So went to drive the ol' 320 the other day, let it idle (choke was on, running about 2 grand) for a few minutes to warm up, then it just shuts off.
Car will turn, idle shortly, then die.
Not injected anymore, Weber 38 on it, so I fired it and tried a blast of starting fluid to try and keep it going. Nope.
Now, my recollection is that if it will run on starting fluid, you have a fuel problem, if it doesn't, you have an ignition problem.
Do I remember that right, or it'll never keep running by throwing starting fluid at it?
How clean is that carb?
When my motorcycle carbs got dirty with old fuel it would run on the choke but any throttle input but cause it to die.
02Pilot
UltraDork
11/25/20 1:47 p.m.
Sounds like something heat-related in the ignition system. Try it and put your hand on the coil - if it's hot the coil's bad. I can't recall what those use to trigger spark - it's not points, but I don't remember what it is.
Edit: Comment above made me think about the fuel filter. If it's badly clogged you might get enough to fill the carb bowl over time, but it might not be able to keep up once it's running. Electric fuel pump, yes?
Carb is new (not much run time on it, but it's been on the car a couple years)
Ignition is electronic, no points, I think the control box is on the fire wall.
I thought seeing if it would run while squirting starting fluid at the carb would point to fuel issues (it's been YEARS since I trouble shot anything that way), but beyond start up, zero, which makes me think ignition.
I'll check the coil, too, and I'll have to see how to t/s or test that module.
Amazingly, if one correctly looks at the fuel pressure guage in front of the carburetor one installed for just such occasions, and realizes it's NOT at the 3psi mark, but instead in the dead range, one might might then take the proper diagnostic steps to determine that one has NO fuel coming from the pusher pump at the back of the car, meaning it's highly likely the in-tank pump is dead.
Go figure.
Yes, you should be able to keep it alive wth starting fluid if your problem is that you're having a lack of fuel.
perhaps it's going rich, but I would suspect something ignition-related.
Check for spark when it has died. Put a spare spark plug on a lead, set where the electrode can ground out and crank it over.
Mine did that after the PO replaced the fuel filter with a plastic one used on lawn mowers. Fuel pressure blew the plastic twice its size and the paper element got sucked into the fuel line.
YMMV.
In reply to jfryjfry (FS) :
It has spark. That's when I realized I was looking at my fuel pressure gauge incorrectly (time for new glasses?) - and there's zero fuel coming forward from the tank to the carb.
No fuel from the pusher pump, no fuel from the in tank pump.
Apparently they'll run w/o the in tank pump operating, but supposedly that'll make it hard on the pusher pump. Might be that one died and killed the other.
Next up is to make sure there's voltage at at least the pusher, but lost my meter somewhere, and caught some bug or other, so under current circumstances my efforts are curtailed for the next week and a half (can't call for help or run to parts store...).
Hope everybody is having a great Thanksgiving!
