My concourse trailered 1970 428 Mach 1 will not start. Everything on the car is in new condition. The Carb was rebuilt by Pony Carb in New Mexico less than 5 miles, 18 months ago. Since that time I have started it up on a regular basis. I have had a pertronix converted stock ignition which has been working for several years. The coil is an original unit. When I crank the engine it sputters and coughs up gas out the carb which catches on fire. I am getting spark. When I set the timing mark to TDC, the rotor is pointing at #1 cyl spark plug wire. Any I deas of what to try next? Thanks.
My 428 will not Start
- Thread starter jrprokop
- Start date
red65
Member
Liquid gasoline that's visible in the carb (and on fire?!?) implies a carb problem - probably a stuck float or needle valve in the carb. Letting your car sit without driving (idling in the garage just isn't the same) for as long as your note implies has probably built some gunk up around the needle, which allows fuel to flow into the intake freely. You shouldn't be able to see more than a small stream of liquid fuel when you stroke the accelerator - any more liquid fuel in the intake is a sign of a problem.
A simple solution, that works occasionally, give the carburetor a sharp tap right near where the fuel line screws in (don't get too excited and hit it hard enough to crack it). Sometimes that's enough to disoldge whatever's holding the needle valve open.
Sometimes not - then you'll have to disassemble and clean the carb.
A simple solution, that works occasionally, give the carburetor a sharp tap right near where the fuel line screws in (don't get too excited and hit it hard enough to crack it). Sometimes that's enough to disoldge whatever's holding the needle valve open.
Sometimes not - then you'll have to disassemble and clean the carb.
Well, I took the float bowls and front metering block off the carb and boy am I sorry. The gaskets are not reusable and they are very nasty to remove. It all looks clean. The floats move freely. I am not sure where exactly the needle valve is. I guess I will be cleaning off gasket material for a couple days.
If it is sputtering gas out of it, it would either be stuck floats or needle valve as stated above. I had the same issue a while back from not driving the car. Gummed up badly. Maybe now you took the float bowls off and moved the floats that may have corrected it.
You say you have a pertonix ignition and it is a concours trailered car? Have you entered into events? Petronix is not allowed in concours trailered.
You say you have a pertonix ignition and it is a concours trailered car? Have you entered into events? Petronix is not allowed in concours trailered.
red65
Member
Not being critical... Taking a carb apart and rebuilding it properly takes some expertise, and I'm guessing it's expertise you don't have (otherwise you'd have known that you were going to need a carb rebuild kit, with all the gaskets, before you took your carb apart). There are far more ways to do it incorrectly than to do it right. It sounds like a nice car and I'd hate to see you do more harm than good - can you recruit some experienced help?
Thanks for the advise and well wishes.
Regarding the concourse question, you can use the pertronix because it maintains the stock apearance. I have been judjed in MCA Trailered Concourse 3 times and it was never an issue. there is one extra wire to the coil which is concealed with electrical wrap.
I am actually very mechanically experienced, including engine building, but I have never seen gaskets that made a mess like this before. Also I will not be atempting to rebuild, just a peek at the inside and new gaskets. I actually paid pony carburetors $600 (included new front bowl and "concourse" plating) to rebuild this Carb in 2006, so I am not messing with it!
Regarding the concourse question, you can use the pertronix because it maintains the stock apearance. I have been judjed in MCA Trailered Concourse 3 times and it was never an issue. there is one extra wire to the coil which is concealed with electrical wrap.
I am actually very mechanically experienced, including engine building, but I have never seen gaskets that made a mess like this before. Also I will not be atempting to rebuild, just a peek at the inside and new gaskets. I actually paid pony carburetors $600 (included new front bowl and "concourse" plating) to rebuild this Carb in 2006, so I am not messing with it!
Sure you can use them, but you will lose points.
This is not coming from me, but from MCA Judges, and I quote from a thread recently about this exact thing on VMF
http://forums.vintage-mustang.com/showtopic.php?tid/1477649/
As quoted by Laurie Swanson MCA Gold Card Judge, 67-68 Concours
Question posed by member of the other site: By the responses I guess the Pertronix isn't allowed in the driven concourse judging catagory?
Answer by Charles Turner MCA Head Judge (64.5-78)
Question posed by member of other site: Are any of you using the Pertronix ignitor in your distributors?
Answer by Jeff Speegle MCA Shelby Asst Head Judge & SAAC judge
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