The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 235 engine runs good at idle and low RPM only...all new electrical...

I know these age old "gas or fire" problems will frustrate some of you, but I suppose there's never a solid answer to any one situation.....So, my truck has a 1954 235 engine for which most basic electrical components - wire, coil, plugs, points, condenser, dist cap - were replaced last December. engine runs great at idle, but misses terribly on acceleration. I've put a new kit in the carburetor; float appears fine, but the wrong carb pump was sent, so that I did not replace that. Nevertheless, it's seemingly fully functional based on fuel being squirted when activated. timing advance is functional. So, all this started right after I put on the new electrical components, and rebuilding the simple rochester carb did not help. Is this a gas or fire problem? Again, missing on acceleration, either on the road or sitting in the driveway. I can drive about 30 mph here in town, but anything beyond that is out of the question. jdj

Have you volume-tested the fuel pump for adequate flow? Of course not- - - -nobody ever does. Also, the failure rate of ignition condensers "new out of the box" is astonishingly high. Either find a "new old stock" Delco-Remy condenser on Ebay, (NOT AC-Delco) or contact Jon G. on this forum for one of his upgraded condensers. He's got a post in the electrical forum about them. Also, double check the point gap and/or dwell setting. Points that are gapped too close will create the exact symproms you're describing.
Jerry

Does the distributor advance mechanism work? If not, the engine will not speed up.

Agree with Jerry on the condenser; non-USA modern condensers seem to have roughly a 90 percent (or maybe higher) fail rate in the first 3 weeks of use.

Jon.

Did you check the dwell?

Thanks for the replies. The advance mechanism is good, as noted by the post. I have not checked the fuel flow out of the fuel pump....Will have to google that...not sure how much fuel is considered adequate. I'll replace the condenser and check the gap and dwell...

Some points have a removable spring that closes the points. If that spring is missing the copper strap does not provide enough pressure to close the points much above idle.
If you check dwell it will show up as the problem when you rev it up.

I have posted the procedure for testing fuel pumps on this forum repeatedly over the past 20-something years. I can probably count the times it's actually been used on the fingers of one hand. A pint of fuel in 30 seconds pumped into a catch container at engine idle at idle is considered to be a minimum acceptable volume. If the engine won't run that long on the gas in the float bowl with the fuel line disconnected, you have other problems.
Jerry

I had those points with the spring separate from the assembly thinking they were for some other application and yes without the piece assembled with the points the engine will miss and backfire .

pre68dave you hit it