Engine Running rough
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Engine Running rough
70' 302 2v 2wd A/T , just rebuilt carb but was running good for last month.
At idle everything is smooth but at 1800-2000 RPM she starts to 'stutter' 'hesitate' has ' loss of power' and drop in RPM. Now if I punch it from idle it all runs smooth until i let off and try to maintain speed.
could it by my timing not advancing?
I am open to any ideas as it's quite impossible to drive in this condition.
Thanks.
At idle everything is smooth but at 1800-2000 RPM she starts to 'stutter' 'hesitate' has ' loss of power' and drop in RPM. Now if I punch it from idle it all runs smooth until i let off and try to maintain speed.
could it by my timing not advancing?
I am open to any ideas as it's quite impossible to drive in this condition.
Thanks.
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 198
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From: Burbank, CA
It could be a timing problem, but I'd also recheck the carb float level. That's what controls the main circuit in the carb, which is what runs during above-idle light load driving. Too high, and it will burp and gurgle. Too low, and it will wheeze and stumble. It's a pretty sensitive setting.
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From: BFE
How old is your distributor? Is it in good shape: no shaft wobble, no up and down slop, ie the shaft cannot ride up on the cam gear thus changing the timing? Are the advance plate and advance springs in good shape? Plate rotates smoothly when you apply vacuum to the advance diaphragm? Sounds like timing to me. Acts like every works well with WOT but when you let off the timing starts to "wander". Had a Chevy that did that. Took me a while to figure it out. I doubt it is fuel. Either you get too much and it comes out the top of the carb. or you don't get enough and it backfires under the slightest application of the throttle.
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From: anderson sc
What type of carb do you have? Did you check for vacuum leaks too? One thing for sure we all well rebuild or replace everything first before replaceing that OLD Distributor. We will rebuild the motor and pop back in the old distributor. (we are our worst enemy).
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The carb is a the Motocraft 2100. I have not checked for vacuum leaks but plan to my next day off. the dizzy age is unknown to me, I can only assume 40 years. I did check the shaft for play and it is very loose. The rotor had been hitting the cap it looks like and the point gap closed up some. I am going to replace it with a new one vs. the old spare i have in the shed. Just wish I could find a new one under $200.00 without needing $200 more worth of coils and such..
Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Cow Town, CA
if you are going to get a new distributor do not put points back in please, you will have such better luck with some kinda of electronic ones. i know i got one for my truck it was a dura spark 2 with a mopar controler all the wires and in "new" condition, all rebuilt with new parts ready to go for $200 to $300 and it solved many of my problems. you can also get the Pertronics system for about $80 i had one (last truck) and my brother in law has one and my dad has 3 they all work great, and with it you take out the points so it doesnt matter if they are in bad shape. good luck
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So, I could find a cheap points dizzy and just place a 'conversion' kit in.
I have a dizzy in the shed that came with the truck but it's out of a 72' so I figure it's not worth putting a 38 year old on it to repalce the worn out 40 year old one..
thanks for all the info as it's getting cold here in the evenings and I freeze on my motorcycle in the damp 40's
the truck only seems to have issues when I need it, Murphy i figure.
thanks again
I have a dizzy in the shed that came with the truck but it's out of a 72' so I figure it's not worth putting a 38 year old on it to repalce the worn out 40 year old one..
thanks for all the info as it's getting cold here in the evenings and I freeze on my motorcycle in the damp 40's
the truck only seems to have issues when I need it, Murphy i figure.
thanks again
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I replaced my stock points distributor today with a $50.00 HEI style using a module with vac advance.
Only thing that tripped me up was the oil pump rod as it went in deeper to this distributor so it would not engage the oil pump, only took a minute to figure out I have no oil psi and about 20 minutes to get the distributor and oil pump to mate. No big deal.
After setting the timing to ~6 degrees advanced she is running smoother than ever.
Thanks for all the help.. Also put some new 8mm wires on, used a set made for a SBC to get 90 degrees on both ends - I have headers.
Have a great day
Only thing that tripped me up was the oil pump rod as it went in deeper to this distributor so it would not engage the oil pump, only took a minute to figure out I have no oil psi and about 20 minutes to get the distributor and oil pump to mate. No big deal.
After setting the timing to ~6 degrees advanced she is running smoother than ever.
Thanks for all the help.. Also put some new 8mm wires on, used a set made for a SBC to get 90 degrees on both ends - I have headers.
Have a great day
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