Carb Issue?

[punchydrunk]

This is my first post here, so I'll preface it by saying sorry for the long post and that i actually have a '59 Ford. Don't hold it against me. I know how the bow ties can be toward the fords, and vice versa. And I won't even get into the Mopar crowd. Jokes. I've had '81step, '77, '59 F100s & '69 Chevy Fleetside LWB over the years. But, I have a 305 in my Ford which got me thinking this may be the place. It came out of a 1980 camaro along with Trans. Maybe I should be on that post, but always got the most help from Truck guys in the Ford world.

This may be sort of long where I can give most info to help with reply. I have a fairly strong shade tree mechanic background, but a little stumped here. Just feels that its an easy fix, as they often are.

this engine has run like a sewing machine since I put it in 13yrs back. Was running unbeliavably good until i took exit off interstate two weeks ago and just died. Very much like a run out of gas. Plenty gas. I tinkered a little, trying to turn over occasionally, after about 20 mins it fired up and ran reasonably well. A little stutter. I got back home and evrytime I've tried to drive its progressed. Sometimes driving at speed on highway for 15+mins, then just die out. Feels like choking for fuel. within 20 mins always fires up.

This is the best clue I think i have- A couple days ago I attempt my 1/2 mile ride to work and it Sputtered horribly and died. I finally got it to fire up, sounded great, until i put in drive gear and instantly tried to die, went back to park and run perfectly. Same for reverse and neutral. I probably could have driven to Pensacola in reverse. But I limped back to house and going to mess with it Sunday. Any Ideas would be greatly appreciated. I have a couple more clues, but I will save yall any more for now.

Once again, sorry for the length of post. I usually try to keep as concise as possible. Thanks in advance

[punchydrunk]

Oh yea, carburetor is Rochester R2-2GC.

[hatzie]

Hot rodders use what they have. Some of those old Ford and Merc engines are hard to get parts for. The smallblock GM is one of the most common motors in existence.

With those kind of intermittent symptoms I usually I look at the ignition before the fuel system.

Carburetors don't usually go intermittent.
Do you smell gas when it acts up?
Black exhaust when it starts acting up?
Thankfully the 2GC is easy to rebuild, if you really need to, and most internal parts are available for it. Is the triangular tag still in place or is the # stamped into the casting? The #s cast on (raised) are not the carb #... some later carbs have the number stamped in if you're lucky.

Click the image to go to Mikes Carburetor Parts

[Front Range]

Another guy had a similar problem a few weeks back. It turned out to be the magnetic pick-up inside the distributor.

[74CustomK20]

I would say dizzy. Mine had similar symptoms, and when i I popped the hood the distributor bolt had backed out. I found a good sounding spot tightened it and all was well...

[punchydrunk]

I will say i'm starting to doubt fuel issue a little now. The last time it broke down on me, about 3 yrs back it was a coil wire in distributer, i changed everything from distributor to wires. Thats why I havent really suspected spark issue. I'm going to check for spark today. I can't even get it to start now.

Also, a couple weeks back i found a hole in thermostat housing and replaced it. But it was shooting hot steam/ water into carb for who knows how long.

Thanks guys

[punchydrunk]

You guys were right it seems. I'm quick to blame that carb simply becayse i've been itching to replace it for years.

I opened distributor cap and found some looseness on rotor and that little silver capacitor looking guy. Not sure now what that one is. tightened everything, put back together, and tried turn over a few times. It finally fired up (very roughly) then died. There was smoke coming from distributor that smelled sort of electrical to me. In any case, i got called to work and will mess with it later.

Just to clarify earlier, when i had last problem i changed distributor cap, coil pack, rotor, wires and plugs. I did not take entire distributor out.

Thanks

[hatzie]

The Rochester 2G is a simple and dead reliable carb.

Don't make the mistake a lot of folks make by buying a "new" distributor made from Chinese floor sweepings with "Updated electronics"... The GM HEI lower is easy and inexpensive to rebuild on your workbench and it actually works.

Sparks and smoke may just be the 40 year old ignition module to coil pigtail/condenser. You can buy this pigtail with a new condenser from all the usual suspects. ACDelco D221 Professional Radio Antenna Module... or Standard Motor Products RC4 Capacitor

The module and pickup coil are available in the AC Delco Professional line. Don't bother with any others. ACDelco D1906 Professional Ignition Control Module ACDelco D1907X Professional Ignition Distributor...

The vacuum advance can and mechanical advance springs, bushings, and counterweight kits are inexpensive if you need them.

The only other wild card is the drive gear end play that can be corrected quickly with shims.
Once you go through it it should be good for another 40 years.

Ray Mcavoy has a short and sweet howto page.
http://rmcavoy.freeshell.org/HEI.html

Info on visual checks on the coil.
http://forums.hotrod.com/classic-tru...-coil-failure/

[punchydrunk]

Thanks, Hatzie. I've got the module, cap, and pick up assembly. I'm going to try to get them in tomorrow if i get some daylight. I sort of suspect the pick up coil just because I had changed the others a few years back with my ignition coil wire incident. And I've never changed a pick up assembly before. On any vehicle. It looks fairly straightforward as long as I cant somehow set that spring assembly on top in the wrong place. I'm going to look at that how-to.

Thanks again

[punchydrunk]

Turned out to be ignition module. Moreso probably the super loose cap on the module, which serves as a ground too. I replaced part anyway.

Truck fired right up, but running horribly. Sputtering and a lot of backfire especially when given gas. I'm pretty sure i got it out of time some sort of way while tinkering around. I did pull up on the mech advance spring assembly business and thought i heard something internal move when i did. I'm going to get timing light tomorrow and mess with Sunday. I've never used the light. We always used to just turn distributor and go by sound. But, i know that is hack style and doesn't seem to be that effective this time anyway. Thanks guys.

[hatzie]

If the little AC Delco D221 pigtail that Amazon calls a radio antenna capacitor is as old as the distributor just swap it out. You can pick up the Delco D221 at O'rileys. Those three wires seem to take a beating right where they enter the molded connector or strain relief at the lower distributor body. If you can see the individual wires after they enter the distributor body the pigtail is around 35 years old. Heat and weather take their toll eventually.

I've never replaced a pickup coil assembly. Not saying it's impossible to have one go bad but it's very unusual.

[punchydrunk]

Yea, I changed both pieces of the module which also gave me new pig tail/ I've never done pick up assembly either, and didn't this time. I'm probably goig to take it back to NAPA. First I'm going to make sure I can get this semmingly timing issue lined out. To make sure I don't need assembly.

Thanks