I am having an odd issue with my engine. Ford 223 I6 with a Holley 1904 carb. It starts up easily and runs like a champ when it's hot or cold. However when I was at the Grand Nationals in May and was waiting on the Cruisin the Smokeys run to start, it started raining pretty hard. My engine kept stalling every time I took my foot off the gas. It would start right back up with no issue every time, but the only way to keep this from stalling was to pull the choke out some. This made it run rougher, but it for the most part it wouldn't stall. Once the run was over and the rain had stopped it started working like it should and would not stall. Once I got it home I checked the Timing, dwell, and vacuum all were good. Didn't have it out in any rain storms until the last day of Truckstock it started pouring about the time we stopped for dinner and on the way back to the campground It again kept stalling out until I pulled the choke out a little.

I checked that the distributer and coil were not getting wet while it was raining and the top side is dry. What could be causing it to stall when it rains, but run fine when it's hot or cold out?

 

Before I had my carb rebuilt, it would go out of adjustment over time. I think maybe the spring that keeps tension on the adjustment screw wasn't working as it should. When the carb worked itself out of adjustment, the engine didn't want to start. There were certainly times before my engine was rebuilt that some choke was needed to keep the engine running. I think that was one of the issues that prompted me to start my long running "Holley 1904" thread. Good luck. My vote is that you have an issue with your carb.

Jim

 

I would get a spray bottle and use it on the engine while running to induce the problem. My guesses are: wiring, points, or condenser.

 

Cracked distributor cap?

 

I will check the distributer cap again...but I would think a cracked cap would cause problems all the time. My issue only happens when it is raining. As long as you keep the RPMs up it will not stall at idle. This is hard to do when you are shifting and braking...which is why I use the choke to raise the idle enough to keep it from stalling.

 

I don't think this just a carb issue. As long at it isn't raining they truck runs great with no issue doesn't matter if it is hot or cold out.

 

Honestly, it sounds like the typical symptoms of an engine needing a tune-up from the old days. When distributor parts get old, especially caps, they get carbon tracking around the terminals inside, and the least bit of moisture or condensation can mix with the carbon, causing a misfire effect at idle and rough running overall. You might try at least a new cap & rotor, and perhaps other electrical guts, as well, for good measure.

 

I checked everything before we went to Grand Nationals, and again before we went to truck stock. (Timing, Dwell, etc) I didn't replace the cap, rotor, or points, but I did clean the contacts of any carbon build up. I will check the cap again once it gets above freezing.

But this isn't a misfire or rough idle. RPM's just drop off till it stalls...just like if you push the choke in before it is fully warmed up.

 

Perhaps your draft tube is sucking in moisture from the air during the rain, coming from the pavement as you drive? One way to prevent that in the future is to retrofit the engine with a PCV Valve, closing the draft tube to debris from the road. My 59 223 six got retrofitted in 1966 per California Air Resources Board mandating smog control retrofits on all 1946 and later vehicles not fitted with factory PCV Valves. The side benefit is the engine having cleaner oil for longer periods of time. The factory PCV Valve used on 1961-64 Ford 223 six engines is Standard Motor Parts V100. That can be used along with a brass 90° fitting being screwed into a spare vacuum port on the intake manifold, underneath the carburetor. Put a PCV Grommet onto the end of the draft tube, a 90° PCV Hose nipple onto the end, and route a 1/2" diameter heater hose to the PCV Valve. Adjust your carburetor fuel mixture, and perhaps this might prevent some of the stalling when wet problems.


NAPA Auto Parts PCV Valve - Same as Standard Motor Parts V100 PCV Valve. 90° Brass block fitting required for retrofit onto intake manifold spare vacuum port.

 

Thanks will check this out.

 

I checked that the distributer and coil were not getting wet while it was raining and the top side is dry. What could be causing it to stall when it rains, but run fine when it's hot or cold out?[/QUOTE]


I had a similar problem once. I looked in the distributer and found nothing wrong. a friend said something about condensation so at the second look i wiped the inside of the cap and found that it was wet. not a lot, but, i could feel it with my finger, which was enough to make it run poorly.

 

It sounds like carburetor icing to me. My 53 sedan with 215 six will ice up the venturi of the carburetor when it gets high humidity or rain. Nothing tune-up wise fixes it.

 

I would be betting on the cap and while there replace the rotor, condenser and points

 

I remember having issues like that back in the 60s. It would sometimes be the dist cap, sometimes the plug wires, sometimes the points. Bottom line, old style ignition was sensitive to humidity.

I'm also having some issues after truckstock. I washed the PA dust off of my engine and ever since it's giving me issues, difficult starting, stalling until warmed up, some rough acceleration. I'm planning to do a full tune-up in the spring, plug wires, dist cap, points, condenser. I expect it will be fine after that.

 

Maybe you should have left the Pennsylvania dust on your engine!

I washed my truck after TS . Then last week I lifted the hood .. . Wow. It was dusty. This year I wasn't the lead truck the whole time. It will have to stay on there until spring