Truck not wanting to run right - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

jott_06 · 08-13-2008, 08:52 PM

I drove my truck for the first time today to work to get the windsheild installed and it ran fine to work and back home, then to the gas station and i ran my brother in law to his house and i even smoked the tires a little. Then i went home and put my mirrors back on and ate some supper. When i came back out to work on it i backed it up to the garage and shut it off, messed with my throttle linkage on my carb a little bit then started it to go show an old hot rodder my truck and it wouldnt idle. I turned the idle screw up but i had to make it have a high idle to stay running. It also sounds like its missing a little and it wont hardly spin the tires like it had earlier in the day. Any ideas what could have happened? It has all new Spark plugs, wires, cap and rotor.

Camper Power · 08-14-2008, 12:17 AM

happened before to me, may seem wierd but all it was a simple loose connection at a spark plug

68gmsee · 08-14-2008, 08:58 AM

After you check for loose vacuum hoses, cables etc. Check the carb?

Sediment could have gotten in it and messed it up? I've had problems with mine in the past not idling or not idling properly. In one case it was a sticky needle valve/float problem caused by sediment from the tank. The other time it was clogged up filters.

I'd check that since it was running well prior to this happening.

70rs/ss · 08-14-2008, 03:30 PM

Sounds like it is running fat (loading up) tap the body of the carb with a screw driver handle and see if that helps, change fuel filter, check the vacuum hoses, is it possible you bumped the dist?? Let us know!!!

**michael bustamante** · 08-14-2008, 05:20 PM

what I`ve done in the past is start the truck at night and look for arc-ing. the other day my truck kept dying and I found arc-ing from 2 of my spark plug wires, (damn auto zone junk) Oh, and also one of the plug boots was workin off the plug

jott_06 · 08-15-2008, 06:57 AM

well i got it running better again and took my nephew for a ride and laid a nice long patch of rubber. I think it was a little bit of a combination of things that did it. I took it out on my lunch break and ran it pretty hard up and down my road to see if it was just loaded up and it started to idle a little better but it just wanted to fall on its face when i got into the throttle so i advance the timing a little bit and it started running good again. As soon as i get a chance i'm gonna have to get a timing light and see where my timing is at for sure because i've never actually set it since i did my HEI swap, It's just set by ear. It still has a little bit of hesitation if you try to give it full throttle from a dead stop but I think that might be because of my mechanical secondary carb dumping to much fuel at one time.
Sorry i write these novels but i like to explain things.

08-13-2008, 08:52 PM	#1
jott_06 Camaro Club Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: ohio Posts: 472	Truck not wanting to run right I drove my truck for the first time today to work to get the windsheild installed and it ran fine to work and back home, then to the gas station and i ran my brother in law to his house and i even smoked the tires a little. Then i went home and put my mirrors back on and ate some supper. When i came back out to work on it i backed it up to the garage and shut it off, messed with my throttle linkage on my carb a little bit then started it to go show an old hot rodder my truck and it wouldnt idle. I turned the idle screw up but i had to make it have a high idle to stay running. It also sounds like its missing a little and it wont hardly spin the tires like it had earlier in the day. Any ideas what could have happened? It has all new Spark plugs, wires, cap and rotor.

08-14-2008, 12:17 AM	#2
Camper Power Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Grande Prairie Alberta Posts: 261	Re: Truck not wanting to run right happened before to me, may seem wierd but all it was a simple loose connection at a spark plug __________________ eh 1970 Chevy C20 daily driver 1975 GMC Jimmy 4x4 project 1966 GMC C10 Dad's project

08-14-2008, 08:58 AM	#3
68gmsee Active Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Centrally located between Houston, Austin and Waco. BCS area. Posts: 7,947	Re: Truck not wanting to run right After you check for loose vacuum hoses, cables etc. Check the carb? Sediment could have gotten in it and messed it up? I've had problems with mine in the past not idling or not idling properly. In one case it was a sticky needle valve/float problem caused by sediment from the tank. The other time it was clogged up filters. I'd check that since it was running well prior to this happening.

08-14-2008, 03:30 PM	#4
70rs/ss Registered User Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Northern AZ Posts: 7,270	Re: Truck not wanting to run right Sounds like it is running fat (loading up) tap the body of the carb with a screw driver handle and see if that helps, change fuel filter, check the vacuum hoses, is it possible you bumped the dist?? Let us know!!!

08-14-2008, 05:20 PM	#5
michael bustamante Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Albuquerque NM Posts: 7,862	Re: Truck not wanting to run right what I`ve done in the past is start the truck at night and look for arc-ing. the other day my truck kept dying and I found arc-ing from 2 of my spark plug wires, (damn auto zone junk) Oh, and also one of the plug boots was workin off the plug __________________ 1967custom Last edited by michael bustamante; 08-14-2008 at 05:21 PM.

08-15-2008, 06:57 AM	#6
jott_06 Camaro Club Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: ohio Posts: 472	Re: Truck not wanting to run right well i got it running better again and took my nephew for a ride and laid a nice long patch of rubber. I think it was a little bit of a combination of things that did it. I took it out on my lunch break and ran it pretty hard up and down my road to see if it was just loaded up and it started to idle a little better but it just wanted to fall on its face when i got into the throttle so i advance the timing a little bit and it started running good again. As soon as i get a chance i'm gonna have to get a timing light and see where my timing is at for sure because i've never actually set it since i did my HEI swap, It's just set by ear. It still has a little bit of hesitation if you try to give it full throttle from a dead stop but I think that might be because of my mechanical secondary carb dumping to much fuel at one time. Sorry i write these novels but i like to explain things.



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