68 383 4 barrel - carb just rebuilt and has a sputter when I floor it

Biggredd2069

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I have a 68 Newport 383 4 barrel. Just had the intake manifold gasket and carburetor rebuilt at a shop. I plan to bring it back in tomorrow but wanted to get some advice. The car generally ran well before but had some engine stutters at certain accelerations, sometimes it would go seemingly fine and others it would want to hesitate and then go. So I got it all rebuilt and was driving home, came to a stop light and decided to just give it full gas and it did it again, wanted to stutter and actually did stall. Kind of upset at the shop for not catching it. Also, at idle it has what sounds like a bunch of mini backfires. It does have new spark plugs already. The wires seem good, not sure about the distributor but is seemingly fine. Any thoughts?
 
If you paid for them to rebuild and tune it, damn right take it back. Unless they just charged you for a rebuild, what's on the invoice? But they should have it dialed in pretty close if they have any competence at all.
 
Hi
Just for giggles, start with some sort things you can check.. Look at your fuel filter, vacuum and fuel lines for leakage. If you have a way of a vacuum gauge? Is it a carter avs ? Also take a quick glance at your linkage. These are a few things that may persist before and after your rebuild, have fun carbs are good.
 
My personal experience is that I had rebuilt a 2bbl & accidentally dropped a back flow ball into the accel pump chamber and if i hit the gas hard it fell on its' face like you are describing.
Once I pulled the carb apart and saw what I had done, I slapped myself on the forehead and moved it to the right port & it worked like a charm after that.
 
It seems to run exactly the same as it did before the carb rebuild. It does have a new fuel filter. I did have a linkin fuel line which I replaced the other day and still runs the same. What would the symptoms of a bad fuel pump be ? I can still drive it relatively normal, would a bad pump be consistently noticeable?
 
experience I have had is a bad fuel pump if it is still operational to a certain degree will allow the carb to fill and at higher rpm's starve the engine for gas, not just simply cut out on a one time "hit it hard' scenario..

How is the fuel line from the tank & the tank itself? have you checked that out?

A vacuum leak can cause this as suggested
timing being off as well.
 
I think you're on the right track, just check your lines for cracks etc, look at the connections in particular . If you have a new fuel filter, is it one that is clear plastic and easy to see the fuel in it? See if the fuel after you start it and turn off the engine, stays at the same level or drops. And check the filter for rust etc and cleanness. As mentioned earlier check your timing. In my experience a fuel pump goes fairly quickly, thanks goodness in town near a auto part store. A carb is pretty basic but process of elimination is a good start. If this was happening prior to a rebuild then look outside of the carb, start with the easiest (hoses, connection, linkage, fuel filter see tru) then a fuel pump. So when in doubt assume the shop has competent guys ( since it happened before) and work your way away from the carb to the pump. For you piece of mind, change the pump, cost is ok.
 
I think you're on the right track, just check your lines for cracks etc, look at the connections in particular . If you have a new fuel filter, is it one that is clear plastic and easy to see the fuel in it? See if the fuel after you start it and turn off the engine, stays at the same level or drops. And check the filter for rust etc and cleanness. As mentioned earlier check your timing. In my experience a fuel pump goes fairly quickly, thanks goodness in town near a auto part store. A carb is pretty basic but process of elimination is a good start. If this was happening prior to a rebuild then look outside of the carb, start with the easiest (hoses, connection, linkage, fuel filter see tru) then a fuel pump. So when in doubt assume the shop has competent guys ( since it happened before) and work your way away from the carb to the pump. For you piece of mind, change the pump, cost is ok.

Also do a resistance check on your points, weak spark can also cause the symptoms you describe. Full throttle increases the need for a hot spark.

Dave
 
Weak spark can and will give the same symptoms as a carb or fuel delivery problem. The owner of the service station I worked in when I was 19 taught me that. A valuable piece of information that has saved me quite a few times over the years.
 
Here's another thought. Weak spark brought to mind when my battery wasn't charging the car ran like I was running out if gas. It would go under light throttle (cruise), but if I stepped on it, it would fall on it's face. Check those points.
 
You can "fight" that idle-to-WOT situation until you're Chevy Orange in the face and not get rid of it, from my own experiences. DO check the accel pump for an immediate pump shot as soon as the throttle is moved, but if it's a Carter, it'll probably not happen as quickly as a Holley might do that, by observation. No amount of swapping slots for the accel pump linkage will fix it, either. Been there, done that.

But do make sure the accel pump puts a solid shot when the throttle is quickly moved from idle.

Chrysler typically used torque converters which were a bit "tighter" than GM or Ford used, so that puts more load on the engine when the accel is opened too quickly, and the engine can't respond soon enough. Hence, the spit-backs, pop-backs, and such.

Go ahead and do all of the checks and such as you desire, to ensure there are no other problems that you might not know about. Timing, points and such, vac advance, vac hoses, etc. Just to make sure they are what they need to be. Then take it back for a re-check at the shop.

What led you to believe the carb needed rebuilding in the first place? The point is that if a rebuild didn't fix what you thought it would fix, everything was probably fine to start with. What you might need is something more than just "a shop", but somebody that knows about carbs specifically, but not some "hot rod shop" that makes "big claims".

Rather than idle-to-WOT stomps, you might well have better luck with 1/2 throttle punches and then WOT after the car is moving. This does a few things. First is that it keeps the vac advance working (advancing the spark setting), which keeps more advance in the motor until the centrifugal advance starts kicking in. With your WOT punch, all vac advance goes away, with no advance happening until the centrifugal advance starts. Not the best for lower rpm power.

It also keeps an initial over-rich condition from happening. Too much fuel too soon, not fully supported by increased air flow through the engine.

From my observations, some carbs and engine combinations seem to handle the WOT punch better than others. IF yours is one that might not, then don't do it! It might make you feel good to do it, but if the car doesn't like it, don't do it. Learn how to use "the machinery" in the manner it lets you know it likes to be used in. That's one lesson many people never learn, cussing the car all the while. You'll have more enjoyment when YOU and THE CAR work together, than if you try to force it to do things it doesn't want to do.

Just some thoughts,
CBODY67
 
Good suggestions. I'll check the fuel lines and spark. I'd be a little disappointed if this was the norm on how this engine operates if I can't floor it without potential stalling.
 
Good suggestions. I'll check the fuel lines and spark. I'd be a little disappointed if this was the norm on how this engine operates if I can't floor it without potential stalling.
It’s not normal
You just have to keep checking things out to eliminate what the cause is...
 
What do you run for fuel? Any ethanol in it? How much? Are you aware of what ethanol does to standard old car style rubber and metal fuel lines? I’m not saying your problem is fuel related but if it is there may be some things you need to address from the tank to the carb. This might be a good time to check the length of your rod, fuel pump push rod that is.
 
It seems to run exactly the same as it did before the carb rebuild. It does have a new fuel filter. I did have a linkin fuel line which I replaced the other day and still runs the same. What would the symptoms of a bad fuel pump be ? I can still drive it relatively normal, would a bad pump be consistently noticeable?

It has been said before, but it bears repeating: "Most carburetor and fuel-related problems are electrical. . ."
 
I know some folks just like to suggest replacing parts instead of doing actual diagnostics...

Simple fuel pump test: Unhook the fuel line at the filter and run a hose from the line over to a coffee can. Unhook the coil wire so it won't start. Crank the engine over and there should be a strong pulse of fuel with every revolution of the engine.

That's not saying that it's the fuel pump... It's a simple test that anyone that knows which end of a screwdriver is which can do. It eliminates that as a possibility without replacing parts.
 
I'm taking it to the shop tonight. Depending on the outcome I may try all of these when I get it back, or hopefully he'll find the issue quickly and I can have him address it. I'm stuck on a fine line of wanting the pride of doing it myself and just wanting it done now. Lol. And those definitely aren't the same.
 
Is the car in your avatar the car in question?
How much taller are those tires than the stock tires? What gears are you running? With a tight converter and high gears you’re asking a lot out of an older engine.
Just saying, if you’re wanting to dead stop, absolutely stomp the go pedal to the floor and have instant neck breaking results,,, everything has to be right. If you have a loose timing chain, worn cam lobes, mechanical or vacuum advance not working properly, among numerous other things, it ain’t gonna happen.
 
Yes, these tires are on it and about 3 inches taller than stock. I don't need break neck speed right now but I do want to be able to mash it and just have it go properly, break neck speed will be addressed more appropriately at a much later date. I know the engine was rebuilt at some point but I don't have all the details but I'm hoping recent enough that those parts aren't completely worn out yet.
 
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