I've found some threads with similar issues but solutions seem to be widely varied.
My vette starts great but until the engine is warm I have all kinds of trouble. In park I can give it gas no issues.
Once I start driving issues start. If I stop for any length of time then apply throttle even very very lightly sometimes even the thought of giving throttle and the car dies. As it warms up I can very very slowly apply throttle and ease through intersections stumbling and popping Once the engine has warmed and been driven some there are no issues give it gas it goes no stumble or stutter. Any thoughts?

 

choke

 

Did it suddenly start doing this? Have you made any changes to timing or carb recently?

 

FIRST THING, I would check is the accelerator pump........'

 

The car has only been driven 2 times in the last year due to a move, I did notice the distributor bolt was loose enough to move the distributor by hand.
I have never done timing on a vehicle, but did find the timing tab. The balancer though has peeling paint and I did not see marks on it. Are the marks engraved or painted on? If I have to go this route

 

How hard is this to replace if its needed any way to check to see if its bad before replacing.
And thanks for the responses

 

OK, sounds like your car needs a good all round tune up. Distributer should not be loose......ever, you need to time the engine, check for both vac and mechanical advance, you need to check your choke is operating properly, sounds like it isnt. You need to check your accel pump as suggested. here's a good start on these things.

Choke. with air filter lid off, engine stone cold, start engine, choke butterfly should be about 80-90% closed, RPM should be elevated but not racing, over the next three minutes give accel a gentle pump and choke should slowly open butterflys and RPM should come down, after about three minutes engine should be at or close to normal idle. If none of this happens then have it looked at or get Lars papers on setting choke, it is a little complicated and requires above basic carb knowledge.

Accel Pump. Remove air filter lid, Look down throat of carb with engine off, Pump accelerator once, you should see a good shot of well atomised fuel squirt in to the throat of the carb if the pump is working. If it is not or it is a dribble then replace it, very easy to do even with carb on car.

Next, check timing and advance, for this you will need a timing light and some knowledge, I am not going to give instructions here but with the light connected you need as a basis, 7 deg of advance at idle with vac advance hose removed and plugged, as you accelerate you should see your timing increase with RPM, if not you have a sticky mechanical advance inside the distributer. Replace vacuum advance hose and do same test, you should see an immediate advance on acceleration, much faster than before, if not you have a bad vac advance unit.

This is really basic instruction and presumes you know how to connect and read a timing light. By the way, you will have a single deep groove in your harmonic balancer which is your TDC timing mark, with the engine off climb under the car and clean that groove, apply liquid paper to groove, it makes using a timing light soooo much better. The timing is measured against timing marks on a plate easiest viewed from behind the alternator, be careful not to get timing light caught in fan belts, it hurts, ask me how I know. If any of this discussion is alien to you then pay a mechanic to tune your car.

If you still have problems cold then now you can start looking for other causes like vacuum leaks, bad choke, bad EGR system etc.

 

I think you accelerator pump is OK because it doesn't hesitate once the engine warms up.

Definitely check the choke and set the timing properly.

 

If it's not the choke and stumbles only under load, but free revs ok, i'd be looking at your ignition system, starting with the spark plugs and high tension wires.

 

Choke issue ,, get timing set and tighten that distributor

 

Good luck, I would try something simple first before I started into the above. the above is a super good plan, but first start it with the breather off, with it idling take both hands and quickly cup them down over the carb. make sure you cover the entire opening primary and secondary, the car should starve for air and die immediately. If it keeps running you have a vacuum leak.

you still need to set the timing and such but my guess is you have a vacuum leak. If so then find that rascal and fix it.