1963 Dodge 880 Hesitation on Acceleration

[jhermis1861]

Need help on my 1963 Dodge 880... 361 V8... Stock engine using conventional points and condensor.... Here is my issue.. I have had this vehicle for over a year and have had this issue ever since I got it.. Upon a slow gradual acceleration the vehicle gets a hesitation.. If you give it a lot of gas no problem... Now when you maintain slower speeds like around 35 to 45 it feels like you are driving against heavy wind like the RPM is changing without moving the gas pedal anymore or any less.... If you get up to 60 or so no problem at all.. Just on gradual acceleration and maintaining a slower speed does the issue appear.. Here is what I have done... Replaced Spark plug wires 3 times.. Changes spark plugs twice.. Replaced distributor twice, points twice.. Replaced points and condensor twice. All new cap and rotors twice.. Rebuilt carburetor twice.. Adjusted timing in every direction. Blew out fuel lines.. New fuel pump. New fuel filter. New ignition coil twice.. Replaced wiring from coil to firewall.. Replaced ignition switch. Adjusted jet sprayers on the carburetor in multiple directions... Vehicle has vacuum boosted brakes. Hose is new from booster.. Hose is new to PVC valve.. New pvc valve... All good ground connections.. Ammeter bypassed to avoid a short at ammeter connection... Wiring tied together on big thick wirenut... Replaced ballast resistor...I cannot for the life of me figure out what I am doing wrong... No oil on spark plugs... Any help or advice is needed and appreciated it.. Tired of throwing money at the vehicle... Could the gasoline be the issue and I need to put an additive in it.. I have tried premium fuel and no difference... My gas pedal does feel a little easy to push to the floor as if I press the pedal a little and it wants to take off like a jet at times... Could a worn out return spring be the issue.. Has to be something so small I am missing... The reason I replaced the ignition lock cylinder switch is according to the diagram the positive power to the coil runs through the ignition switch through the ballast resistor.. I figured if the lock cylinder had an intermittent issue then perhaps that was the problem.. However the issue is still there.. Should mention this is a Carter 2 Barrel carburetor with choke pull off..

 

[Dan Scully]

Just a guess is the accelerator pedal shaft pivot loose. Originally there is just a plastic bushing, I replaced mine with a bearing.

 

[Lefty71]

If the carb is truly an antique, it may still have a leather cup for the pump shot, as opposed to the newer rubber ones. I had this problem on my '64... I used some light oil and worked the leather a couple times and put it back in. Pump shot solid, no more hesitation.

 

[jhermis1861]

If the carb is truly an antique, it may still have a leather cup for the pump shot, as opposed to the newer rubber ones. I had this problem on my '64... I used some light oil and worked the leather a couple times and put it back in. Pump shot solid, no more hesitation

The carb was recently completely rebuilt.. I had sent it to a gentlemen on ebay that rebuilds carbs.. The cup is the newer type...

 

[jhermis1861]

Just a guess is the accelerator pedal shaft pivot loose. Originally there is just a plastic bushing, I replaced mine with a bearing.

View attachment 620254View attachment 620255

The pivot is pretty tight and so is the arm mechanism... However you can completely move the whole entire arm with ease... Thinking the spring is wore out.. However it could have been setup purposely like this as the previous owner could have preferred a light feeling gas pedal.. I also have a mercury comet.. Yeah I know not a mopar, however just for example on that one someone added an extra spring from the carb to the front of the engine just above the manifold and that pedal feels a little hard to push.. Almost like it gives your foot a workout to hold a speed..

 

[jhermis1861]

Just a follow up I am trying something else and will report back.. I read in another article that the accelerator pump could need adjustment to get a little more volume when it sprays.. Yesterday I used a wrench and put a little kink in the accelerator pump rod just didn't get a chance to drive around because it got late after my sons football game. The little flapper deal that sits in front that opens and closes when you accelerate.. Pic below circled... Guessing "air horn" if I got my terms right popped off its little tabs.. So I had to JB weld it back on the carb to get it to stay.. Sucks but things just don't last anymore... However I did notice the little rubber at the end was upside down as the flat side was on the whole not the actual rubber piece that should go in the hole.. Sorry for terms I am not a carb expert..

 

[jhermis1861]

This is not a problem anymore for me but wanted to share what I did to fix my issue... Original Problem... Ever since I got this car last year I had a random miss, sort of like a bucking feeling or driving against heavy wind whenever I would drive at slower speed.. I was originally using points, at the problem became worse with Pertronix electronic ignition.. The things I did previously that did not work... Replaced carburetor, plugs, plug wires, ignition coil, wirinng to bulkhead connector, switch alternator to 1 wire, bypassed amp guage inside of vehicle, adjusted carburetor, cleaned fuel lines, replaced fuel pump, replaced fuel filter, heat wrapped ignition coil, switched gasolines to premium, lead substitute in gasoline, seafoam in the carb, seafoam in the tank... Cleaned intake.. New ballast resistor(prior to pertronix).. Yeah none of this resolved the issue and I was almost at my wits end trying to fix this issue... Here is what fixed it.. Ready...... The ignition switch.. Yes thats right the ignition switch.. Looking at the wiring diagram one side of the coil wire runs through the keyswitch, through the bulkhead connector, to the ballast resistor back to the coil.. So current for the coil runs through the switch.. Intermittent loss of power at the internals of the keyswitch caused the issue.. I replaced the keyswitch with a new one.. A bam no more issue.. In case anyone in here has this issue and they can't fix it.. This is what I went through and how I resolved it... Maybe this has been brought up before but just sharing....