Sounds like fuel isn't getting to the carb then. Maybe a weak fuel pump. ? ? ? ? ?

 

That sounds somewhat familiar. My truck does a rough idle thing when I drive it, and it is perfectly timed when it does it and when it doesn't. At least if it breaks, you can predict when and where it will happen. What have you done to the truck since you were last on here?

 

Good point. I replaced the fuel pump in my truck, it was kind of weak on power and it wouldn't "floor" too well. It's only $20

 

It has a brand new fuel pump and all the rubber fuel lines I could find, so I don't think it's the pump. It stalled like this before I replaced the pump.

I just re did the interior of the truck. I have pictures, but I have to resize them.

 

Well it is controlled by a lobe on the cam, maybe your cam lobe has been flattened, just when your truck starts needing fuel, it aint there.

 

That would be a pain to fix...So the fuel lines are new. Have you checked the tanks and the selector switch?

 

I did away with the switch. I'm only using the forward tank. Fuel runs from the tank to a hose to an inline filter, then a hose to the pump.

I have not dropped the tank and inspected it for debris. I really am not looking forward to doing that.

Someone mentioned the coil and the ignition. Is there any way that could cause my problem?

 

At this point, I would check everything...

 

Maybe I should try to redeem myself for the last Smart... answer.

Your last description makes me wonder a couple of things -

1. Are any of your fuel lines within a few inches of your exhaust? Vapor lock will act like that - long hard run, slow down and the fuel boils in the line causing the carb to go dry.

To test: while still hot, pull the fuel line off at the carb and have someone crank the engine and see if gas pumps out. Be very careful - easy to incinerate yourself and the truck this way - catch it in a can. If it's getting gas.........

2. Have you replaced the condenser in the distributor? Or how about the coil? Both are heat sensitive and will fail when hot if they are going bad.

3. Make certain your carb isn't sucking air and leaning out the fuel mix. Check this by running the engine (cold is OK) and spray around the base of the carb with WD40/ carb cleaner/ etc. If you have a vacuum leak the engine will rev up while it burns the excess 'fuel'.

Hang in there, you'll feel great when you nail it down!

 

I am sorry I didn't think of that earlier. Come to think of it I had a similar problem with fuel boiling.

 

I don't think it's heat from exhaust. When I had the Flowmasters installed, I had them exit both pipes on the passenger side, in front of the rear wheel. But I'll take a look to see if there might be a problem up further near the manifold. It sure is acting like vapor lock though.

I also don't think the carb is sucking air where it shouldn't. Because this is a freshly remanufactured carb, and I had the same exact problem with the old carb. But perhaps the intake manifold could be compromised? I'll give her a spray to confirm.

Can someone explain how the ignition system could cause the problem I'm having? How can the distributor or coil cause a lack of fuel to the carb? I'm not being a smarty-pants. I'm just not too savvy on this kind of thing.

My wife thinks someone put something in my gas tank and that is causing the problem. She's mad at me for getting the new carb instead of having someone drop the tank for me. I only seem to have this problem on uphill stretches. Does the tank feed the hose from the back?

I know the carb was in really bad shape, and I was sure this was the problem. If I hadn't just spent a week of vacation re-doing the interior, I might give up on the beast. But as it is, I'm motivated to solve this problem.

Thanks for your suggestions. I will check into all of the possibilities as time and money permit. Fortunately, I am trying to sell a 2000 Honda Superhawk for a friend, so I get to ride it to work and park it near a busy intersection.

I also have a '68 Plymouth Fury III, but it runs real hot in the summer. I was going to bypass the heater core and see if that would let it run cooler, but there's all sorts of radiator hoses routed into the air conditioning, (which doesn't work) and I'm not sure what all those hoses do at this point. That's for another website though.

I'm sure with your help, I'll get this thing sorted out eventually. Thanks again!

 

Ok guys, I'm Chiming in. I had an 84 Bronco with a warmed up 400 in it. The fuel system was a holley F.I. with electric pump and regulator. Any way the thing would take me to work every morning, (read cool outside) and quit 3 miles from home evey eve. (distance about 9 miles.) at the same left turn lane. (read hot outside). I had just install the engine and all accessories, so troubleshooting was a real pain, I thought everthing was new.
What I found was when I had the distributor rebuilt? and recurved, the pickup sensor was not replaced. This was a $25 part. I checked the old one with an ohm meter when I got it out heated it with a heat gun and as it warmed up it opened up(electrically) and shut the system down. It would cool off almost immeditely an become a complete circuit again,which it did when installed. I could start the bronco up again by the time the left turn signal came on. By the way I had already added a second sparkpac, so I could switch quickly, this did not work obviously.
Never had to pour gas down the carb. but then I had an electric pump, But I wanted to share this experience as it took me about 6 months to find the problem. Hope this helps
C.T.

 

That must have been maddening! In my case, the truck will not start up again after it is cooled down. I can leave it sit for hours, and still have to pour gas in the carb.

It looks like I have some things to check on at least. I'm not gonna have any cash to throw at this thing for a couple weeks, but I'll have the weekends to troubleshoot.

 

I didn't realize you have to put gas in the carb even after it cools off. I'd focus on the tank or fuel pump.

Even new pumps can be bad, but the chances are against it, so I'd start with the tank.

I had a '77 that the rear tank kept rusting out - got pretty good at pulling that tank, even half full, but they're a bear to wrestle with.

Siphon out the gas if you just filled it - takes lots of 5 gallon cans!
I once had part of a clear plastic label or candy wrapper floating around in the tank on my 48 - drove me crazy cause I couldn't see it. See what you find - good luck.

The mention of coil and condenser - they can fail internally when hot - produce too weak a spark to fire the cylinders. Not likely your problem since you have to splash in gas when it's cold.

 

There's less than 1/4 tank in there now. I'll run it around, and try to avoid hills for awhile. I sure hope there's some kind of hole big enough to look into the tank and grab what might be in there.