Ok, working on the "73" off and on, went back, put new plugs, wires, cap rotor, ensured they were correct following the 1-5-4-2-6-7-7-8 firing order. Engine starts right up, will idle ok, but when you take her out on the road, you have to feather her to feed gas, will sput and back fire, but if you push the gas to the floor, she will take it and run fairly well. Now I am hoping just timing (matter of fact, when I went to time her by ear...old school timeing, I found it very difficult to turn the distributor...any tips on that), anyway hope it may just be timing, and not wanting it to be...carb work, valve concerns etc. Any tips, suggestions or guidance. I found that although I (we) all can work on our cars, it never hurts to get other opinions, plus when you work on vehicles on a hit and miss....sometimes you just forget common concerns...many thanks. JPL/Comet
Well I just had same thing happen with my 76 ford van 351w I had a pinhole in the diaphram on my fuel pump. It would idle but when you took off it would try to starve out. Or it could be a dirty screen in the fuel tank. Idles fine til you put pressure on it and trash sucks into the screen making it run bad. Or trash in carb or float level out of adjustment, spray a little PB Blaster at the base of the distributor and let it sit over night, then it will turn much better, then get a timing light and time it again. Last but not least fuel filters, I just put a new filter on the carb and a big clear filter inline so I can check for trash...Good luck, I hope this helps you...Jim
how long did the car sit?I had the same problem where mine didn't turn so i replaced mine,i put an hei because i had dual points one mine and its pain in the ass because you have to gap them just right. I would go with the basics ,good spark,lean or rich mixer,fuel filer.oh make sure the plugs are gaped right i never just put them on out of the box.If you have a holly some times the power vales go the are cheap.make sure you have no vacum leak.It could be a couple of reasons.LIke i said go with the basics.I would make sure a good fuel flow.I always make a rule when i do a tune up its air filter,fuel filter,cap&roter and spark plugs.DON't use cheap parts.I hope this was useful to you. good like
You may want to check the setting for your points but from what you describe you have an off-idle lean mixture. If you are running the right size carb for your car you may have the throttle open just a bit too far. The timing could be slightly retarded - check it with a good light. If you have the vacuum advance hooked up check to make sure it is on a timed vacuum source - so it comes on when the throttle is opened but at idle it has no vacuum.
froze dist. i had the same problem i pulled the dist.out and i could not turn it by hand i rebuilt it and put in a pertonix elect.ign. system in it is very easy to do you remove the points and mount the new part to the dist plate just kike the points pull off the roto and slide the new part down over the dist shaft hook up one wire and you are done i got mine at a hotrod parts store like 35.00 bucks never replace points again good luck harry
I had a distributor rusted into the manifold of a Torino once. It was in a retarded position and the carb was cracked open all the time, just so that it would idle. Ran, but was very lazy. I soaked the dist. base with PB Blaster and it still wouldn't turn. Finally took a wood block pressed up against the vacuum advance canister and smacked it with a metal hammer. (Rubber hammer still didn't work with the wood block, it was really stuck). It finally turned, and luckily didn't break the vac advance. The car ran great after that ...
Thanks for the tip, and man, I can't tell you how many times the most important and useful tool in my box was the "HAMMER". Matter of fact, I have used the hammer on: my car, my computer, my TV, the washing machine, and once on my brother-n-law. I will give it a try. Later. JPL
Hey, for anybody intersted. I put the "73" on eBay., so take a look at her, and see if you may be intereseted.....Thanks. JPL
i about fell out of my seat when i read that. i had to answer the phone at that moment and was chuckeling while i was talking to the customer. thats just funny. i have some really big hammers that i use on the big diffs.
