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Running Rough, won't idle...all of a sudden

  • Thread starter Thread starter streetstang67
  • Start date Start date Apr 11, 2010

streetstang67

Member
Mar 5, 2003
573
0
16
Lexington, SC
Apr 11, 2010
#1
  • Apr 11, 2010
  • #1
Went to take the stang out yesterday and it was hard to start (backfired) and won't idle unless i held it to at least 1200 rpm. Also, when I took it out, its running rough, rpms surging up and down while cruising. The car was running fine last week.

I've checked the powervalve and looked over for vacuum leaks. Thats all fine.
I've refueled, to make sure it wasn't bad gas...no change.
Fuel seems to be flowing in fine, I can see through the clear fuel filter.
I changed the spark plugs (been needing to anyway)...no change.
I hooked timing light up to all plug wires to make sure they were getting power.

I'm running out of options, other than starting to replace things like the coil, carb, etc.... Any suggestions?

Thanks
 

woodsnake

15 Year Member
Jan 16, 2007
1,352
15
69
Hicksville, NY
Apr 12, 2010
#2
  • Apr 12, 2010
  • #2
Slipped timing gear?
 

streetstang67

Member
Mar 5, 2003
573
0
16
Lexington, SC
Apr 17, 2010
#3
  • Apr 17, 2010
  • #3
Timing seems fine, it won't idle down low enough to check it, but twisting the distributor doesn't help anything.

Changed the coil, in will now idle, but barely...cuts out when i put it in gear.

I'm thinking about a carb rebuild, any other suggestions?
 

SScott

Powered by LORD
Apr 23, 2004
304
0
16
Alabama
Apr 20, 2010
#4
  • Apr 20, 2010
  • #4
I know this is not the same issue you are having but close and maybe a start for you to look. I bought a new Pro-Form body and after installing, my car did the exact same thing. After hours of trying to figure it out, I discovered the plumbing to the air bleeds were never drilled... so, maybe your air bleeds have some trash in them? I would do the carb rebuild like you said and take a rubber tipped blow gun to every orifice.

Hope you get it going.
 

Tim65GT

Active Member
Feb 24, 2004
1,149
2
39
West Texas
Apr 20, 2010
#5
  • Apr 20, 2010
  • #5
It sound like a vacuum leak. My recent experience with this same issue was bad intake gaskets. I verified it by spraying carb cleaner around and the idle increased when I hit the leaks.

Spray around your carb and gaskets, and see if your rpm goes up.
 

tx65coupe

Active Member
Nov 29, 1999
1,551
1
37
Apr 21, 2010
#6
  • Apr 21, 2010
  • #6
Thats a good idea, but wouldn't the carb cleaner make the idle go down?
 
6

68RCodeConv

New Member
Oct 2, 2003
345
0
0
Houston, TX
Apr 23, 2010
#7
  • Apr 23, 2010
  • #7
tx65coupe said:
Thats a good idea, but wouldn't the carb cleaner make the idle go down?
Click to expand...

It is a highly flammable substance so when the motor sucks it in the engine speed picks up. Same thing with propane out of an unlit propane torch.
 

streetstang67

Member
Mar 5, 2003
573
0
16
Lexington, SC
Apr 24, 2010
#8
  • Apr 24, 2010
  • #8
I agree it sounds like a vacuum leak, but I couldn't find any. I'll try the intake gaskets...hopefully i'll find something....
 
B

bocksta

Member
Apr 30, 2003
66
0
6
rhode island
Apr 24, 2010
#9
  • Apr 24, 2010
  • #9
If you have a vacuum gauge you could use this.

thats the best image i have of it. Good luck.
 

hardsy

New Member
Oct 2, 2007
13
0
1
Melbourne, Australia
Apr 25, 2010
#10
  • Apr 25, 2010
  • #10
Possibly check the the pcv valve.
 

tx65coupe

Active Member
Nov 29, 1999
1,551
1
37
Apr 25, 2010
#11
  • Apr 25, 2010
  • #11
68RCodeConv said:
It is a highly flammable substance so when the motor sucks it in the engine speed picks up. Same thing with propane out of an unlit propane torch.
Click to expand...

Everytime I have sprayed carb cleaner into a carb while its running begins to stall.
 

Tim65GT

Active Member
Feb 24, 2004
1,149
2
39
West Texas
Apr 25, 2010
#12
  • Apr 25, 2010
  • #12
Everytime I have sprayed carb cleaner into a carb while its running begins to stall.
Click to expand...

Come to think of it, it wasn't carb cleaner I used, I was out. I think it was brake cleaner.
 
J

j69302

Active Member
Jan 31, 2006
325
1
29
Apr 25, 2010
#13
  • Apr 25, 2010
  • #13
tx65coupe said:
Everytime I have sprayed carb cleaner into a carb while its running begins to stall.
Click to expand...

dont spray it into the carb, spray it around the gaskets and seals of the intake manifold and carb base.
 

tx65coupe

Active Member
Nov 29, 1999
1,551
1
37
Apr 26, 2010
#14
  • Apr 26, 2010
  • #14
I guess spraying in the carb versus just in the intake could produce different results. Its interesting that it will make the idle go up. Thats good to know.
 
D

D.Hearne

New Member
Sep 29, 2000
11,730
6
0
south louisiana
Apr 26, 2010
#15
  • Apr 26, 2010
  • #15
tx65coupe said:
Everytime I have sprayed carb cleaner into a carb while its running begins to stall.
Click to expand...

That's because you sprayed too much into it. I was working on a Briggs & Stratton the other day and ran it on only carb cleaner just by spraying.
 
D

D.Hearne

New Member
Sep 29, 2000
11,730
6
0
south louisiana
Apr 26, 2010
#16
  • Apr 26, 2010
  • #16
streetstang67 said:
Went to take the stang out yesterday and it was hard to start (backfired) and won't idle unless i held it to at least 1200 rpm. Also, when I took it out, its running rough, rpms surging up and down while cruising. The car was running fine last week.

I've checked the powervalve and looked over for vacuum leaks. Thats all fine.
I've refueled, to make sure it wasn't bad gas...no change.
Fuel seems to be flowing in fine, I can see through the clear fuel filter.
I changed the spark plugs (been needing to anyway)...no change.
I hooked timing light up to all plug wires to make sure they were getting power.

I'm running out of options, other than starting to replace things like the coil, carb, etc.... Any suggestions?

Thanks
Click to expand...
Got Points ? If you do, then they're a likely culprit. Might be the vacuum advance diaphram also ruptured and the timing's off due to it.
 

streetstang67

Member
Mar 5, 2003
573
0
16
Lexington, SC
Apr 28, 2010
#17
  • Apr 28, 2010
  • #17
Thanks for the feedback...

PCV valve is fine...also, no points, I have the crane xr-i electronic ignition. I rebuilt the carb saturday and that didn't change anything. Also took valve covers off to see if anything looked odd, everything seemed fine. Used the timing light on each plug wire to make sure they were all getting spark, they were. Fuel pump is holding steady around 4 psi, I assume thats high enough...man this is frustrating, running out of options.
 
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