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#1 |
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Coatesville, PA
Posts: 52
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Truck is slowly breaking down on cross-country trip, help!
Hey guys, my '68 C20 with a 327 and manual 4-speed is giving me multiple problems. I was planning on towing the truck across country but last minute plan changes forced me into driving it without having time to properly prep it.
Symptoms started with a misfire, likely due to the plug wires cooking on the headers. I attempted to buy replacement wires en route but I neglected to get a set for an HEI setup (Delco Remy) and just ordered them by year/make/model so I obviously ended up with wires intended for points. I was able to get the correct wires the next day but that didn't change the miss at all. I had a brain fart and forgot to change the plugs at the same time. After about 1,200 miles I started experiencing what seems like a fuel starvation issue. I would be going down the highway and the truck would start to sputter and buck until I let up on the throttle. I could then lightly press the throttle to maintain speed but anything more or hitting an incline would bring back the sputter. I limped like this for over 100 miles before stopping for fuel. After the re-fuel it ran like a champ... for about 20 miles. Then the starvation symptoms returned. I couldn't source a fuel sender locally but I did replace the in-line fuel filter and the mechanical pump. I opened all the lines from carb to tank and blew them out, there wasn't really much in them. I know the sender doesn't have a sock on it and my tank is rusty but I was able to drive another 700 miles today before the starvation symptom popped back up. Looking for some advice on what to look at because I still have another half of the country to cross. |
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#2 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Orem, Utah
Posts: 7,914
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Re: Truck is slowly breaking down on cross-country trip, help!
From your description, I think your best bet is to have some spare fuel filters with you. It sounds like your tank is full of crud, and you probably don't have time to remove it and clean or replace it.
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I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man. - Thomas Jefferson |
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#3 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: huntington beach ca
Posts: 341
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Re: Truck is slowly breaking down on cross-country trip, help!
you also could probably pick up a shock for the sender at a parts store and like trucker said have some spare fuel filters and if your good at carb work pull the top and clean the bowls out and clean with brake cleaner
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#4 |
20' Daredevil (Ret)
![]() Join Date: May 2003
Location: Jefferson State
Posts: 13,638
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Re: Truck is slowly breaking down on cross-country trip, help!
If it has a Q-jet (or other Rochester, I think), there's a small filter where the fuel line enters the carb. If you didn't replace it already, it could be plugged which will cause starvation like you describe. The small filters are either pleated paper or porous bronze. The bronze one is best. It can be installed in either direction but it's supposed to have the cone facing the fuel line.
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- Mike - 1972 K20 LWB 350/350/205 RIP El Jay Last edited by Stocker; 03-29-2019 at 11:52 PM. |
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#5 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Morrisville
Posts: 9
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Re: Truck is slowly breaking down on cross-country trip, help!
You go full on Roadkill and get a plastic tank, put it in the bed and run a fuel line to it. Extra points for using extra zip ties.
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#6 |
The Older Generation
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Location: Montezuma, Iowa
Posts: 25,493
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Re: Truck is slowly breaking down on cross-country trip, help!
-
Where are you at this time? LockDoc
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Leon Locksmith, Specializing In Antique Trucks, Automobiles, & Motorcycles (My Dually Pickup Project Thread) http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=829820 - |
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#7 |
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Coatesville, PA
Posts: 52
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Re: Truck is slowly breaking down on cross-country trip, help!
@truckster, noted. I should have grabbed a few more once I saw what poured out of the original.
@camtoys, I didn't know you could get socks on their own, I'll have to check that out. @Stocker, it is indeed a quadrajet and I did take a peek at the filter when I opened all of the lines and it looked ok but I suppose it wouldn't hurt to replace it. Trouble is I was at a buddies shop when I opened everything up and I don't have a 1" wrench on me for that fitting. @berudd, I actually was going to try that today but I couldn't find a universal electric pump with a low enough pressure to keep the quadrajet happy. @LockDoc, currently just north of Austin, TX. Heading to PA. |
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#8 | |
20' Daredevil (Ret)
![]() Join Date: May 2003
Location: Jefferson State
Posts: 13,638
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Re: Truck is slowly breaking down on cross-country trip, help!
Quote:
If you suspect that could be your problem, you might be able to borrow a wrench from a parts store. Or buy a cheap one, or a cheap adjustable (Crescent) wrench. Good luck and let us know what you find.
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- Mike - 1972 K20 LWB 350/350/205 RIP El Jay |
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#9 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: huntington beach ca
Posts: 341
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Re: Truck is slowly breaking down on cross-country trip, help!
here is the part number Airtex FS253 Universal Fuel Sending Unit Strainer with 3/8" Pickup Tubes, 2 3/4" Long
Airtex FS254 Universal Fuel Sending Unit Strainer with 5/16" Pickup Tubes, 2 3/4" Long |
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#10 |
Special Order
![]() ![]() Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Mt Airy, MD
Posts: 85,859
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Re: Truck is slowly breaking down on cross-country trip, help!
I'd definitely be changing that in-carb filter, and carry a couple extra. The sock is a good idea, but on the road maybe it would be best to filter (disposable) the tank crud between the tank and fuel pump, unless you get to a good place to do the sock. Hopefully a new sock will stay clear for the rest of the trip
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"BUILDING A BETTER WAY TO SERVE THE USA"......67/72......"The New Breed" GMC '67 C1500 Wideside Super Custom SWB: 327/M22/3.42 posi.........."The '67" (project) GMC '72 K2500 Wideside Sierra Custom Camper: 350/TH350/4.10 Power-Lok..."The '72" (rolling) Tim "Don't call me a redneck. I'm a rough cut country gentleman" R.I.P. ~ East Side Low Life ~ El Jay ~ 72BLUZ ~ Fasteddie69 ~ Ron586 ~ 67ChevyRedneck ~ Grumpy Old Man ~ |
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#11 |
Post Whore
![]() Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Portland Oregon
Posts: 11,150
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Re: Truck is slowly breaking down on cross-country trip, help!
Just throwing ideas out. Try removing the fuel cap maybe the vent is partially plugged. Your fuel pump could be sucking air. Check the hoses and the fuel line for damage.
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Thanks to Bob and Jeanie and everyone else at Superior Performance for all their great help. ![]() RIP Bob Parks. 1967 Burban (the WMB),1988 S10 Blazer (the Stink10 II),1969 GTO (the Goat), 1970 Javelin, 1952 F2 Ford OHC six 4X4, 29 Model A, 72 Firebird (the DBP Bird). 85 Alfa Romeo If it breaks I didn't want it in the first place The WMB repair thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=698377 |
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#12 |
All about them K’s
![]() Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Land of Entrapment
Posts: 6,381
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Re: Truck is slowly breaking down on cross-country trip, help!
A couple years ago when I first started driving my K20 around after it had been sitting for a few years, For the first month or so it ran pretty good. Seemingly overnight it started running rough/ missing at idle. On the way home from the store I had to crawl home on the side of the road in four low. The carb (edelbrock) had some trash in it. 1 carb kit later and it was good again. It really doesn’t take much to slow the fuel flow down enough to cause problems. I would load up on the external filters and the carb filters both.
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Tyler '57 3100 http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=813888 '72 K20 Cheyenne http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=662879 ‘69 K10 SWB http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=805206 '98 Silverado LT K2500HD ECLB Vortec 454/4l80E: 6" lift 315/75/16's ‘87 IROC-Z all original 50K mile survivor TPI 305 IROC Blue ‘10 Camaro 2SS/RS Aqua Blue Metallic #93 -version 2.0 ![]() Last edited by 57taskforce; 03-30-2019 at 07:14 PM. |
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#13 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Posts: 974
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Re: Truck is slowly breaking down on cross-country trip, help!
I run NAPA part #3033 fuel filters they're dirt cheap (like $3 or $4, IIRC) and keep changing them until you get all of the crud out of your tank!
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'59 Apache - 383" SBC/TH-350 '68 GMC - BBC/TH400 |
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#14 |
20' Daredevil (Ret)
![]() Join Date: May 2003
Location: Jefferson State
Posts: 13,638
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Re: Truck is slowly breaking down on cross-country trip, help!
^^ That looks just like the filter I have under the truck, between the tank selector and the fuel pump.
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- Mike - 1972 K20 LWB 350/350/205 RIP El Jay |
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#15 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: 2nd left past the stump on a dirt road.
Posts: 2,629
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Re: Truck is slowly breaking down on cross-country trip, help!
If you have an HEI the module in the distributor will give you exactly the same symptoms.
How do I know??? Been there. Also the Coil will do the exact same thing. |
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#16 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Wichita, KS
Posts: 60
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Re: Truck is slowly breaking down on cross-country trip, help!
Quote:
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#17 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Reno Nevada
Posts: 380
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Re: Truck is slowly breaking down on cross-country trip, help!
As a suggestion have you looked into your fuel pump. You could be experiencing inadequate fuel pressure and volume after the truck warms up.
Good luck Vic |
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#18 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Frankton In
Posts: 11
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Re: Truck is slowly breaking down on cross-country trip, help!
My dad bought a 1977 C20 camper special out of an estate in about 1987 that only had about 20k on the clock. The right fuel tank had rust in it. I put a see through inline fuel filter in line to that tank, then another near the fuel pump. He threw a couple of spares in the truck. A couple of tanks of fuel through it (and changed a few filters) and the problem was gone. A lot easier to change an inline filter along the road(and safer) than to change one in the carb on a hot engine.
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#19 | |
The Older Generation
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Location: Montezuma, Iowa
Posts: 25,493
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Re: Truck is slowly breaking down on cross-country trip, help!
Quote:
If you have a lot of sediment in the system you will still have to change the in carb filter. Believe it or not, it will catch the finer stuff that the larger in line filter will not, and plug up. I found that out on my '70 Chevy truck. LockDoc
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Leon Locksmith, Specializing In Antique Trucks, Automobiles, & Motorcycles (My Dually Pickup Project Thread) http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=829820 - |
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#20 |
blood type; Retumbo
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: next to my reloading bench
Posts: 10,269
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Re: Truck is slowly breaking down on cross-country trip, help!
Or a missing ground strap under the coil
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Man rule #77...if you own a 67 stepside with a caddy 472 you will never be in danger of loosing you man card |
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