The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Engine Loses Power

1954 3100, Overhauled engine (235) about 3000 miles ago and was running great. Last Sunday it started bucking and snorting. The gas gauge read a little under 1/4. I thought it may have been out of gas and I was not sure how accurate the gauge was. I added gas, it started and ran well the 4 miles home after setting for about thirty minutes. Next day I was going to use it to run an errand. About two miles it started to do the same thing. There was residue in the inline filter ahead of carb. Was able to nurse it home by going a little way until it started losing power. I stopped for a couple of minutes then went a little further. Replaced the filter. Test drove about two miles and it was doing the same thing. again but I was able to nurse it home.

Questions:
1 Is there a filter in the carburetor?
2. Would the fuel pump cause the intermittent issue?
3. any other suggestions?

any suggestions are welcome.
thanks in advance.

There is no filter in the carburetor unless somebody swapped the carburetor for a later Carter (for a 230 or 250)...which is possible. The fuel pump could be the problem. Especially if you replaced it with one of the Chinese pumps when you overhauled the engine. Could be something in the fuel pickup (in the gas tank) or the fuel line or gas tank itself. A dirty or rusty gas tank can cause trouble like this. You should not have much in the fuel filter if your tank and lines are okay.

The outlet pipe at the bottom of the gas tank came with a roll of screen sticking out of end of the pipe. They usually aren't there 70 later.
So you will be left with noting to keep a sizable flake from sloshing around in the tank and occasionally covering the top of the down pipe, causing an intermittent fuel blockage.
It is difficult to confirm that this is happening, unless you disconnect the fuel line to check proper flow at the very time the errant flake is there blocking the pipe.
If the engine starts after sitting for a while, that could indicate that the flake is only partially blocking the flow, and enough fuel eventually slips by allowing gravity to re-establish enough fuel flow to start the engine and it will run for a while.

The 47 Mercury that I bought in 1962 had a big grasshopper about 2" long sucked up into the fuel tank pickup tube. It would run about a mile before it started to surge, buck, and then stall. After sitting about 15 minutes, enough gas would trickle pas the obstruction to run another mile or so. Drove me nuts until I finally pulled the tank and poked a piece of coat hanger wire down the pickup tube and found the "bug"!
Jerry

Reminds me of the old "ping pong ball" trick!

Remove the gas cap and drive it again, maybe the tank is not venting.

I agree with 78Buckshot opinion. A friend entered a demolition derby and had no vent system on the vehicle, and it died after a few minutes. Needless to say, he lost.

When you remove the gas cap, do you feel a vacuum or hear a rush of air? If so, the valve in the cap is stuck shut. This is very common with certain new caps.

This prevents fresh air from entering the tank to replace the fuel being removed by the fuel pump.

Thanks for the suggestions. I will try the gas cap. I have had this problem with my Model A in the past. I did not think of it for the more modern "43.

If I removed the fuel line at the inline filter and blew back through the line, would I get enough air through the fuel pump to dislodge something in the line. I realize this would only be temporary until it found its way to the fuel line again. if that cleared it i would remove the tank and clean it well. Thanks again for the suggestions.
Frank

If you’re getting debris in the filter, your tank probably needs a good cleaning or replacing.

If you blow through the line, use compressed air and remove the gas cap, first. What kind of debris were you getting in the filter?

If you have kids, maybe one of them put some dirt and rocks in the tank. Sorry, Dad.