Baffled in Louisiana

[mjeansonne]

I am thoroughly confused now!! My car is a 1962 Hawk with a 289 V-8 and automatic transmission. Back in February, I thought I was experiencing vapor lock. After studying the problem and realizing that the 'vapor lock' only occurred when the car was running, and that genuine vapor lock only occurs when the engine is stopped and attempted to restart... not my problem. I decided that it must be the ignition coil, so I replaced it with a new Pertronix Ignition Coil (though I have not replaced the points set up on the Delco Distributor. The first time out with the new ignition coil, I got about three miles from home and again it acted as though I was running out of gas. It completely died. I checked the clear in line fuel filter and saw gasoline in it. I have previously replaced the fuel pump (but not with a Carter). Also just prior to that I replace the Carter Carb with a new Edelbrock. I was amazed at how much better the car started and ran.

Any ideas as to what the problem could be?? I'm baffled!!!!!!!

Laisez le bon temps roulez avec un Studebaker

[31Streetrod]

Is the pertronix coil a 1.5 ohm internal resistance coil or is it one for use with an external resistor?

Lost in the 50's

[jclary]

On some of these carburetors, there is a small screen wire filter like thing at the end of the fitting your gas line attaches to. I once had a similar problem that baffled the heck out of me for about two days. I had checked the ignition system front to back. Fuel pump, fuel filter, and even rebuilt the dang carb. Finally, I got around to checking inside that blasted little fitting and found a "bug wing" of all things! The car would run terrific in the driveway, however, under "road" driving conditions, where fuel demand is much greater, the little wing would flip up like a check valve and restrict the gas flow so that the bowl of the carb could not receive enough fuel to maintain speed.
A soft and collapsing flexible fuel hose can cause the same problem. These problems can be embarrassingly simple once you find them. In my case, I really had to "de-bug" the problem.

John Clary
Greer, SC
[IMG][/IMG]
I have only two limitations ...BRAINS & ENERGY
SDC member since 1975

[ivorydan]

Dirty, rusty gas tank?

(Michael we're headed to Lafayette for Rickey Hebert's wedding this Saturday, followed by a crawfish boil! Dan)

[Chucks Stude]

Have you ever had your gas tank checked? It could be full of crud. Also, as the temp warms up, you could have vapor lock at idle. You could be slowing down for a light, and the thing just dies, and won't restart.I put in a Mr. Gasket spacer set, when I put in my Edelbrock. It is a set of gaskets, spaced with aluminum. I have tried to get the car to vapor lock, and it won't do it. Avail. thru Jegs. There are like 8 gaskets, and 4 aluminum spacers. $25.00 at your door. Pics to follow.

[mjeansonne]

Thanks for the ideas. The coil is a 1.5 ohm internal resistor. I put a fresh 14 gauge wire running from the ignition switch to the coil. I have had several cars with crud in the tank and had to clean them out and reseal them... I don't think that is the problem here. The clear fuel filter shows clean gasoline, plus I have blown through the fuel line and hear the 'bubbles' in the tank, not that that indicates anything. The bug wing theory and the unvented fuel cap sound plausable and I will check that out asap.

Dan, have some crawfish and beer for me. And wish the happy couple all the best for me too!!!



Laisez le bon temps roulez avec un Studebaker

[wcarroll@outrageous.net]

Every time I see a post like yours I mention a similar problem I had with my '63 Hawk. It would fall flat on it's face randomly while driving as though it was suddenly starved for fuel.

Long story short, inspect your fuel line at every point where it is attached to the frame with a metal clip -most especially near the front of the frame where it bends upward into the engine compartment.

I found that one of the metal clips had had rubbed against the hardline over the years causing a crack. Every time the car drove over a bad bump, the frame would flex and the carb would get a gulp of air instead of fuel.

Needless to say it was a truly odd and unexpected discovery. It took me close to a year to figure it out!!



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[jclary]

I overlooked the fact that you are a "Bayou Billy" (as opposed to a "Hill Billy"). Keep in mind that shrimp and crawl dad hulls are even tougher than bug wings! Another fuel restriction possibility is a piece of Teflon tape that is "lipped" over the edge of a fitting. What makes these fuel restrictions (as opposed to full blockage) so difficult to diagnose is,in your garage under idle conditions, they can supply enough gas to keep the carburetor bowl full and run normal. It is only under power demands that they surface. An additional problem that can show up "under power" is a pin hole in the vacuum advance diaphragm. Once you find the problem, let us know.

John Clary
Greer, SC
[IMG][/IMG]
I have only two limitations ...BRAINS & ENERGY
SDC member since 1975

[GTtim]

It's very easy and cheap to replace the condenser at the points and rule that out.

Tim K.
'64 R2 GT Hawk

[buddymander]

It's either the condenser or worn distributor shaft.

[TX Rebel]

I once replaced a leaking fuel pump on a V8 Lark. After about 700 miles, it began to starve for fuel and lose power, and even stalled. I at first eliminated the fuel pump since it was new, and checked other things. A Studebaker mechanic in NC looked it over for me. He took the discharge line off of the pump and had me spin the starter while he allowed the gas to squirt into a bottle. He said that I had good pressure, but insufficient volume to run at highway speeds and should replace the pump, a replacement for which he did not have handy. I subsequently removed the pump and operated it by hand, discovering that it worked fine off of the car. I decided that the 71K mi.car must have a flat cam lobe or the pump had a bent arm. I took a rat tail file and elongated the bolt holes on the pump, then installed it while prying upwards on it. The car ran fine, and I drove it 1300 miles back to Texas with no further problems.
I had the same problem on my old Ford diesel truck, and the trick did not work, nor did a new fuel pump. I replaced the pump drive eccentric, and it still would not work, so I just installed an electric fuel pump as I should have done in the first place.

Barry'd in Studes

[mjeansonne]

Thanks for all the replies. I took the fuel cap off and started the engine. Same problem. So I guess that excludes that. I have recently replaced the points and the condensor, but will try that too... or go ahead and install a pertronix system. The fuel pump has been replaced recently and I am suspicious of it, since I had to get 2 more pumps before I found one that worked!! Will try installing an electric pump. May have to wait until some more money comes in though!![)]





Laisez le bon temps roulez avec un Studebaker

[jimmijim8]

quote:Originally posted by wcarroll@outrageous.net

Every time I see a post like yours I mention a similar problem I had with my '63 Hawk. It would fall flat on it's face randomly while driving as though it was suddenly starved for fuel.

Long story short, inspect your fuel line at every point where it is attached to the frame with a metal clip -most especially near the front of the frame where it bends upward into the engine compartment.

I found that one of the metal clips had had rubbed against the hardline over the years causing a crack. Every time the car drove over a bad bump, the frame would flex and the carb would get a gulp of air instead of fuel. Remarkable yet still outrageous. Thanks for posting. I like hearing of mysterys being solved. jimmijim

Needless to say it was a truly odd and unexpected discovery. It took me close to a year to figure it out!!



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