Truck is running HORRIBLE!!!!

[SCHRUMGMC]

I'm not trying to "ass out" on these folks, I am actually listening and taking mental notes.. I was kidding around with what I said as in trying to act more serious with it, it is true though... but if people can poke fun at me I can at least poke back right?


Anyway

If I use a rubber line it will only get worse with things. I bought a hard line so thats what I am going to use..I've thought about using the rubber line but in the end I want to use hard line for its originality
The vacuum advance may not be working right as well, I've thought about the points being messed with or something
I'll see what I can do, I am sick right now with a head cold

[franken]

What you need to do is educate yourself on how an IC engine works, rather than blindly swapping parts randomly, not troubleshooting, and not understanding why you're doing what you're doing.

If the vacuum to the dist is plugged at the carb, then fine. No need for vac advance at idle. Still, you make no mention of looking for a vacuum leak, or to find out if there's a lack of fuel.

You're no different than most that are lost. Typically they choose the most expensive, most difficult, and least likely to help suggestions and do them first while ignoring all troubleshooting, and cheap, easy fixes or tests.

[_Ogre]

it has been suggested a couple times that you install a filter before your pump to keep it from picking up trash from the tank
a fuel pump has bellows and 2 flapper valves, it only takes a wee bit of trash to hold one flapper open and ruin a new pump
have you done this?

[SCHRUMGMC]

I bought a rubber vacuum line for the VA...it will look weird on the engine bay

[dsraven]

to start, lets go over the basic condition of the engine. do a compression test and compare to specs. just google how to do the test dry and wet, but be sure to hold the throttle open and record each cylinder results. memory plays tricks. adjust the engine valves and possibly redo the compression test to see if a difference was made. then,

for fuel system test, start at the tank and work forward.
-make sure you are starting with a tank that has good clean fresh fuel. old fuel can cause poor running and back firing.
-make sure you have a tank vent or a gas cap that vents., otherwise you create a vacuum when you take fuel out of the tank.
-take the fuel line off at the tank and make sure you get a good flow of fuel out of the line from the tank. good clean fuel. if good install the line with a clamp. if not good, investigate further to see where the blockage is. maybe something in the tank or a necked down/coroded spigot outlet.
-take the fuel line off at the inlet of the fuel pump and, again, make sure you have a good supply of clean fuel. now would be a good time to install an inline fuel filter before the fuel pump. only a couple of bucks spent. install the line with a clamp. if not a good supply then look for a blockage in the line from the tank. sometimes old rubber fuel lines can come apart inside and cause a blockage/flap. if you were to blow back into the tank it may pass but it may not pass fuel going the other way.
-take the fuel line off at the carb, install a piece of hose or whatever so you can extend the supply line and reach a container. use clamps because you don't want a fuel spill under hood. have someone crank the engine over while you catch the fuel in a container. check for proper output of fuel delivery and also see what the fuel looks like and smells like. old gas doesn't perform like fresh gas does. if that is good, install a fuel pressure guage on the line and crank the engine again while checking the fuel pressure. if good install the fuel line back onto the carb. if not good diagnose the issue of not enough fuel delivery or insufficient pressure. could be a piece of junk sticking a fuel pump valve open so no fuel delivery to the carb. that is common with old fuel tanks and no fuel filter before the pump because the junk from the tank gets sucked directly into the pump and lodges in the valves of the pump. that is why a lot of old trucks and cars have a fuel filter installed just before the fuel pump. if the engine wasn't ran in awhile the pump valves can also stick to their seats and not allow the pump to operate properly. some pumps come apart and can be cleaned out, others are not repairable but can be blown through, from inlet to outlet, to clear the valves of debris if not too large of a piece is in there. this isn't a bad idea just to ensure there is not a blockage in the pump.
-if all the fuel delivery up to the carb is good, and everything is reconnected, crank the engine over a few times to make sure the fuel pump has had time to fill the carb. then remove the air filter and, with the engine stopped, look down the bore of the carb while you pump the accelerator lever. is the accelerator pump squirting fuel into the venturi? is it squirting the fuel at the edge of the throttle valve as the butterfly valve moves open? does it need to be adjusted to do this? next take the top off the carb and check the fuel level. while the top is off check the inlet needle and seat for collection of debris and check for proper float level. also check visually in the bottom of the carb for anything that is not supposed to be there, like dirt and/or water. water and fuel don't mix and water droplets don't usually draw through the jets because of the surface tension of a drop of water, so the engine runs lean because the water is stopping the fuel from getting through the jet as well, causing poor running and backfiring etc. some guys will remove the air cleaner and start the engine, then put something over the top of the carb quickly so all the engine vacuum draws through the carb jets. sometimes that will draw a clog through the jets and the engine will suddenly run better. at that point you at least know it is a carb issue and you can deal with it accordingly. or maybe it just fixed itself and no more attention is required other than some water removal additive to the fuel tank.
if the fuel system has been deemed all good check for a vacuum leak.
-check for a vacuum leak, starting at the carb base gasket, intake manifold gasket, vacuum fittings hoses and/or lines, vacuum advance mechanism. if all good look at your ignition system next.
-start with the battery connections, starter connections and grounds. when all good and clean go to the power supplies at the distributor, coil and ignition switch. make sure you have battery power there. check for a ballast resistor inline on the ignition switch side of the distributor/coil feed wire. you should have a wire from the starter to the distributor, that feeds 12volts to the system when starting so you get a good hot spark to start, then when you let go of the starter it will run on reduced power, through the ballast resistor, so the points don't get burned up over prolonged use. ballast resistors have a habit of going out so it is good to actually check it with a volt meter if you have one. if that is all good go to the distributor. remove the cap and check the mechanical advance mechanism to ensure it is free moving (against spring tension) and comes back to the end point if it is turned against itself. it should be free moving but not sloppy. check the distributor shaft for excessive wear or oil leakage. check the distributor cap, look for cracks, condensation on the under side of the cap, a good carbon electrode in the middle of the cap, no carbon arcing tracks, good connections for the plug wires and a good fit to the distributor body, along with a good locator so the cap doesn't get a chance to move around once locked down. check the rotor for a good electrode length and a good connection from the springy part to the electrode. check the spark plug wires for resistance. if they are not copper cored wires (radio interference wires then) check to ensure they don't have too much resistance and check the crimped on ends to ensure they are all good. check the boots on both ends. radio interference wires may require a different coil. check the coil for good connections and no cracks or oil leakage on the plastic insulator top. also for the right coil for your application- 6 or 12 volts, copper or radio interference wire application. when that is deemed all good, carry on to the spark plugs. check for correct plug, correct gap, cleanliness and/or cracked porcelain. make sure the screw on top is tight, if the plugs have that option. if they were fouled they should be replaced because the oil or fuel on the porcelain impregnates the porcelain and can cause issues with misfiring, especially if the engine is running lean. a lean mixture is harder to fire and can cause timing differences. it is also hard on ignition coils. next check the ignition points. pull a clean white business card (or equivalent) through the contacts. does it come out clean? if not rectify that issue first. make sure the contacts actually contact nice and square against each other and have a good fit. make sure the rubbing block is in good shape. make sure there isn't too much grease on the distributor shaft as that can get out onto the contacts when it heats up. some is good, too much is not better. check the condenser mounting and connection. replace the condenser if you don't have a good history with it. check the rubber or plastic insulator where the wire comes through the distributor body, check the insulator and pivot point on the contacts for wear and/ possible grounding issues, check that the contact return spring isn't close to grounding anywhere and that for the wire and screw are good as well. check the contact return spring for good tension and adjust the contact gap, then rotate to a different cam lobe and recheck it. the gap should be the same or really close. now do the business card thing again to ensure your feeler guage didn't contaminate the contacts. when all is good re-assemble it and check for a good blue spark from the coil output wire when you crank the engine. you can buy a spark checker tool pretty cheap if you are doing this all alone, some are adjustable for gap. otherwise have a buddy crank it over while you check for spark. if all is good re-assemble everything and try to start the engine. adjust the timing and check what the engine is running for vacuum. does the vacuum guage hold steady or fluctuate? (indicating a possible valve issue). with the engine running do you hear a steady exhaust tone or an unsteady tone, indicating a possible valve issue?
keep us posted,
dennis

[SCHRUMGMC]

Replaced the Vacuum line with a rubber hose
Truck was popping through the carb.. It cranked up but kept dying
I am so tired of messing with this truck, its not even funny

[Hogger54]

I'm still thinking timing.....

[SCHRUMGMC]

I'm thinking Carb

[Hogger54]

Have fun.

[dsraven]

hey buddy, if you are getting stressed about the old truck just take a break. you have a greqat old truck there and to top it all offf, it was a grampa truck. that means a lot right there. it is really great to see someone trying to get it back like it was, like you remember it. your gramps would be proud. leave it for awhile till you have the time and the mind set to work on it. go through each step one thing at a time till you get everything checked out and working. then try to start it. those old engines are almost indestructible unless you are doing something crazy. make sure you have good fuel to the carb, a clean carb, good blue spark and the timing is close. it will run, don't worry. like i said in my last reply, start at the tank and work forward. if you have to buy a couple of parts it is only small stuff. maybe some fuel lines or a filter. if you are unsure about the tank cleanliness just put an inline filter somewhere easy to replace, like near the fuel pump. that way you can change it easy till the gunk is gone from the tank. they sell cleqar plastic inline filters so you can see when it is getting dirty. try completely draining the tank into a clean container. that way you will be able to actually see what you have for fuel, plus, if there is water or dirt in there a bunch of it will come out and you will see what you are dealing with. you can always filter it and put it back in the tank if it is good gas. take a flashlight and look inside the tank. a buddy of mine was having trouble and found a piece of a disposeable cup inside his tank. sometimes it would get over top of the fuel outlet and he would have a bunch of trouble.
anyway, just keep plugging away at it and soon you will have a good runner. if you are stressed, take a break. that is what works for me and a lot of other guys. also, don't set a deadline for getting it done. you will be frustrated if you do that because it puts you under the gun to get it done. you will have a great old truck and an heirloom to top it off. the truck looks like it is in pretty good shape, overall.
take a deep,breath and carry on.
dennis

[SCHRUMGMC]

Found out the issue

The carb base gasket is wrong and its causing it to leak and the carb to not get air

[OrrieG]

[QUOTE=dsraven;6793120 a buddy of mine was having trouble and found a piece of a disposeable cup inside his tank. sometimes it would get over top of the fuel outlet and he would have a bunch of trouble.
[/QUOTE]
I had the same thing happen on a road trip. Big piece of lead solder broke loose and started bouncing around the bottom of the tank, engine would die, but start right up when pump suction was released. Ended up pulling the tank in Manti Utah. Our spare gerry cans were full so had to go door to door looking for gas cans to drain the tank. Siphoned out the gas and recruited a couple of local kid to stand guard over them while I pulled the seat and tank. Rattled the lead out, reinstalled the tank and moved on. Unfortuntely the lack of fuel had damaged the fuel pump diaphram and I ended up changing that in a Safeway parking lot when I got to Spanish Fork.

Carb gasket was the massive vacuum leak. Should start and run much better.

[SCHRUMGMC]

It had to be.. The damn gasket was too small and I had to make the holes bigger

Hopefully it will run like new since everything has been fixed

No matter how I set the timing and the idle screw nothing changed..So i'll get it fixed soon

[SCHRUMGMC]

Well i have someone sending me the correct gaskets for the carb base..so hopefully that will fix the problem

Since I put a rubber hose on the vacuum line, it looks weird...anyone else do this?

[coralhead]

Originally Posted by SCHRUMGMC

Well i have someone sending me the correct gaskets for the carb base..so hopefully that will fix the problem

Since I put a rubber hose on the vacuum line, it looks weird...anyone else do this?

I think you should work on getting it running instead of worrying what it looks like. You can always go back and dress it up.

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by SCHRUMGMC

Well i have someone sending me the correct gaskets for the carb base..so hopefully that will fix the problem

Since I put a rubber hose on the vacuum line, it looks weird...anyone else do this?

All my engines have rubber vacuum hoses, but it is hidden under the air cleaner. If routed and secured right not a big deal in my view. Like Coralhead said, you can always upgrade.

[SCHRUMGMC]

Oh I was just saying..I'll grow to like it I guess

Some gaskets are coming to fix the leak issue

[Custom 68]

Like my buddy always says
"you wont even see it at 70 mph"

But Yea you will feel so much better when it is running regardless of the look. going back and tweaking it one thing at a time will be easy for any future mods. I continue to mess with things on my truck they are meant to be a continual project I assume...
good luck and yes a massive vac leak will give you fits.