truck woes, need some advice - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

dubie · 06-26-2002, 10:04 PM

Was on my way to the yard to bolt on a new box but the truck died about .3 miles away from the yard. I was travelling down a washboardy gravel road and it back fired twice, then quit. Keep in mind this is on a 250 inline 6. So i sounds like i'm outta gas, i wouldn't know because my dash bezel is off being painted. (which my wife did a sweet ass job of doing) So i get to the yard and they give me some gas. Get back to the truck fire it up but it's running like a POS!!! Kept flooding itself out. Then i noticed the vacuum lever on the bottom of the distributor isn't moving the way it should be. It should move whenever the throttle is moved. This is moving whenever it wants and makes the trucksputter like a *****. Any suggestions on what to replace? cap? rotor? vacuum? I will be changing this motor in a month or so, so any cheap solutions are welcome.
Thanks guys

barn9 · 06-26-2002, 10:17 PM

Were you actually out of gas, or did the truck just quit? My first thoughts were fuel line or carb, possibly from sucking up some crap from the bottom, but you say now it's flooding itself out? Hmmmm, being mechanically challenged, I'll wait with you and see if someone has another idea. We don't need ol' Dube stuck out in the boonies, he might get to following the little animals around, he-hee.

PanelDeland · 06-26-2002, 10:29 PM

The vacuum lever on the distributor could be your problem.It will affect timing and cause the truck to do the POS routine.I have had them go bad and cause the engine to run badly and not burn all the fuel.This causes them to smell like gas even though the carb is not flooding the engine.It's simple to change out(don't drop the screws into the dist.When I changed mine my truck ran as much better from that as a complete tune-up(points,plugs, wires and cap).In any case it is worth changing the vacumm advance.I beleive it was about $10.00/15.00 for the new one at NAPA.

boilrman · 06-26-2002, 10:41 PM

I just rebuilt my I6 and it was running great. Then all the sudden, it didnt have any power and was sputtering. It took me just over 2 hrs to figure out the condenser was bad. Just a thought, it's a cheap fix too

dubie · 06-27-2002, 08:44 AM

YOU GUYS ROCK!!! Thanks for your help. I will be going to the ranch during lunch to take the cap off and change the condenser and vacuum advance. My old boss at the ranch said he would get me a used set for free off another inline to get me running again.

Southpa · 06-27-2002, 09:30 AM

I'll second those opinions Dubie. I drove a 71 Malibu w/ 250 -I6 for a number of years and whenever I got backfiring it was usually distributer related. I'll bet its a simple gap adjustment thats required, or replacement.

Longhorn Man · 06-27-2002, 11:48 PM

If the vac advance isn't moving, double check that the line is still hooked up, then try to move it manually. Not likely to just start binding for no reason....it could happen, just not too likely.

Paul Clark · 06-28-2002, 01:20 AM

Is the cap still hooked on there like it should be?
Is the distributor still bolted down?
Just ideas.

06-26-2002, 10:04 PM	#1
dubie Registered User Join Date: May 2000 Location: Flin Flon, Manitoba, Canada Posts: 8,853	truck woes, need some advice Was on my way to the yard to bolt on a new box but the truck died about .3 miles away from the yard. I was travelling down a washboardy gravel road and it back fired twice, then quit. Keep in mind this is on a 250 inline 6. So i sounds like i'm outta gas, i wouldn't know because my dash bezel is off being painted. (which my wife did a sweet ass job of doing) So i get to the yard and they give me some gas. Get back to the truck fire it up but it's running like a POS!!! Kept flooding itself out. Then i noticed the vacuum lever on the bottom of the distributor isn't moving the way it should be. It should move whenever the throttle is moved. This is moving whenever it wants and makes the trucksputter like a *****. Any suggestions on what to replace? cap? rotor? vacuum? I will be changing this motor in a month or so, so any cheap solutions are welcome. Thanks guys __________________ My name's Tim and I'm a truckaholic My 56 Chevy shop truck build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=562795

06-26-2002, 10:17 PM	#2
barn9 Half a bubble off! Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Winfield, Ks, USA Posts: 5,588	Were you actually out of gas, or did the truck just quit? My first thoughts were fuel line or carb, possibly from sucking up some crap from the bottom, but you say now it's flooding itself out? Hmmmm, being mechanically challenged, I'll wait with you and see if someone has another idea. We don't need ol' Dube stuck out in the boonies, he might get to following the little animals around, he-hee. __________________ Just call me LB. '71 Cheyenne, 402BB, hauls blondes, brunettes, or redheads.

06-26-2002, 10:29 PM	#3
PanelDeland I am a Referee of life. Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Greensboro N.C. Posts: 13,992	The vacuum lever on the distributor could be your problem.It will affect timing and cause the truck to do the POS routine.I have had them go bad and cause the engine to run badly and not burn all the fuel.This causes them to smell like gas even though the carb is not flooding the engine.It's simple to change out(don't drop the screws into the dist.When I changed mine my truck ran as much better from that as a complete tune-up(points,plugs, wires and cap).In any case it is worth changing the vacumm advance.I beleive it was about $10.00/15.00 for the new one at NAPA. __________________ The 47-present Chevrolet and GMC Truck Message Board Network,it's owners,moderators,members,and associates of any type should not be held responsible for my opinion. You can't fix stupid,not even with duct tape. "My appearance is due to the fact that "GOD" does punish you for having too much fun!" Barrett-Jackson has perfected alchemy,they make rust into gold! "You can lead a horse to water but you can't saddle a duck" "Cleverly disguised as a 'Responsible Adult' "Sometimes your Knight in shining armor is just a retard in tinfoil"

06-26-2002, 10:41 PM	#4
boilrman 70 Chevy 3/4t Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Kokomo,IN USA Posts: 1,230	I just rebuilt my I6 and it was running great. Then all the sudden, it didnt have any power and was sputtering. It took me just over 2 hrs to figure out the condenser was bad. Just a thought, it's a cheap fix too __________________ Find a job you love and you'll never have to work a day in your life. 1998 Yamaha V-Star 650 1970 Chevy 3/4t, I6 (rebuilt), 4 speed Kokomo,IN

06-27-2002, 08:44 AM	#5
dubie Registered User Join Date: May 2000 Location: Flin Flon, Manitoba, Canada Posts: 8,853	YOU GUYS ROCK!!! Thanks for your help. I will be going to the ranch during lunch to take the cap off and change the condenser and vacuum advance. My old boss at the ranch said he would get me a used set for free off another inline to get me running again. __________________ My name's Tim and I'm a truckaholic My 56 Chevy shop truck build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=562795

06-27-2002, 09:30 AM	#6
Southpa Registered User Join Date: May 2000 Location: Victoria, BC, Canada Posts: 2,409	I'll second those opinions Dubie. I drove a 71 Malibu w/ 250 -I6 for a number of years and whenever I got backfiring it was usually distributer related. I'll bet its a simple gap adjustment thats required, or replacement. __________________ 1970 GMC 1500 Custom Original 350/TH350 Victoria, BC, Canada You can wish in one hand and crap in the other. See which one gets filled first.

06-27-2002, 11:48 PM	#7
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	If the vac advance isn't moving, double check that the line is still hooked up, then try to move it manually. Not likely to just start binding for no reason....it could happen, just not too likely.

06-28-2002, 01:20 AM	#8
Paul Clark Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Center Point, IA Posts: 502	Is the cap still hooked on there like it should be? Is the distributor still bolted down? Just ideas.

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