Problems climbing hills
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Junior User
Joined: Oct 2002
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Problems climbing hills
My '73 F-100 runs great on gentle slopes and flat land but if I have to take a hill that is kinda steep she bogs down really bad.
The engine sounds like it is "chugging" and I do good to get up some hills doing 5-10 miles per hour.
I am at a loss as to what could cause this. My suspiscions are tranny or torque converter slippage but it doesn't seem like it is slipping. It does shift kinda hard sometimes like it may be though.
Need some help on this one guys and gals.
The engine sounds like it is "chugging" and I do good to get up some hills doing 5-10 miles per hour.
I am at a loss as to what could cause this. My suspiscions are tranny or torque converter slippage but it doesn't seem like it is slipping. It does shift kinda hard sometimes like it may be though.
Need some help on this one guys and gals.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 1,613
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From: Gainesville, FL
Problems climbing hills
Black,
You could have a fuel problem but this should show up on the highway at high speed also.
More likely a timing problem.
Does it backfire or sputter if you stomp down on the throttle? Is there a flat spot between idle and open throttle?
Do you have a factory cam? Cam timing can give a similiar problem. Basically you don't have enough horsepower. Check your timing.
KingFisher
You could have a fuel problem but this should show up on the highway at high speed also.
More likely a timing problem.
Does it backfire or sputter if you stomp down on the throttle? Is there a flat spot between idle and open throttle?
Do you have a factory cam? Cam timing can give a similiar problem. Basically you don't have enough horsepower. Check your timing.
KingFisher
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Joined: Dec 2001
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From: Louisville,Ky.
Problems climbing hills
Have you noticed any smoke out of the exhaust when this happens? The float level could be too high/too low causing it to either flood or starve for fuel when the truck is inclined at an angle. Just a thought.
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Problems climbing hills
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 27-Oct-02 AT 08:18 PM (EST)]No smoke at all whwne she is running. Just bogs down to almost nothing. Timing is right on the money at TDC. New Distributor and points as well. All set according to Haynes manual. Carb is new as well as the choke. Although I am not 100% sure on the choke aetting as of yet.
She is a bear to start up the first time. I have to pump the gas twice thenturn the key. The engione fires right up no problem but I have to hold the pedal down and keep the engine around 1500 to 2000 RPM for about 5 minutes until the engine warms up before she will run right if I let off before then she will immediately die.
Once she is warmed up she runs like a top without hesitation at all on flat ground or mild hills. When the grade gets steep is when I see the problem. I have the idle set to around 800 RPM according to my SunPro Tach with the tranny in park.
According to the person who helped me install the Tranny I have a C-5 in her as well.
Could a low fluid level cause this?
She is a bear to start up the first time. I have to pump the gas twice thenturn the key. The engione fires right up no problem but I have to hold the pedal down and keep the engine around 1500 to 2000 RPM for about 5 minutes until the engine warms up before she will run right if I let off before then she will immediately die.
Once she is warmed up she runs like a top without hesitation at all on flat ground or mild hills. When the grade gets steep is when I see the problem. I have the idle set to around 800 RPM according to my SunPro Tach with the tranny in park.
According to the person who helped me install the Tranny I have a C-5 in her as well.
Could a low fluid level cause this?
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Joined: Aug 2001
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Problems climbing hills
Going by my manuals you need your timing set around -6 degrees BTDC.
0 degrees is pretty lame for any sort of performance. And be sure you are setting the timing at IDLE with the vacuumm advance DISCONNECTED.
Josh
0 degrees is pretty lame for any sort of performance. And be sure you are setting the timing at IDLE with the vacuumm advance DISCONNECTED.
Josh
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From: Virginia
Problems climbing hills
Hard to start and having to hold the throttle down is pointing to choke/choke linkage problems. Fix the obivous first, and the other problem may go away. You should have a fast idle cam on the pass side of the carb that will give you a high idle when it's first started.
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Problems climbing hills
Remind me to smack my uncle next time I see him.
He used to build race cards back in the '50's so I asked him for help on the timing problems I had before. He was the one who told me to use TDC as my timing.
As for the Carb. This truck used to have an electric choke on it. When I replaced the carb due to it being worn out I could only find one that came with the automatic choke with the choke stove but no electrical connection. I am assuming by the fast Idle cam you mean the small screw below the choke housing on the passenger side. I will give it a try and see what happens.
Considering I have replaed every external part on the engine other than the alternator on this truck things should finally begin to fall into place once I get he adjusted properly.
Thanks for the help. Once it quits raining I will give it a shot and see what happens.
One other quick question. Can I adjust the timing by just turning the dissy or will I need to manually set the timing mark to -6 BTDC and set the rotor to the #1 position?
My timing marks look like this
ADC 10|||||||||TDC|||||*|||10 BDC
The reason for the "*" was I wanted to confirm that this is where I should have my timing set.
He used to build race cards back in the '50's so I asked him for help on the timing problems I had before. He was the one who told me to use TDC as my timing.
As for the Carb. This truck used to have an electric choke on it. When I replaced the carb due to it being worn out I could only find one that came with the automatic choke with the choke stove but no electrical connection. I am assuming by the fast Idle cam you mean the small screw below the choke housing on the passenger side. I will give it a try and see what happens.
Considering I have replaed every external part on the engine other than the alternator on this truck things should finally begin to fall into place once I get he adjusted properly.
Thanks for the help. Once it quits raining I will give it a shot and see what happens.
One other quick question. Can I adjust the timing by just turning the dissy or will I need to manually set the timing mark to -6 BTDC and set the rotor to the #1 position?
My timing marks look like this
ADC 10|||||||||TDC|||||*|||10 BDC
The reason for the "*" was I wanted to confirm that this is where I should have my timing set.
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Problems climbing hills
Fix and adjust the choke.
You must use a timing light to set the timing.
Thanks for using FTE!
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You must use a timing light to set the timing.
Thanks for using FTE!
[font color=red]As a Moderator I do not "Subscribe" to most topics,
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Thread Starter
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Problems climbing hills
Yep turning the Distributor did the trick as far as the hill climbing is concerned. I turned it about 1/2 of an inch towards the top hose from the radiator and she straightened right out.
Idles a little higher now. Around 1000 RPM. I will let her cool down thouroughly and then work on the choke adjustment if it still needs it.
Thanks guys for all the help.
Idles a little higher now. Around 1000 RPM. I will let her cool down thouroughly and then work on the choke adjustment if it still needs it.
Thanks guys for all the help.
