VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1946-1948 High Speed Engine Hesitation ???

Could a hole in my Gas Tank cause this problem???

No but water in the gas could. Did you blow out the gas line from the fuel pump back? If you use the 10% Ethanol gas the water should not be a problem unlless there is a ton of it. You will also see the water in the fuel bowl with the gas floating on top.
If all else fails I would rempve the carb. bowl cover and see if there is a load of junk in the bottom of the bowl obstructing the flow into the main jet (where the metering rods fits into)....or trade it in a on good '39.

Gene,

Yes, I blew out the line from the pump to the tank. I heard it blow in the tank like there was no obstruction. I already had the carb. apart, and cleaned that out also. There appears to be no water in the gas. This has really got me confused!!!
Im hitting dead ends on everything I try?

It could be an ignition miss. You may have done this but the first thing I would try is a condenser, then points, then plugs, then a coil if I had a spare....and the low tension wire between the coil and dist.

The above was mentioned in his first posting, but one of the new parts could still be defective.

Talked to one dude a long time ago that had the exact same problem. He blew out the fuel line between the pump and the tank and there was no restriction. The air was blowing back just fine, however the same "starvation" for fuel problem persisted......especially at higher speeds. Finally discovered that there was a large piece of debris in the tank and the sucking action from the fuel pump would suck the debris into the dip tube and when there was no sucking action from the pump the piece of debris would roll away from the dip tube. It all depended upon how fast the fuel pump was pumping as to how badly the dip tube was blocked which related directly to how much fuel starvation he had.

:) :grin:

I had the problem JYD mentioned, after fighting the problem for several weeks on our 1965 Pontiac family car. I did all the things you have done plus I almost burned the car, I disconnected the coil wire and the fuel line at the carb, this took a while on the side of the road. When I had my wife hit the starter while I watched to see if there was fuel flow the fuel pump pumped a good stream of gas onto the manifold, which was promply ignited by the coil wire laying on the manifold. My wife helped me throw dirt on the burning gas by throwing a handful of gravel down the throat of the 2 barrel carb. after I got the fire extingushed I then pulled the intake and cleaned the rocks out. When we got home, after several delays of 15 minutes each 20 or 30 miles, I pulled the gas tank. Small children, ours or neighbors had put several items into the tank. One of them was a cellophane wrapper off of a cigarette pack, it would suck down over the small brass screen tank outlet, plug off the flow, then when the pump quit pumping the cellophane floated up and the process started all over. Before you pull your hair out go the extra mile, check out that tank, and the line from the tank to the carb.

If you think this story is too strange to be true, just ask my wife, she has no reason to lie. And she has her memory back after brain surgery about 15 weeks ago. She remembers some things I wish she would forget.

Nothing coming from you would be too strange to be true. :)

Man, ain't that the truth?!!!

:/ :grin:

The truth shall set you free!

I just met your brother at a judges meeting this morning. Impressed me as a much better trouper than you. Fair evaluation?

Story from about 20 years ago. Happened at Pontiac dealer that I call on. Mechanic pushes no-start car into his stall. WAs a Pontiac 6000 4 cyl....in which the spark plugs are in the front of the engine. He sees that the engine is flooded so removes the spark plugs and proceeds to turn the engine over with the starter to blow the excess gas out of the cylinders. The spark plug wire connectors are hanging there in front of the engine. The "spark" ignites the gas and the gas hits the service dept. wall along with the flames. Result, badly blackened wall. Fortunatly nothing caught fire.

Story from about 50 years ago. I was trying to start a 1949 Cadillac. Used oil pump can filled with gas to squirt some fuel into the throat of the carb. Engine backfires in the process. Flame follows stream up to nozzel of squirt can. My heart stopped.
I am sure that we have all done some stupid things and lived thru them.

Raymundo,Actually My Bubba was trained as a peace officer, and that makes him somewhat of a trooper, everything else I taught him well.... Raymundo from what I know about you, I would be suspicious of any evaluation you came up with (FWIW)
But he is an ok guy, just don't make him angry.

Bookem Danno.

OK, Back again to the hesitation problem. Now I have installed a new Fuel tank, and Fuel pump. Blew out both lines, pump to tank, and pump to carb. New points,plugs,cap,rotor,wires,vac. advance. Swapped Coils. Took apart Carb, and cleaned out.
Timing right on the ball, Points to 18.

IT STILL DOES IT.

What have I missed???

Install another accelerator pump in your rebuilt carburetor and see if that helps.

:) :grin:

Try replacing the coil to distributor wire or just hook up a jumper wire and see if it changes. Gas cap vent plugged up? Incorrect float setting?

"Try replacing the coil to distributor wire"

You did not mention that new plug wires were intalled--everything but.
Is the coil wire to the cap a very solid connection? I have been tearing my hair out over a very similar promlem as yours and just this morning found that the coil wire is loose and has been arcing. I have a nice idle, but as the revs increase, the wire vibrates and creates a surging at steady cruise speed.