The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 235 inline 6 mystery? ???

Okay so here's the deal I have a 1955 chevy 3600 stock 235l6 with munci tranny so about 5months ago it bro down on me shut down like I ran out of gas so I changed the fuel pump checked the lines rebuild the carb and wont stay on I'm thinking the intake gasket is leaking more air in cause it will stay on if you keep spraying starting fluid so checked it all went thru it timing points and still nothing still thinking its the intake gasket so then parked it haven't touched it since those 5months today I just sprayed carb and intake cleaner one the manifold and carb stays on now and drove it a bit now but why out of nowhere it started and in the summer it would nt start?? Please help

Punctuation, capital letters, and complete sentences are your friends. I've got a headache from just trying to read your post!

Taking a shotgun approach to a problem by "fixing" a whole bunch of stuff at once creates more problems than it solves. Check out one thing at a time and repair it if necessary.
Jerry

Just read it through no need for periods lol

It was a original motor got the truck running especially stock , looks real original 235 dove it as is then started acting up on me like I said in the post it died on me one day goin to work thought I ran out of gas since the gas gauge doesnt work so after work put gas in it and only got one mile , so the n I replace the fuel pump since it wasn't pumping fuel to the glass bowl got another maybe 2miles then kept trying to start it , then when I got it towed home saw the hose underneath got binded causing it not to pump fuel still no run , it will start with a shot of starting fluid but wont stay running so then checked timming , was fine. Sound like it was getting too much air in the carb so I rebuild the carb same thing until today

Its hard writing by phone

It is harder trying to read that "writing".

You might want to try to take the time to compose readable messages. You might get more replies, and more readers will be better able to understand your problem/question.

So... are you just wanting to know why your engine is now running?

Brad

+2 on what Tim had be say

I would like to help, but I'm having a hard time reading and understanding your posts.

And I'm not sure why this is in the 'Daily Driver' forum.

If you suspect that your intake gasket is bad, then replace it.

And as Hotrod Lincoln said, replace one thing at a time until the problem is solved. That way, if it happens again, you'll know where to start.

Sounds like a trashy gas tank, cloded line from gas tank.
Larry

I dont get how you guys cant read this! And if you do read I did go thru it step by step if you cant read. I'm just trying to figure why out of the blue it started up an ran when it didnt before

+3

It ran because it got fuel, compression and spark at the right time. Next question?

I just dont get it! When you know it all and jave gone thru it all and cant come up with a real answer, It just blows my mind! !!!

Everyone that I have spoken to about it cant explain it!

Most likely they did not understand you problem and/or your question?

Let me try this for our Mensa Member who currently appears to be suffering from menses.
I will attempt to translate his post in the format which most folks can comprehend.
55 3600
235 L6
Muncie transmission
5 months ago it shut down like it ran out of gas.
Changed fuel pump, checked fuel lines, rebuilt the carburetor, checked timing, and checked points.
It wouldn't idle.
Could it have been a leak in the intake gasket?
Today I sprayed carburetor and intake cleaner on the manifold and the carburetor and it now stays running and I was able to drive it a bit.
What would prevent it from running 5 months ago, yet would not cause the same problem today?

Did I get to all of your questions Frankielocs?

Spray the intake with carb cleaner. See what happens. Engine speed up?? Replace the gasket. nothing happens then its still starving for fuel. Put a filter coming out of the tank and one before it goes into the carb.
If it were me I'd run a rubber line to the IN side of the carb and drop the other end in a can of gas.
Do this and report back.

Yes you are correct 52carl bit it runs now .I have sprayed the intake with carb. Cleaner and nothing , I still need to spray the carb. to get it to turn on

It used to be my daily driver up until all this happened 😐

Did you run a fuel pressure/flow test at the input to the carburetor?

When you step on the gas pedal, is there a squirt of gas spraying into the throat of the carburetor? If not, your accelerator pump isn't working.
Carl

Well it happened to me today ot shut off like if I ran out of gas the glass filter is full of fuel . Im assuming that the carb. Float got stuck cause if I spray starting spray in the bowl will start for a lil min. Then die again

Check the coil wire at the ignition. Sometimes the wire gets loose and will run and then suddenly turn off, then the wire moves very slightly and it runs again. It may not be that, but it doesn't cost to check it.

you really need to throw that can of ether away. unless you are trying to start a diesel at 10 below zero, ether has no purpose. I have seen engines ruined by ether, and in rather short order.

Sounds to me like you have something floating around in your fuel tank, and or the outlet from the tank is plugged. Possibly a rubber fuel line is collapsing or has deteriorated inside where you can't see it.
By using an alternate fuel source (either), you have eliminated the ignition and timing ect. as your problem, so concentrate on why your fuel supply is intermittent.

Ether is NOT your friend on a gas engine. Washes down the cylinder walls and can cause a multitude of engine problems.
1. Ignition Coils can break down causing symtoms you describe
2. Condensers can break down
3. Partially clogged fuel lines
4. Trash inside the carb

As said a couple of time above by our most notable engine gurus, replace or repair one area at a time until the problem goes away.

Good luck and by the way I too get a headache trying to read your posts. Just FYI, we try to use proper (old school) ways of communicating around here. Don't get mad and blow a gasket just try to do a better job of explaining your problem. Remember you are dealing with a bunch (for the most part) of more mature individuals (read old farts) than you may encounter on some other sites.

Do what 52Carl has suggested, you need to isolate the problem and his test is the quickest and easiest to try for isolating carb problems.......

Good luck
Dave

Im planning on getting a new carb was thinking of a two barrow .the fuel bowl is just not getting full it pushes gas if the float is not stuck , and I have rebuild the carb. Twice going to try to mess with float or just get e new carb

I'm gonna climb in my wheel barrow now, and push myself outa here!

drain and check the gas tank. you sound like debris is moving around in there

It is clean

I was about to suggest cleaning the gas tank & replacing the fuel lines, but about 200 years of experience already mentioned it.

Please explain how you know the gas tank is clean. You can start from there and work forward if you're choosing fuel delivery system to diagnose first.

Brad

Okay I have opened the tank and taked a look. I recently took it out and washed it with clean fuel till it was clean , then ran compressed air thru the fuel lines and replaced the rubber lines and fuel filter. I have a glass cylinder fuel filter my friend said he has problems with these before I was tapping the filter and it was staying on .I even got it towed to my house with ot running because I was tapping the fuel filter I'm going right now to change it to a regular plastic one

try checking out gas tank. had the same issue with my truck. had a lot of crap in the tank.

If you need a hand in checking things I am local and other then doctors my time is open.

I did like I said I replace the filter with a direct line and it seems good . Just this morning my radiator took a dive into my fan . Ripped it up pretty nice anyone have a extra for sale . There telling me a new is $600 woah. .....

It doesn't cost $600 to have it re-cored...

Patricks in Casa Grand has new radiators. Prices between 450 and 550. depending on number rows desired and polished top vs painted.
I plan on getting the 4 row desert special in painted (500).

Last I looked the radiator rebuild shop is still on Buckeye Rd in Phoenix. They had been running about 200-300 depending on rows desired.

I think Apples Radiator service is still in business here in Yuma have you checked with them.

Last San Luis (mex side) had a radiator rebuild shop, but for life of me I can not remember the name of it.

They say they cant fix in town about 8rows ay the bottom got messed up real good

Unless the tanks were messed up how does it matter how many rows of fins and channels got bent up?
A re- core get's you NEW fins and channels... I'd be calling a different shop.
It ran me 350 and I got to keep my bronze tanks.