The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot '60-'66 Trucks Vexing problem, guessing "fuel..."

Have the complete Stovebolt package, HEI ignition, coil and 2 bbl carb, and switched to electric fuel pump. 235 was running good, starting every time. We made a slight timing adjustment to correct a little valve ping. A few miles later, it started acting like it was starved for fuel. Swapped out electric fuel pump for a little bigger one, (4-7psi) and no improvement. Had already checked pickup in tank, traced line, but did it again anyway. Nothing suspicious. The only obvious thing we could see was the big rubber ring gasket with the stovebolt carb had snapped. My partner in crime insists that it can't be that. Any ideas? Thanks, Ray

Just shots in the dark here.........Did you call Stovebolt Eng. for his thoughts?
What rubber ring are we talking about here. The gasket to carb flange under the 2 bbl? Get a new one, glue up the old one if you can't get a new one. Try hooking up a small gas can as a different source of fuel and see if it runs any differently. That should rule out the fuel tank and lines. Maybe go back to the mechanical fuel pump temporarily and rule out the electric ones. Did you screw with the distributor in your upgrade procedures? Make sure it's timed right and that it is tightened down at the base.
You didn't mention fuel filters. Check that and check the screen to the carb as well. You might have crud in there. If it sounds like a fuel problem, it probably is!

PS (Of course you have new points and a QUALITY condenser in there, right?)

I don't think he is going to need points and a condenser with his new HEI.

10-4 on that! Amazing what you can find out when you actually READ what was written.

Just going from my own experience with a similar problem, it sounds like the timing is off. You might try more advance base timing.

An old guy once told me that 90-percent of all fuel problems are ignition. I have yet to prove him wrong.

Check all your connections, the coil in the HEI cap, you shouldn't have a ballast resistor in the system any more (if you do, there's your problem, and it may have fried the coil), and check the rotor.

I also ALWAYS put an inline glass fuel filter right in front of the carb. If you're going cheap, you can get one from the parts store. For my '62, I bought a late-50s style reproduction, glass fuel-bowl style filter and plumbed it in with hard line. It looks clean and right at home. A clear fuel filter will always help you diagnose a problem: you know if fuel is getting to the carb (plugged fuel line, dead fuel pump), if it is in the carb then the carb could be a problem (easy enough to check) and if the carb and pump are good, then it's ignition.

-Brad

I should summarize where we are. I think we've tried everything you guys have suggested. Can run it wide open but it pukes from what looks like running overly rich at anything lower. My partner in crime called Tom at Stovebolt and his recommendation was to rebuild the (Stovebolt-supplied) 2bbl Carter Holley. That sucks because I have less than 1000 miles on the carb and HEI set up and the kit is $40 at Napa. I read up on carbs and it appears we have a clogged/inoperable low speed jet and the fuel is backing up until it dumps into the high speed jet. Gumout Carb cleaner didn't get it done. We know we are getting fuel no problem to the carb via electric fuel pump and the inline filter Tom recommended. It's after that things are going awry. I have time for another round of suggestions before I order the Napa kit. Thanks, Ray

Webber carbs are notorious for not wanting more 3# fuel pressure. The Carter Holley and Holly Webbers are copies. Have you tried a fuel pressure regulator?

LG

does this happen cold warm hot or all the above...

LG, no we haven't. I guess most of the trouble shooting was with the assumption that we lacked pressure (i.e. some sort of blockage or restriction. Allen, "the issue" happened once, briefly shortly after the first test drive, then basically a catastrophic failure 2 weeks ago. It was hot both times, but now it persists, hot, cold, in between. Checked timing, replaced electric fuel pump, fuel filter, ran carb cleaner through, pretty much everything suggested above.

do you have engine bog, do you have sneeze from carb,
you mentioned overly rich, rich in carb. or rich at the plugs.
do you have a good source for the timing advance on the hei..check vacuum
sry got emergency gtg