L48 stalling at lights
Thread Starter
2nd Gear
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 2
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L48 stalling at lights
I have just purchased a 73 with the L48 engine. On my way home the engine began to run hot and stalled at a light. I observed the was no coolant in the overflow tank. When I went to put water in it low and behold it had a crack in it and would not hold water. I carefully "limped" the car home so not to overheat the motor. Will replacing the tank fix my problem or is there something else I should be looking at as well.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,241
Likes: 4
From: Okinawa Okinawa
Could be two separate issues.
Is the radiator full? Any ides how long the anti-freeze has been in there? I would flush out the radiator and add new coolant. Your T-stat could be rusted shut and not working properly.
As far as stalling at lights. Auto or manual? What is your idle? Mine will do that sometimes too. It is usually an indication of the carb or timing is not set correctly. Mine is usually a timing issue. Once set correctly, I am amazed how much better it runs at idle sitting at a light.
Congrats on the purchase. You need to post pics.
Is the radiator full? Any ides how long the anti-freeze has been in there? I would flush out the radiator and add new coolant. Your T-stat could be rusted shut and not working properly.
As far as stalling at lights. Auto or manual? What is your idle? Mine will do that sometimes too. It is usually an indication of the carb or timing is not set correctly. Mine is usually a timing issue. Once set correctly, I am amazed how much better it runs at idle sitting at a light.
Congrats on the purchase. You need to post pics.
Thread Starter
2nd Gear
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
I opened the radiator cap (when it cooled down) was full up to the bottom of the cap. I feel the t-stat was open when the upper radiator hose was squeezed could hear movement of coolant past t-stat. A flush of the system is in the works for this winter as well as swaping out upper and lower hoses.
It is a auto I am not sure what the RPM's where when it stalled but it only happened when the engine got hot. I need to work on the tach either the cable is broken/binding or the gears are worn only works here and there. I don't know if I would fully trust what it is saying when it does work. After it was left to cool no problems as engine got hotter stalling became an issue.
I was also told today that there is a sensor in the housing for the clutch fan that may have gone bad. When not running and hot the fan blade spun with little resistance.
It is a auto I am not sure what the RPM's where when it stalled but it only happened when the engine got hot. I need to work on the tach either the cable is broken/binding or the gears are worn only works here and there. I don't know if I would fully trust what it is saying when it does work. After it was left to cool no problems as engine got hotter stalling became an issue.
I was also told today that there is a sensor in the housing for the clutch fan that may have gone bad. When not running and hot the fan blade spun with little resistance.
