Engine cutting out
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 423
Likes: 6
Engine cutting out
First weekend with the 78,, took it out yesterday and drove a least 3 hours non stop, it ran great... We went out again today and it was running fine,, on the way home I noticed that it was cutting out under load.. It would smooth out when I let up on it.. After getting home I went back out and it started fine and idles fine,, just cuts out under load.. Any advise will be great.. Thanks
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 822
Likes: 82
From: Columbus OH
Was this the first time you tried to run the Corvette hard? So on the first three hour non stop trip you never pushed it to see if it would break up? Only today?
Just trying to see if this is reoccurring, or something that just started today.
Easiest thing to do is probably pull the plugs and see what they look like and check the wires back to the distributor. See if they have any cracks or if any of the wires are too close to the exhaust manifold. I may be way off, but it is something to check with any "new to you vehicle" anyway.
Good luck.
Just trying to see if this is reoccurring, or something that just started today.
Easiest thing to do is probably pull the plugs and see what they look like and check the wires back to the distributor. See if they have any cracks or if any of the wires are too close to the exhaust manifold. I may be way off, but it is something to check with any "new to you vehicle" anyway.
Good luck.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 423
Likes: 6
Yes, it just started today and I wasn;t running it real hard .., I pulled 2 plugs and 1 of them looked really bad,, not oil fouled just really carboned up.. This car only has 41000 miles on it, so it hasn't been driven alot.. I'm hoping a good tune up, will be what it needs..
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,241
Likes: 4
From: Okinawa Okinawa
If there is a fuel filter, it would be on the line from the fuel pump to the carb.
Mine did not have one when I bought it but when I changed to a Holley Carb, I did an inline filter. Mine just had the mesh screen going into the carb when I first got it.
Mine did not have one when I bought it but when I changed to a Holley Carb, I did an inline filter. Mine just had the mesh screen going into the carb when I first got it.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 217
Likes: 0
From: Shearwater Nova Scotia
I had a similar experience earlier this year.
Were you able to restart the engine after cutting out? If not, you could try to splash some gas directly into the carb to start it up - does it maintain idle?
If the above is true - here is a guess.
You probably stored the car for the winter and didn't use fuel stabilizer. The fuel over the months formed a varnish like finish at some parts of the fuel system and when you put it under load - the engine is 'choked off' and cuts out.
Is all the above technically correct? Probably not. I'm not a guru like some folks on here. But I did have the same problem and splashed premium fuel into the carb to get it going, filled the tank with premium fuel and it's my theory the new fuel 'cleaned out' the fuel line.
Car doesn't stall out anymore. But all the radiator hoses need to be replaced...from one promblem to another...
Were you able to restart the engine after cutting out? If not, you could try to splash some gas directly into the carb to start it up - does it maintain idle?
If the above is true - here is a guess.
You probably stored the car for the winter and didn't use fuel stabilizer. The fuel over the months formed a varnish like finish at some parts of the fuel system and when you put it under load - the engine is 'choked off' and cuts out.
Is all the above technically correct? Probably not. I'm not a guru like some folks on here. But I did have the same problem and splashed premium fuel into the carb to get it going, filled the tank with premium fuel and it's my theory the new fuel 'cleaned out' the fuel line.
Car doesn't stall out anymore. But all the radiator hoses need to be replaced...from one promblem to another...
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Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 5,084
Likes: 786
From: Lebanon Township New Jersey
The coil is mounted to the top of the distributor cap.
Plugs should be gapped at .045".
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 7,411
Likes: 1,550
From: mount holly NC
2025 c3 ('74-'82) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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I'll take a guess...
Have you checked the accelerator pump?
With the engine off and the air cleaner removed and the choke open, move the throttle and see if you get two steady streams of fuek shooting into the carb.
With the engine off and the air cleaner removed and the choke open, move the throttle and see if you get two steady streams of fuek shooting into the carb.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,520
Likes: 11
From: Hinckley OH
http://www.sears.com/craftsman-5-pc-...p-00942013000P
OK now my original comment that it's cheap is no longer true.
A regular wrench or even a large crescent wrench will work on the nut that holds the filter in the carb. Also hold the nut that holds the filter in the carb while loosening the flare nut on the fuel line otherwise you can bend and kink the line.
Last edited by my 76 ray; Jul 29, 2013 at 02:43 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 423
Likes: 6
I checked the accelerator pump and it is good... I did notice what looked like a condensor fastened to the intake ,, the distributor is near it .. The wire to it wasn't connected to anything ... It was that way when I got the car does anyone know what it is and where it should be connected ?? Thanks
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 5,084
Likes: 786
From: Lebanon Township New Jersey
The condenser type thing is your tach filter. It should plug into your distributor cap, where it says "TACH". But, it has nothing to do with your engine problem. I'd say you have a bad fuel pump or fuel filter.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,217
Likes: 665
From: Northeast
Does it look like this?
http://www.ecklerscorvette.com/asset...ette/46137.jpg
If so, then the previous owner just bypassed the filter. The tach is working so I would leave it alone. I havent had a filter in 10 yrs.
http://www.ecklerscorvette.com/asset...ette/46137.jpg
If so, then the previous owner just bypassed the filter. The tach is working so I would leave it alone. I havent had a filter in 10 yrs.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,520
Likes: 11
From: Hinckley OH
One wire from the tach filter will plug into the distributor cap where it says tach and the wire that is currently plugged into the distributor cap where it says tach will plug into the other end of the tach filter.