The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Just looking for some opinions....

While out for a short drive last night in my '53 3100 (216) I rode home on the back of a tow truck. While going up a slight grade, the engine missed a couple times and quit. It would restart, but only for a second or so. Got up this AM and she started first try and runs great, but with an intermittent miss. Any opinions on what is going on.....fuel filter, trash in carb?

Those are both good likely causes. another could be the coil going bad.

explain the coil......just replaced it a month ago.

I made an assumption that it would be old. That doesn't mean that a new coil is any good though. They can be tested with a volt/ohm meter, just google it.

Years ago I was plagued with a similar problem. After trying all sorts of things with no results, it turned out to be a flaky ignition condenser. This is about the cheapest and easiest thing to replace on the whole truck, so give it a go.

Had the same problem with the condenser in the dist. + I would have that coil checked

I had a similar problem with my 53 3100 with a 235. It would idle in the driveway for as long as I had patience, but I could only drive it about 1/2 mile before it would die. It was a almost completely clogged fuel line from the tank to the fuel pump. Only enough flow to barely fill up the bowl while idling. Then it would run dry when I tried to drive.

For your consideration,
Leon

Leon... I had a similar problem with a 76 motor home we inherited from my father-in-law. It would run well on level ground, but wouldn't climb a hill. Ol' Stan used to complain about clogged fuel filters all the time, so when it acted up on a cross-country drive, I pulled over and tried to change it. There was a new spare in the glove box. I put the new one in the way the old one came out, and the engine ran well for a while, then acted up. As I was being jerked back and forth in the driver seat I thought about how the small, thimble-shaped was situated in its mount. The closed end was facing the gas line. I started to think that maybe that wasn't right. I stopped and flipped the filter around to see if things would improve. Well, the old 454/4bbl started pushing that shoebox-on-wheels uphill faster than I was ready for!
It's absolutely amazing how a trickle of fuel can fool you into thinking everything is alright at idle or low load, but will make you tear your hair out when trying to make speed!
Good luck