what changed ??!!!??

[thenewguy65]

I changed my intake, rebuilt my carb, got it running. Took it for a test drive and it ran ok...not great but ok. Two-three days go by and I change my valve covers and pcv valve yesterday.

I start my car and it runs for 4-5 seconds and then dies. My wife notices a little light smoke behind the car. By the time I turned around I couldn't see any. And now it won't start. It seems like the timing was thrown off but the dizzy was locked down.

I will check for a new vacuum leak but I'd be surprised if one crept up. This is pretty damn frustrating.

 

[mustangman70]

Did you use a gasket between the carb and the intake?

 

[thenewguy65]

I am running a cast iron 4 barrel intake, a spacer plate with a gasket above it and below it. I can't see how changing the valve covers would affect anything. I will double check things tonight. It's just really frustrating. I'd hate to have to pull all this stuff off again and start all over.

Setting the timing has been the biggest #$@!# for me because I am still learning how to do it. I don't have a timing light.

 

[hhead]

I wouldn't doubt the dist moved a little.. If you loosen it and turn it a little, will the car start. Even w/o a light you should still be able to get it running.
Are you sure you have gas? (not trying to be funny)

 

[thenewguy65]

She's definitely gassed up. I will have to check the distributor. See if I can turn it a little in one direction or the other. I had a friend help me get it started, unfortunately he's not available for a while because of work.

 

[hhead]

If you're by yourself, you can always turn the key on and jumper the solenoid.

 

[thenewguy65]

Well I got it to start. It idles rough as hell and there's definitely light gray or light light blue (I can't really tell) coming out of the tail pipe. That wasn't there when I had the two barrel on it.

I am starting to think I have a vacuum leak. I can turn the idle air mixture screws and I get no response from the engine. I stuck a vacuum gauge on it though and I am getting 18 with no fluctuation.

 

[hhead]

okay. next, you had to remove the distributor to do the intake, correct. I think you might be off a tooth or so. it's very easy, when reinstalling. even though you marked the housing, the teeth and rotor may turn while reinstalling.

 

[thenewguy65]

Would that explain the smoke ?

 

[hhead]

sure, too early or too late firing. that's why, when you turned the distributor it fired right up. its off a little.
check your firing order also. it's VERY easy to switch wires when reinstalling. EVEN if you changed them one at a time. It happens.

 

[2nd Mustang]

When you get it running good, mark the distributor position. If you ever remove the manifold for whatever reason, you don't have to pull the distributor out, unless you have a bowtie motor in there.

 

[thenewguy65]

I got it started yesterday and it idled rough again, then it just died.

I am thinking part of the problem is the PCV system. I changed the valve covers and the pcv hose and valve. I bought the stock pcv hose and it's not fully reaching the PCV valve. It's about an inch too short. I rigged it up so I thought it would work but I am thinking that's at least part of the problem. I will swap out the valve cover on that side and the pcv valve and see what happens. It will at least eliminate it from consideration.

 

[Max Power]

When you get it running good, mark the distributor position. If you ever remove the manifold for whatever reason, you don't have to pull the distributor out, unless you have a bowtie motor in there.

Or an FE motor....

 

[6T6coupe]

The PCV is kind of a controlled vacuum leak. It's designed to suck fumes from the crankcase. If the hose is "hosed up" you could get an uncontrolled vacuum leak that will cause the car to run poorly.

Also, some valve covers have no baffle and can allow the PCV to suck in oil (poor running and smoke). The cheap chrome ones are notorious for this, but some of the cast ones also have no baffles. If that's the case, you'll need to add a sheetmetal baffle or use a baffled grommet for the valve.

 

[12sec67]

what type of carb are you running?

make sure none of the vacuum lines or vacuum plugs got blown off the carb.

 

[thenewguy65]

I have a baffle in the valve cover. I just think the job I did of getting a seal with the hoses is probably a little messed up. I am running an Autolite 4100 carb. I checked all the other vacuum fittings and they are all good.

I will know this afternoon when I put the old valve cover on there and hook up the hose for it. I need to go buy a hose to fit over the pcv valve first. I will run that to my spacer and then we will try it again.

 

[thenewguy65]

turns out, as soon as I replaced the old valve cover with the correct PCV grommet, it started up with no smoke and idled pretty good. Thanks for everyone's help.

I am still not sure if the carb I rebuilt is totally successul but I am getting there.

 

[66moneypit]

If you don't have a stock air filter with that setup, that might explain why that stock hose didn't fit. I think the stock hose ran to the air filter. If I remember my shop manual correctly. One ran from the pcv valve and the other ran from the spacer to the air filter.