'58 283 2X4: Sudden Stalling And Loss of Power

[David B.]

You guys just helped me solve a brake light problem. Now I need your help again, please.

'58 270 Duntov. Out for a nice cruise on a hot Monday. I felt the onset of a miss after about six miles and then at a stoplight, she stalled. I had to put the pedal to the floor to get it started and from there on there was a significant loss of power. I had to keep the revs up in neutral to keep it from stalling when stopped.

Made it home, thankfully, but the loss of power and engine shaking are significant. I checked the distributor cap and wires. No obvious issue there. No fuel line problems, either, that I can see. Very hard to start. I don't think it's plug related. That's just my gut.

Can you give me some obvious probable causes so I can begin my troubleshooting?

Thanks again, guys. Sorry to be back so soon.

Dave

[Clem Z.]

Re: '58 283 2X4: Sudden Stalling And Loss of Power

sound like dirt in the needle/seat. remove the fuel line and block off the out put. run the engine till both carbs are out of gas. reconnect the fuel line and restart. if a small piece of dirt is in the needle/seat running the carbs out of fuel will drop the floats all the way and open the needle/seat all the way and when you restart the fuel flow will wash the dirt out of the needle/seat

[Philip P.]

Re: '58 283 2X4: Sudden Stalling And Loss of Power

Or the fuel filter or the fuel pump. Some of the ethanol if you are using that type of gas, may have cleaned out some varnish and plugged the filter or degraded an old fuel line, the one between the fuel pump and the tank line. I would try the carb test first however.

[David B.]

Re: '58 283 2X4: Sudden Stalling And Loss of Power

Thanks, Clem and Phil. I'll check the carbs. I had the air cleaner off yesterday checking the carb fittings (they tend to vibrate loose). I may have knocked some debris in there somehow.

Dave

[Timothy B.]

Re: '58 283 2X4: Sudden Stalling And Loss of Power

David,

Don't rule out the gasoline, if it's 6 plus months old our old cars start acting funny.

Last Sunday I went for a drive with my 67 300hp convertible and after a one hour drive the engine stalled when at idle. It almost acted as if the gasoline is boiling but I seem to remember the car acting the same way last year and after new gas all was fine. The gasoline in the tank is approx six months old.

[David B.]

Re: '58 283 2X4: Sudden Stalling And Loss of Power

Timothy, I've thought about bad gas. I buy 93 at the same place all the time, and at $4.20 (currently), I'll bet not many people are buying it.

How can I check to see if I got some bad (watery, maybe?) gas? Thanks.

Dave

[Timothy B.]

Re: '58 283 2X4: Sudden Stalling And Loss of Power

David,

If the gasoline is not six or more months old I suspect it's not bad. The only way I know to check gasoline is to put some in you driver car and see how it runs.

[Steven B.]

Re: '58 283 2X4: Sudden Stalling And Loss of Power

Does it happen only in hot weather?

[Bob H.]

Re: '58 283 2X4: Sudden Stalling And Loss of Power

I had the same problem. Sounds crazy but it was starving for fuel. I finally discovered the rubber hose between the filler and tank was original and disintegrating from the inside thus causing problems. I now wonder if the addition of ethanol could have contributed to this.

Bob

[Jimmy B.]

Re: '58 283 2X4: Sudden Stalling And Loss of Power

I once lost power with a 56, problem was not fuel related at all, 1 of the screws that hold the points had came loose and they were slowly cloing.

[David B.]

Re: '58 283 2X4: Sudden Stalling And Loss of Power

>>Does it happen only in hot weather<<

Steve, this is the first time it's happened, but it was quite warm Monday, 89, I think. I've driven in weather about this hot before without issues, though.

What's your theory about stalling and loss of power in hot weather? Vapor lock?

Dave

[William F.]

Re: '58 283 2X4: Sudden Stalling And Loss of Power

What do you use to block off the disconnected carb end of the fuel line?

[Clem Z.]

Re: '58 283 2X4: Sudden Stalling And Loss of Power

What do you use to block off the disconnected carb end of the fuel line?

weatherhead makes a fitting check at your auto parts

[David B.]

Re: '58 283 2X4: Sudden Stalling And Loss of Power

Fixed! Bad plug(s). No carb intrusion necessary, thankfully.

I thought it was carb/fuel-related and was ready to do carb surgery, which scared the heck outta me. However, I fired her up before I started working on anything, felt the shaking, and my gut said, "Bad plug, Dave," even though I said before here that I didn't think it was related to spark. It felt like the bad plugs I've had from distant decades, with my '68 Plymouth and my Dad's old '59 Chevy 283. So, my gut was right. I pulled all the plugs and found that they were dirty and had the wrong gap: .040. I cleaned 'em up, regapped 'em to .035, and put 'em back in. It took forever because of the ignition shielding and awkward access on some, but I took my time and said amazingly few bad words.

Once I got everything back in, I turned the key and she started quicker and easier than ever and ran smooth. I took her out for a romp and she was so happy with her rejuvenated plugs that she ran more powerful than ever. No stalling and lotsa torque. Mission accomplished.

I want to thank all you guys for all your fast responses and wisdom. This is a great community and I like knowing that you're all here to help rookies like me.

This was actually an Occam's Razor deal. Ever heard of that? Here's one definition: "It is a principle urging one to select among competing hypotheses that which makes the fewest assumptions and thereby offers the simplest explanation of the effect."

I attacked the simplest possibility first (aided by my gut). I've screwed up too many things in my life by not considering the easiest/obvious solutions. Think computers, email. etc. So, that's my happy ending.

Thanks again, guys.

Dave

[Steven B.]

Re: '58 283 2X4: Sudden Stalling And Loss of Power

Dave, I had this problem with my 097 cammed '57 back in summer of '65. Temp was in 80's in late afternoon. I changed plugs and went back to street heat range and later when it happened I installed the crossover blockoff plate between the intake manifold and the head. This often happened when I was driving "spiritedly" in warm weather and had the linkage adjusted so the 2nd WCFB would come in at lower rpm's.

Steve