54 Stalling issue- Take 2

[Joe R.]

My 54 six cyl. has an occasional stalling issue. When driving it in high ambient temps, it will occasionally sputter and stall at idle. The coolant temp is running at around 190 deg F when it is 90-95 ambient, some stop/go traffic. It will always start back up with a few cranks.

I have set the floats at 1/2" on recommendations from others in the archives, but nothing has changed except less leakage out the venturies!

Any ideas as to where to look? Is this "percolation"? And if so how can I resolve

Joe

[Gary C.]

Re: 54 Stalling issue- Take 2

Joe, try a higher idle speed somewhere around 900 and see if that helps any. Gary....

[Clem Z.]

Re: 54 Stalling issue- Take 2

use a needle/seat out of a turbo corvair carb kit as it is a spring loaded one that the vibration from the engine will not affect.

[Joe R.]

Re: 54 Stalling issue- Take 2

Thanks guys.

I have the spring-loaded needle/seats in all 3 and I tried the higher idle speed. I'm now at about 875 in drive. Maybe I'll try higher, as you suggested, Gary.

I was wondering if my heat riser is in the wrong position? Do you guys have a picture of where it should be when hot?

[Clem Z.]

Re: 54 Stalling issue- Take 2

have you check your fuel pressure ?????

[Joe R.]

Re: 54 Stalling issue- Take 2

I did. It runs at about 4-6 PSI at idle

[Ted K.]

Re: 54 Stalling issue- Take 2

The heat riser spring should be reversed causing the flap in the manifold to be in a open fixed position all the time. This came out in some directive from GM in 1954.

[Joe R.]

Re: 54 Stalling issue- Take 2

Ted, do you know the position of the weight in the correct way?

[Ted K.]

Re: 54 Stalling issue- Take 2

Unfortunately I am not with the car to describe the position, but when the engine is cold the convertional setup was to have the bimetal spring holding the heat riser closed until the manifold is sufficently hot to allow the spring to open up the internal flap. When the engine is cold observe this position, warm up the engine and see if the heat riser opens up. If it does reverse the spring so that it holds the heat riser open all of the time.