It's driving me nuts!--Kilday's responses.

Jim Kilday

RICHARD E.

The electric fuel pump is on when the ignition is on. I thought about having it wired so I could take this pump off-line and just use it after the car had sat for a while to bring the fuel up but my mechanic thought it OK to let it run. Could the fact that the electric pump is running all the time be the problem?





Jon B.

The car does idle normally when I pull over during these "epsiodes". But, the problem remains when I start driving.





I also thought about the spark advance. It advances by centrifugal force--correct? How do I determine the advance is the problem and what is the solution"





Rambo

I will put it on a hoist to check the location of the fuel line and see if it is too close to the exhaust at any point. The only "rubber" line is from the the steel fuel line to the mechanical fuel pump and that was new from Dave K. It seems to be quite firm throughout but I may replace it just to eliminate it from the usual suspect list.





UNCLE JOSH

This is one of the few things that actually occurred to me. I may have to remove the tank and rinse it out if the problem isn't cured otherwise.





37 TERRAPLANE

I take it the fuel bowl is in the carburetor just inside the point of entry of the fuel line?? There is a black spacer of about 1/4" thickness near the bottom of the carb which I assume is the heat sink.





CLUTCH GUY

I believe it has the stock oil bath air cleaner but will test drive it without the A. C. and also test the spark if it starts doing it's thing.





WAYC4E 28

This will be disclosed when I run without the air cleaner.





RICHARD E.

I will wire the exhaust damper open and try it.





I thank you all very kindly and will let you know what happens. I'm heading into town in a bit sans air cleaner.



jim kilday

Clutchguy

Jim,I'm not sure of what type of electric pump you have but it probably shouldn't run all the time. I would double check the metal fuel line. It could have a pinhole in it,or even the pick-up tube in the tank and cause it to pick up air and then cause your described concern. Keep us posted,

Jon B

The shop manual for my '37 says only (in regards to testing the automatic advance in the distributor): the governor can be checked for working free by by turning the breaker cam in the direction of rotation as far as it will go, and releasing. When released, it should immediately return to its original position with no drag or hesitancy". (I'm not sure how you do this!) But you can see, if there was some drag on it, the timing might be okay sometimes, then get out of wack for awhile. One thing you might do, is take the whole distrubutor to someone with one of those Sun testing machines just to make sure it's working correctly. Then, you can cross that one off, as a possible culprit for all future troubles.

Jim Kilday

I just came back from a run into Bozeman--with no air cleaner. I ran at 75 mph most of the way in and back home and made several stops in town. The car ran just fine but it has done this before--acting just fine for days and then TROUBLE.



I have now looked the air cleaner over and cannot see any reason it would cause a problem but will leave it off for a few days and see how it goes.



The electric fuel pump is a Carter Rotary Vane--a good one I was told. I put one of these on my 1966 Austin Healy 3000 years ago and threw the Lucas vibrating point pump away.



There WAS a pin-hole in the fitting for the gasoline pickup just outside the gas tank but that was soldered last Friday and the car acted up on the way home. We had pressure tested that repair and it did not leak any air so what the HAY?



I'll drive it again over the weekend and report back.



I've located the exhaust damper--with a big flat circular spring? How do I know when it is wired open?



I appreciate all your help. Very much!!



jk

Clutchguy

I believe the cotter key hole or small pin on the inboard side is parallel with the manifold is open. If you don't figure it out,I'll check on one that is already off tommorrow.

Unknown

JIM, on my car I had this same problem before I cleaned the tank, SO at the time I cleaned it I put a fine screen big enough to keep anything that would possabely come loose in the future on the end of the pickup tube. Peice of mind that the tube will never become blocked. Another suspect could be the solder job, just a small drop of solder getting in the line could cause this. If you have an air pig,take it with and next time it acts up blow it back to the tank from the conection to the vacume fuel pump, that'll tell you if it's a restriction or something else. BUD

Jim Kilday

I'm not sure I want to ask this but what exactly is an air pig?

Unknown

A small air tank you can fill and carry with you.

Jon B

Air pig? Here ya go!

Unknown

You can buy a tank allready set up or make one, take an old BBQ grill tank , empty freon tank or such, and put a fitting on it to air it up and a hose of what ever lenght you desire. I just put a quick coupler fitting on mine and use my shop hose when I need it . BUD

Unknown

Jon B wrote:

Air pig? Here ya go!

---

HEY JON<> YOU GONNA CONTRIBUTE THE HOT AIR ??

SuperDave

If you can borrow or buy a fuel pressure guage and install it just in front of the carburetor, it might give you some more information. Just getting someone to hang on the fender and watch it while you road test might present a problem.

Richard E.

Wow, thats what I can use that BBQ tank that they won't fill anymore for!! I already have an "air pig" but I didn't know what it was called. I bought mine at Napa a long time ago and paid too much for it.



The exhaust damper is closed when the engine in cold and as it heats up the big round spring opens it. If your is working, you can open and close it by hand. It also has a return spring that moves it some direction or other that hooks to a little stud on the manifold. You can figure out which way is open and closed pretty easily. I just wired mine open using the return spring. At some point I plan to get it operating properly again.