towed back into the shop...
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 862
Likes: 9
From: Communist party of MD
towed back into the shop...
About 3 weeks ago, My C3 wouldn't go for 2 miles without the engine flooding out and dying. It was taken to the shop where the carb had to be overhauled and the timing was adjusted. Compression test checked out fine for all 8 cylinders. Car came with a freshly rebuilt 327 with ~1 mile on it from testing purposes.
This past Saturday I was on the backroads test driving it. Upon climbing a steep incline - it had trouble going up the hill. There was some slight popping noises on this first incline. Then as I got another 2 miles into my drive, it couldn't climb the slightest elevation change and eventually died out.
A nice gentleman in a classic Volvo pulled off to try and help me out in which he couldn't do much. He offered to follow me back to my place and I finally got it started again, but upon pressing any throttle it would start "popping" again and obviously wouldn't make any inclines. It died out 1/4 mile down the street in a neighborhood away from any busy traffic.
So i called Hagerty towing and the tow truck came to pick it up and take it back to the shop. They should know something today.
Here is the symptoms:
-popping noises when pressing accelerator
-major loss of power
-hard to start when warmed up
-wants to stall out when pressing accelerator
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 862
Likes: 9
From: Communist party of MD
That was my first guess
I checked the distributor - it was on there tight and couldn't rotate.
The gas cap is the same style as the stock one - non vented. Would a vented fuel cap be a better way to go?
The gas cap is the same style as the stock one - non vented. Would a vented fuel cap be a better way to go?
Limping across the line
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 5,299
Likes: 109
From: Peoria Az
Car in the picture has a GT style flip top cap. Never offered on a vette
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 862
Likes: 9
From: Communist party of MD
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It could be as simple as a bad or out of adjustment accelerator pump. Clogged fuel filter also comes to mind.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,023
Likes: 6
From: Austin Tx
My guess would be a bad coil, and maybe starter connection.
Another thing to check would be the wire connections on the starter. I had pretty much the same issues as you. The problem was that the cloth covered wire that goes from the starter to the coil was frayed at the starter. This bad connection created heat/resistence at the coil.
Too much resistence at the coil, led to bad things. It would run like a champ for a while, but as the heat built up on that wire the ignition would get weaker, and weaker, and would eventually result with the car dying. It looks like flooding, with the heavy gas smell, basically because the ignition was too weak to burn it. After it cooled down, it would start back up and run for a while again.
I'd make sure the connections are good at the starter. And also make sure all the wires down there (particularly the cloth covered one), are as far away from the exhaust as possible. If this was your problem, your coil is most likely shot, so get a new coil also.
Another thing to check would be the wire connections on the starter. I had pretty much the same issues as you. The problem was that the cloth covered wire that goes from the starter to the coil was frayed at the starter. This bad connection created heat/resistence at the coil.
Too much resistence at the coil, led to bad things. It would run like a champ for a while, but as the heat built up on that wire the ignition would get weaker, and weaker, and would eventually result with the car dying. It looks like flooding, with the heavy gas smell, basically because the ignition was too weak to burn it. After it cooled down, it would start back up and run for a while again.
I'd make sure the connections are good at the starter. And also make sure all the wires down there (particularly the cloth covered one), are as far away from the exhaust as possible. If this was your problem, your coil is most likely shot, so get a new coil also.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,970
Likes: 45
From: Cameron Park CA
I had similar symptoms on my '69 last year - it was a fuel delivery problem. In my case, one of the valves in the fuel pump came unseated so the pump couldn't deliver enough fuel when I accelerated or climbed grades. Your car looks like a 1969 - that year requires a VENTED gas cap. Easiest to check is the gas cap, then the fuel filter.
Finally, check the fuel pump, easy test is to open the line to the carb and crank engine while fuel is squirted into a can held at the open line. You should get a good amount of gas out of the pump. This test involves gasoline in the open, so observe safety precautions and have no open flames around. You could also have a clogged sock in the tank.
Pete
Finally, check the fuel pump, easy test is to open the line to the carb and crank engine while fuel is squirted into a can held at the open line. You should get a good amount of gas out of the pump. This test involves gasoline in the open, so observe safety precautions and have no open flames around. You could also have a clogged sock in the tank.
Pete
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,727
Likes: 38
From: Fremont CA
I had similar symptoms on my '69 last year - it was a fuel delivery problem. In my case, one of the valves in the fuel pump came unseated so the pump couldn't deliver enough fuel when I accelerated or climbed grades. Your car looks like a 1969 - that year requires a VENTED gas cap. Easiest to check is the gas cap, then the fuel filter.
Finally, check the fuel pump, easy test is to open the line to the carb and crank engine while fuel is squirted into a can held at the open line. You should get a good amount of gas out of the pump. This test involves gasoline in the open, so observe safety precautions and have no open flames around. You could also have a clogged sock in the tank.
Pete
Finally, check the fuel pump, easy test is to open the line to the carb and crank engine while fuel is squirted into a can held at the open line. You should get a good amount of gas out of the pump. This test involves gasoline in the open, so observe safety precautions and have no open flames around. You could also have a clogged sock in the tank.
Pete
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,853
Likes: 81
From: Hamilton Virginia
My guess would be a bad coil, and maybe starter connection.
Another thing to check would be the wire connections on the starter. I had pretty much the same issues as you. The problem was that the cloth covered wire that goes from the starter to the coil was frayed at the starter. This bad connection created heat/resistence at the coil.
Too much resistence at the coil, led to bad things. It would run like a champ for a while, but as the heat built up on that wire the ignition would get weaker, and weaker, and would eventually result with the car dying. It looks like flooding, with the heavy gas smell, basically because the ignition was too weak to burn it. After it cooled down, it would start back up and run for a while again.
I'd make sure the connections are good at the starter. And also make sure all the wires down there (particularly the cloth covered one), are as far away from the exhaust as possible. If this was your problem, your coil is most likely shot, so get a new coil also.
Another thing to check would be the wire connections on the starter. I had pretty much the same issues as you. The problem was that the cloth covered wire that goes from the starter to the coil was frayed at the starter. This bad connection created heat/resistence at the coil.
Too much resistence at the coil, led to bad things. It would run like a champ for a while, but as the heat built up on that wire the ignition would get weaker, and weaker, and would eventually result with the car dying. It looks like flooding, with the heavy gas smell, basically because the ignition was too weak to burn it. After it cooled down, it would start back up and run for a while again.
I'd make sure the connections are good at the starter. And also make sure all the wires down there (particularly the cloth covered one), are as far away from the exhaust as possible. If this was your problem, your coil is most likely shot, so get a new coil also.
I just went thru the same problem with a 76 cj5 I have. I changed out the coil and the ignition module and I was on the road again.
I also had an old 78 camaro that was doing the same thing. I thought it was the new manifold I put on was to large. It ended up being the coil was too weak.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 862
Likes: 9
From: Communist party of MD
UPDATE:
Mechanic called and said 3 of the cam lobes have already dropped out. This is a re-machined engine block and valves, however the mechanic said that whoever put the motor back together didn't know what they were doing (the previous oenwer). He said the car is running on 6 cylinders now...
Estimated cost to repair: $1,500-$2,000.
Advice?
Mechanic called and said 3 of the cam lobes have already dropped out. This is a re-machined engine block and valves, however the mechanic said that whoever put the motor back together didn't know what they were doing (the previous oenwer). He said the car is running on 6 cylinders now...
Estimated cost to repair: $1,500-$2,000.
Advice?