be.

If you've already done fuel pump and filter, you may have a clogged pick-up sock in the tank, or a collapsing fuel hose on the suction side. Or twisted line at a fitting.

You might also want to verify it doesn't have an in-tank electric pump. Apparently, some cars had this as a dealer-install to resolve vapor lock problems. If you have it, and it isn't operating properly, it'll starve the mechanical.

It isn't unheard of to have a weak spark due to the ignition module.

Just out of curiosity, what was the farmer driving?

 

Thanks for the help.
He was driving a combine, that time of year. lol

 

It is clearly a fuel delivery problem.

How do you know it's not the fuel filter?

Most likely, if you've already taken the little rubber thing out of the fuel filter, you have the crusties and the funk of the ages in the fuel lines at and in your gas tank.

There are 2 accessory bolts on the front of the motor, down low right in front of the fuel pump. The upper one goes RIGHT INTO the passage for the fuel pump drive rod. Check to be sure the bolt in it is SHORT, and only threads into the hole about 1/4" (4 threads or so). If it's too long, it'll hit the fuel pump rod, and make it bind, and cause the fuel pump to pump poorly or not at all. Try just adding a couple of washers under its head and see if it helps.

 

Well I did a big no no, I took it out and ran it down the road. Same problem, also I failed to say there is no black smoke coming out the exhaust.

 

Any progress/news?

 

Well it was the computer controled carb. So I put an older style quadrajet and a vacuume adv distributor on. That took care of the problem. Now she is a screamer, thanks for all your help.

 

Don't neglect rigging up some way to lock up the torque converter clutch under cruise, or the next thing you'll be asking us is why your transmission is acting funny.

Don't throw away the CC carb. Unless it is physically broken/bent/distorted/smashed, it can be of use to someone.

 

Do you know which wire you have to put a vacuume switch on?

 

Yes. Save that carb. I'd gladly trade a Holley 4160 with about 20 hours on it for a rebuildable E4ME.

(HINT: You DON'T want the Holley on your engine, either. )