carb problems?

[sacopee]

I have a 1939 Silver Streak with a straight eight. the car starts every time, however after I travel about 2 to three miles the engine quits. It starts up again but when I try to move it stalls. If I let it cool down for a while, it starts and drives for another couple of miles. Does anyone have any ideas on how to fix this?


Thanks, Ron

[Larry]

What's the status of your fuel pump and filter? Does it quit like starving for fuel?

[sacopee]

The fuel pump is OK. We have narrowed it down to an air intake problem - either intake manifold leak or in the carb. Just have to try to find it.

Thanks!

[Larry]

Did you determine the vacuum leak by using a vacuum gauge? If the gauge "wavers irregularly at idle; fluctuates rapidly in smaller range at higher rpm" you have a manifold leak at the intake side. To locate, squirt a small amount of oil around the manifold at gasket joints. Watch for the vacuum gauge to steady, or listen for the engine to smooth out as the oil "seals" the leak. I don't see a carb problem, unless it is right at a fitting on the outside.
I really don't see how a vacuum leak could cause the stopping problems. It should just cause a lean situation that stays the same, but not that get worse and kills the engine.
Have you also checked that the vent on the gas cap is open? Listen for air to rush in as you remove the cap.
Keep us posted.

[sacopee]

Hi!

The problem was with the carburetor. We tried a different one and it worked fine. Don't know the specific problem, but will work on it this winter. Thanks for all the input.

Ron

[Larry]

I will just bet that when you take the carb apart you will find some sediment that was being picked up somehow blocking the metering rod somehow. It took a while to block, fell away when shout down, and repeated when run again. Had a similar problem with a '65 Cadillac a long time ago. After a couple hundred dollars of work (stranded on the road 1000 miles from home, of course), and no better fix, a simple can of STP gas treatment got it to stop stalling, and us back home. Your car probably could have run forever at idle, as below about 800-1000 rpms it runs off of the idle jets.
Anyway... glad to hear you fixed the problem.

[jive358645]