1964 C10 troubles

[rmsteph828]

Hello everybody.

I am having some bizarre troubles with my old girl. Its a 1964 Chevy C10 long bed step side with the original 230 engine and a muncie 4 speed. She was my daily driving till I started college and moved to a colder climate, now she is my weekend ride and hauls fire wood.
My problem started one night at 2:30 in the morning driving home from a party (it was about 20 degrees out). The truck would idle beautifully, i started to head home and made it fine on the flats. Once I began to climb a moderate grade, she would start this chugging and lurching till she would die. So I would pull over, wait and curse for about ten minutes and she would start again and run great through any flats and then die at any hill. Also if i romped on it through the flats the same problem would occur.
Using my reasoning skills I assumed it was the 1bbl rochester carb float handing up. So rebuilt that with all the proper measurements, nothing was out of place. But I still had the same problem, so this time once she died I pulled off the top of the carb to find the float dry (1/4 inch of gas was left) . So now I have my self a fuel pump problem. Pick up a new one, replaced it only to find deep groves worn in the cam in which it rides on.. not to much i can do about that, but it could be the culprit. With the new pump in place the problem still occurred. So out of sear desperation just started testing and cleaning everything. did a compression test, 125-130 on back five cylinders and 110 on cylinder one. I cleaned and tested, re set point on the distributor. I replaced the vacuum advance it was shot, and retimed her to 4 degree TDC. I also found the PVC Value to be making a racket, when idling the bearing with in it constantly spins. I plan to replace it today.. but I still have the same dam problem...and I need help. I believe I have it narrows down to worn cam or old clogged fuel lines. Any suggestion would greatly help

Thanks
Riley

[1963c-10]

Whens the last time you checked the strainer in the tank, fuel filter and inside of the tank?

[rmsteph828]

I pulled it right after I rebuilt the carb it lacks a strainer, and added a new clear fuel filter. Which has shown slight evidence of rust in the past, just dust no flakes.

[hopped up]

try an electric fuel pump to see if it is your cam lobe or pump.
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[dracko]

Yeah I agree with the electric fuel pump idea. But also a good tank flushing/cleaning.

When I first bought my 64 c10 with a 230, I was having similar issues with random power loss, chugging and then eventually stalling.

Rebuilt the carb and it didn't fix a thing. I also only saw small rust flakes in the tank, but after getting a radiator shop to flush it with muriatic acid, that fixed it.

I also put an inline electric fuel pump in, with clear fuel filters before and after the pump, just to keep an eye on any new rust forming in the tank.

From what I've heard, the rust dust gets stirred up and sticks to the mesh screen over the fuel sending unit, eventually starving the carb of gas.

[rmsteph828]

I agree, but if it was the cam I feel it would happened gradually, not overnight. I might be wrong.

[rmsteph828]

I just went for a drive and the problem is still there.
So dracko I think your right.
Ill pull the tank and flush it and add an electronic fuel pump and then see were I stand. Ive heard POR15 works well for repairing old tanks.
Thanks for your help.

[X24]

Are you sure it's fuel?
Check your plugs and make sure they're dry.
If they are soaked then try your distributor. My condenser went out on mine a while ago doing basically the same thing as yours I ran around in circles before I realized the spark was fading out.
Posted via Mobile Device

[rmsteph828]

The plugs have always looked great (a nice paper bag brown) Ill check them tomorrow to make sure.
when I cleaned and the tuned the distributor I replaced the condenser with one I've had for a while, but was still in the box. So think my spark is alright.
Thanks for the input.

[dracko]

Yeah I've heard good things about POR15 tank sealer. The rad. shop offered to coat it for an extra $150, but I might be putting tank under the bed so I didn't coat it.

If there is always gas sloshing around in there, rust shouldn't form any time soon.

Hopefully that will be the end of the problems, but regardless, its a good idea to flush any rust out before it eats through and leaks in the cab.

[rmsteph828]

I agree with moving the tank under the bed, its makes it a lot safer and adds some weight to the ass end. Elcker's sell's a nice aluminum one.

[Raider Rudy]

I have experienced this twice with 2 different trucks, my 71 Cheyenne & my fathers 66 C10. The first time it was the fuel filter & the next time it was either the points or the condenser. It was not anything serious just frustrating

[1963c-10]

Originally Posted by rmsteph828

I agree with moving the tank under the bed, its makes it a lot safer and adds some weight to the ass end. Elcker's sell's a nice aluminum one.

I dont see how it makes it any safer. I have never seen one explode from collision. I have seen plenty of tanks under the bed go up in flames as a paramedic. I have seen these trucks take collisions bad enough to knock the cab off the frames and the tanks have remained strapped in. I was personally involved in a 5 vehicle collision in my 63 c-10 in the mid 90's. truck was completely totalled along with 4 other vehicles. Gas tank was fine. It might provide more leg room... you might not get any fuel vapors...but I dont thinkits fair to say that its any safer.

[1963c-10]

This is a fellow members truck losthope...good example of the fuel tank being safe. This is about as bad as it can get short of not walking away.

[blackmopar]

my chest and knees hurt just looking at that dash and steering wheel!

i cant be the only one who enjoys the vapors of an In Cab tank - am I?

[dracko]

i cant be the only one who enjoys the vapors of an In Cab tank - am I?

Yeah I mainly doing the swap to get the fumes out and some storage behind the seat. Plus I think those Blazer tanks hold more gas.

[gimmy 64]

the origianl thread losthope wrote the gas tank was ripped open and he was soaked with gas. so how safe is that?

[1963c-10]

Originally Posted by gimmy 64

the origianl thread losthope wrote the gas tank was ripped open and he was soaked with gas. so how safe is that?

Yeah, I remember him saying that he got some fuel on him although I thought it was from the filler neck being seperated from the cab...don't remember the rupture, but considering the extent of the damage its believable. 1st off....he is lucky to be alive and walking from that collision and Im glad that other than the truck damage and the injuries hes sustained that he is alive and breathing. If you follow NHTSA reports, you are far more likely to be involved in a rear end collision than t-boned. If you were t-boned it would take significant force and damage to rupture the in cab tank. These trucks are built like tanks. Running off the road into a stand of trees and a rear end collision are going to present with a whole different set of problems. With a rear end collision, you are more likely to rupture the tank than if it were in the cab. I have been to many accidents over the years where cars are on fire from rear-end tanks. I have never been to an accident where a tank in the cab has ignited. I have encountered more people than I care to with 3rd or even 4th degree burns. I cant verify that either one is safer than the other, its just my observation as a street paramedic and an owner of these trucks for almost 20 years. I believe that its a matter of preference. But I stand behind my tank in the cab, and its where it'll stay. Im not knocking anybody who chooses to place one in rear of their truck. And for what its worth...I would rather have fuel on me and walk away from it than to have my truck ignite.

[rmsteph828]

So it turns out to be something as simple as junk in the line. I found it while replacing an old rubber gas connector on the underside of the cab. I came from in side the cab and fed a wire though the gas line, it pushed out a whole mess of those little rust flakes. So i guess my next step is to pull the tank, clean it and I think ill give POR15 a go and fix this for good. I just have this feeling I'll find my self on the side of the road again if I don't. A Little preventative maintenance goes a long way.

Thanks for your help.

[krayzog]

I had th exact same problem after my truck had been sitting for years. Once I cleaned the tank out it was fixed 100%. Mine wasn't bad enough to POR 15, but I have used that on a motorcycle tank before and it is awesome stuff.

[1963c-10]

Glad you got the problem narrowed down. Be on the road in no time

[scottofksu]

Originally Posted by rmsteph828

So it turns out to be something as simple as junk in the line. I found it while replacing an old rubber gas connector on the underside of the cab. I came from in side the cab and fed a wire though the gas line, it pushed out a whole mess of those little rust flakes. So i guess my next step is to pull the tank, clean it and I think ill give POR15 a go and fix this for good. I just have this feeling I'll find my self on the side of the road again if I don't. A Little preventative maintenance goes a long way.

Thanks for your help.

I pulled, dipped, and POR-ed the gas tank in my 78 MGB about 6 years ago. It mostly sits in the garage and even still the inside and outside of the gas tank looks just like it did 6 years ago when I did it! Make sure you follow all the steps with the POR-15... Also, if the tank is really bad, it's not a bad idea to try to clean out the varnish yourself and then toss in a couple hand fulls of nuts and bolts. Shake shake shake, then dump everything out and take it to get dipped. (If it's the original tank, a helper is advised for the shaking process.)