Popping exhaust

[52-fan]

Brother decided to try a 500 Edelbrock in place of the 600 he has been using on the Transtar. After all of the good things I had read on the forum, I had high hopes that the truck would finally stop smelling like a refinery and maybe get him some better mileage.
After he changed the carburetor the truck would hardly run. After tinkering with the idle and timing the engine started and idled good, but would not take gas without running rough. After asking some questions about how long it had been since a basic tune-up, I convinced him to substitute another distributor that was fresh into the engine. As soon as the engine started, I thought that we had hit the right combo. The engine started easily and would rev really high without a hint of stumbling.
Unfortunately, when he pulled out for a test drive the engine started giving off little pops intermittently through the exhaust. We tinkered with the timing, but so far no joy. We gave up and called it a day. What now?



1952 Champion Starlight, 1962 Daytona, both w/overdrive.Searcy,Arkansas
"I may be lazy, but I'm not shiftless."

[StudeRich]

Check that the newly installed Dist. has the correct coil and functioning resister or resistance wire properly connected.

Did you check the Dwell of the Dist. for 30 degrees for a V-8 and set timing with a light on the "IGN." mark, if you are doing your tune-up by the seat of your pants, it could bite you in the A**!


StudeRich at Studebakers Northwest -Ferndale,WA

[Bud]

I agree with StudeRich, it sounds like you have an ignition problem like worn or fouled plugs from running with an over rich carb, maybe a weak coil or bad wires. If you can find someone that still has an ignition analyzer, have them run a diagnoses on the engine. If you are using a Prestolite distributor, check to see that the centrifugal advance weights haven't worn to the point of sticking and causing the timing to become erratic. Is the carb that you are using a new or used unit as a used carb could have been rejetted in the past either too rich or too lean which could be causing your problem. Don't forget to check the compression as leaking valves can cause your problem. Bud

[Dick Steinkamp]

In addition to what Rich and Bud said...

Leaking carb base gasket?

Are all the unused vacuum ports on the carb plugged?

Try timing by "ear", not by spec. My Ute wants far more initial advance than what the book calls for or it will "pop".

Valves adjusted properly?

Dick Steinkamp
Bellingham, WA

[52-fan]

I'm still thinking ignition myself. He's going to buy a new coil today. The plugs are new. The distributors in both cases were Delco window type. I don't think there is anything basically wrong with the first distributor except lack of upkeep. He had the other one with fresh points and condenser so we swapped them. We did use a timing light although I played around with giving it a bit more than spec. The thing that got me going was the randomness and the sharp crack as opposed to an explosion like a backfire.
I am more of a mechanic and he is a better body man. Unfortunately, our days off don't often fall on the same day. At least the hours of daylight are longer now.


1952 Champion Starlight, 1962 Daytona, both w/overdrive.Searcy,Arkansas
"I may be lazy, but I'm not shiftless."

[53k]

Any chance the sparkplug wires could be firing across to each other? It's easy to check at night.




Paul Johnson, Wild and Wonderful West Virginia. '64 Daytona Wagonaire, '64 Daytona convertible, '53 Commander Starliner, Museum R-4 engine, '62 Gravely Model L, '72 Gravely Model 430

[52-fan]

I think we may put a new set of spark plug wires on while we're into this job.


1952 Champion Starlight, 1962 Daytona, both w/overdrive.Searcy,Arkansas
"I may be lazy, but I'm not shiftless."