The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Stubborn babbet pounder

I just purchased my first Chevy, its a 51 Chevy Styleline Deluxe.
Runs like a sewing machine...some times.

Here are the symptoms.

Starts and runs fine. When its in gear and you give it gas, it will buck a little until it is warmed up. Once warmed up, its great until its had enough. Then all of a sudden it will not maintain speed, it starts spuddering and bucking. Push the pedal to the floor, runs perfect, take you foot off the gas and try to maintain a constant speed and it spudders. I figure its either the carb (float)or the distributor (possibly the vacuum).

I checked the point and they have arc burns. I will replace them, which brings me to the next issue. The timing...what is the point setting? I have heard a match book cover - .19 . Then check with a dwell meter - 36 degrees. I read this is trial and error with the dwell meter.

One last thing, when you hook up the timing light, and you look back over the starter at the fly wheel (thru the bellhousing), where should the mark be? I have a considerable amount of crude on the housing and have cleaned it up and do not see a mark. I would imagine it is in the center of the opening? Are there degree marking for advancing the timing?

thanks for your time.

1. Cannot maintaining crusing speed w/out spuddering and bucking - to the point of when you push the pedal to the floor it pops real bad and then accelerates - runs smooth
2. Point setting
3. Timing mark on bell housing.

thanks for your time.

I have had experience with #1. I investigated the many options you have mentioned. The problem ended up being debris in the gas tank. I had the gas line and filters cleaned and the tank bioled out and the problem ceased to exist.

On # 2; My 47-51 Shop Manual says adjust new points to .022 then re adjust to.018. The match book thing is just a field expedient. The dwell is done like you are attempting, adjust and re adjust.

On #3, there should be a pointer inside the hole in the bell housing. This will line up with the steel ball on the flywheel.

Always set your dwell first, then timing. Dwell affects timing, timing does not affect dwell.

Richard R is correct aboout the fuel flow, I just fixed that on my 52. The float sank to the bottom of the tank and would stop up the fuel outlet.