Truck Problems

[Mister laugh]

Well yesterday was my first day on the road with my new truck, it was great, untill i tried to go home from work. I let it warm up before i left the parkinglot and it was running fine. I went about 4-5 blocks and it started stumbling and acting funny, so i pulled off the road and it died. Now it will only start with it floord and the choke on.(manual choke) And even at that it runs like **** and doesnt run long. The clear fuel filter appears a bit low, but it was dark and i couldn't really see. I Have a full tank of gas Could the fuel pump be shot? What else could it be?

Thanks
-Matt

[OrangeCrush1970]

It could be several things. Were you paying any attention to your voltage gage? It could be any combination of things resulting in not getting enough spark to your plugs. Will it turn over after it dies? If it does, and when you get it started w/ the choke, etc. does it run regularly or sound like it's missing (as you described the stumbling). I am pointing out these issues because I had the same problem and my plugs were burnt up b/c I didnt have the propper gap for my ignition.

[Mister laugh]

Originally Posted by OrangeCrush1970

It could be several things. Were you paying any attention to your voltage gage? It could be any combination of things resulting in not getting enough spark to your plugs. Will it turn over after it dies? If it does, and when you get it started w/ the choke, etc. does it run regularly or sound like it's missing (as you described the stumbling). I am pointing out these issues because I had the same problem and my plugs were burnt up b/c I didnt have the propper gap for my ignition.

The amperage gauge was at a normal position. It runs ok for a while after i get it started and stumbles here and there. But the it will dies after a little while (maybe 1 min tops)ut it in gear and try to go anywhere it just dies. It has an HEI distributor, if that makes a diffrence.

[OrangeCrush1970]

Could be fuel related. Hang on for a few minutes, there will be ample response for you....sorry I can't point you in a better direction, this is something that you will have to narrow down, but if it's not electrical you have a good start-

[tsetsaf]

Sounds like a carb problem. Get yourself some carb cleaner, pull the air cleaner off, and do some spring cleaning. Make sure all the butterflies are moving freely and not sticking. At the same time check the various nuts and bolts on the carb and inspect for any leaks.

If the truck was sitting for a while and there was crap in the fuel lines you could have some dirt clogged inside the carb.

Probably not fuel pump as the truck will run. Probably not ignition for the same reason. The fact that you are able to fire it up with the choke on vs off tells me it is carb related. If the vehicle is a new purchase you may want to take the time to go through all your vital systems and clean them up including:

-oil/ oil filter
-brake fluids/ pads
-tranny fluid/ filter
-spark plugs/ wires/ rotor/ cap
-electric grounds

I ignored a small problem like yours when I took over my 71 and nearly got killed when the master cylinder failed on the freeway!

[jayharrell]

Had the same problem with mine last week. It was the carb. The power vaulve and the lower butter flys were sticking. I had to drop a red rag on the carb just to get enough choke to get it running before i could fiddle with it.

[Robert8096]

Check the fuel filter.

[Mister laugh]

Originally Posted by tsetsaf

Sounds like a carb problem. Get yourself some carb cleaner, pull the air cleaner off, and do some spring cleaning. Make sure all the butterflies are moving freely and not sticking. At the same time check the various nuts and bolts on the carb and inspect for any leaks.

If the truck was sitting for a while and there was crap in the fuel lines you could have some dirt clogged inside the carb.

Probably not fuel pump as the truck will run. Probably not ignition for the same reason. The fact that you are able to fire it up with the choke on vs off tells me it is carb related. If the vehicle is a new purchase you may want to take the time to go through all your vital systems and clean them up including:

-oil/ oil filter
-brake fluids/ pads
-tranny fluid/ filter
-spark plugs/ wires/ rotor/ cap
-electric grounds

I ignored a small problem like yours when I took over my 71 and nearly got killed when the master cylinder failed on the freeway!

Thanks for the advice. It is a new purchase. as far as going through everything i haev already started.

oil is changed
brakes have been inspected (almost brand new)
goung to do plugs ECT next paycheck or when taxes come in, whatever comes first.
grounds have been done (first thing i did)

Well i will take some carb cleaner over there and see if i can get it running well enough to get it home then rebuild the carb, and put a new fuel filter on for peace of mind. Any one know if they still make rebuild kits for holley 1 barrels?

[berencam]

i think its carb related also, but i think your float might be stuck. tap on the side of the carb and see if you cant get it to unstick

[cdowns]

if this was the first time it has had gas in the tank for a long time it's not unusual for the in tank fuel strainer to get clogged with the 40years of crap thats in the tank

[Shyguy]

You might want to also check all the rubber hoses from the tank to the fuel pump.

Danny

[Mister laugh]

Well i just went back to it, when i got there the fuel filter was dry and the hoses appeared to not be leaking. So i shot some carb cleaner in there and cranked her over, after getting the fuel back to the carb she started, but ran a little rough so i went out and sprayed some carb cleaner in while holding the throttle up a bit. Then i took it for a drive, i got about 10 blocks before it decided to die again, an a down shift from 3rd as soon as i hit the clutch and gave it some gas i knew it was going to die. I got out and looked at the fuel filter and it was very very low on gas. I am now almost sure it is the strainer. I have decided I need to take my truck off the road for another couple weeks and rebuild most of the vital systems before i drive it, as I cannot have it dying every second day.

Thanks for all the help
-Matthew

[soba_03]

CD,

Here is what happened to me. I bought a running truck that a guy had for a project. It ran and drove around his property. I trailered it home and went through everything. Then about 2 or 3 weeks after I started running the truck the carb seals let go. The problem was the the seals in the carb venturi sucked in, it caused a lean condition. Ran like crap. So a rebuilt carb and base gasket Helped out tremendously. Might be worth a look to look down the carb and see if you might have the same thing going on..

Good luck....

[El Jay]

[QUOTE=Mister laugh;2647914]Well i just went back to it, when i got there the fuel filter was dry and the hoses appeared to not be leaking. So i shot some carb cleaner in there and cranked her over, after getting the fuel back to the carb she started, but ran a little rough so i went out and sprayed some carb cleaner in while holding the throttle up a bit. Then i took it for a drive, i got about 10 blocks before it decided to die again, an a down shift from 3rd as soon as i hit the clutch and gave it some gas i knew it was going to die. I got out and looked at the fuel filter and it was very very low on gas. I am now almost sure it is the strainer. I have decided I need to take my truck off the road for another couple weeks and rebuild most of the vital systems before i drive it, as I cannot have it dying every second day.

Thanks for all the help
-Matthew[/QUO

Some folks may think I'm a bit overzealous on this, but, if you can see that the fuel filter was dry; I can only guess that you are running either a glass, or plastic fuel filter.
Glass and plastic can break, if they get banged around too much. Plastic can melt if it gets too hot.
Please replace your inline filter with a steel inline filter.
Burning your truck to the ground will most definitely put a damper on your whole day.

Just for GP, I'd replace all the rubber hose with new, and then start from there.
When you do get it to run, squirt some "Deep Creep" ("Sea Foam" in an aerosol can) through the carb to really clean things up

Good luck.

[Mister laugh]

[quote=El Jay;2648205]

Originally Posted by Mister laugh

Well i just went back to it, when i got there the fuel filter was dry and the hoses appeared to not be leaking. So i shot some carb cleaner in there and cranked her over, after getting the fuel back to the carb she started, but ran a little rough so i went out and sprayed some carb cleaner in while holding the throttle up a bit. Then i took it for a drive, i got about 10 blocks before it decided to die again, an a down shift from 3rd as soon as i hit the clutch and gave it some gas i knew it was going to die. I got out and looked at the fuel filter and it was very very low on gas. I am now almost sure it is the strainer. I have decided I need to take my truck off the road for another couple weeks and rebuild most of the vital systems before i drive it, as I cannot have it dying every second day.

Thanks for all the help
-Matthew[/QUO

Some folks may think I'm a bit overzealous on this, but, if you can see that the fuel filter was dry; I can only guess that you are running either a glass, or plastic fuel filter.
Glass and plastic can break, if they get banged around too much. Plastic can melt if it gets too hot.
Please replace your inline filter with a steel inline filter.
Burning your truck to the ground will most definitely put a damper on your whole day.

Just for GP, I'd replace all the rubber hose with new, and then start from there.
When you do get it to run, squirt some "Deep Creep" ("Sea Foam" in an aerosol can) through the carb to really clean things up

Good luck.

Thanks for the advice i never realized that there was a problem with the see through type inline filters. I plan on just rebuilding the Carb for peace of mind to me it is worth the 30-40 bucks a rebuild kit will cost since this is supposed to end up my driver with any luck.

Does anyone have any advice on getting the fuel sender out? It is still the in cab tank, and the Haynes manual i have on shows it on the underbed tanks. I dont really want to break it.


Edit: By the way im proud of the old girl today. I went when there was no traffic to drive her home, shot some carb cleaner in there and she fired right up, so i let her warm up for a while and gave her hell. It seemed to like higher rpm better (less stumbling) so i kept it up there, and even though she was running like **** i got a chirp on my 1-2 shift .