Carb crisis?

carguy300

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So this just started about a month ago on my 68 300. It has always run real good since I got it running last year. New carb, edlebrock, all new ignition and charging. All stock. It starts up but acts like maybe running out of gas for a second and picks back up. It has gotten worse, doesnt stall but acts like it wants to. New tank and filter. Its starts good, good throttle response, does seem alittle rich. I put some berrymans in the tank yesterday and ran it about 20 mins, cold start it got bad but then cleared up. I will try it after work and see how it does. Does this sound fuel related or spark? It does not pop or back fire and on the road it runs like a scalded dog. I am stumped.
 
this is an at idle situation that started with the cold weather and getting worse with ever colder conditions, that about right?

I'd make sure the choke and fast idle cam is working properly. You say it seems "a little rich." If you tuned it otherwise then it could be the choke is not fully opening when it should. Edelbrock has all their tuning info on their website.

Otherwise, and this is just kind of off the top of my head from 800 miles away, consider if you have;

- correct fuel pressure
- correct float set
- a fuel pump pushrod that's within spec.
 
I have the choke wide open, Texas don’t really need it, it’s not a daily driver. Fuel pump and rod both new. I probably have less than 50 miles since I got it running. It is a brand new carb also. Been doing fine until just recently and has gotten a little worse each time. In the 70’s now, I’ll see if berrymans in over night made a difference. It’s just strange because it does run so good.
 
After sitting with berrymans overnight, I fired it up, still acting a fool a couple times and cleared up. Retweaked the carb a little, let it run till cold light went off. Went on a 10 mile round trip to churches chicken and back. Wide open throttle a few times through shift points and she is back to normal, maybe even a little better! What a relief!, now back to working on back windows, waiting on headlight motor to get sent back. Thanks y’all for input as always.
 
Sounds fuel related. I am in upstate NY, and we have different fuel for the winter versus the summer. Fuel needs heat to atomize correctly. During the warmer weather, it atomizes easily. I worked as a mechanic during the 70's (before fuel injection became standard), and that first cold day, there would be a bunch of no starts. That is when any choke problems would show up. We are so accustom to jumping in our daily drivers, and just fire it up and drive away. Carbs were way different. People would say my car is cold blooded meaning it ran terrible in the cold. I see you are in Texas and "we don't need the choke." The colder it is, the more likely the choke could help (cold for me you cold for you may have different definitions). Also on a 68, there should be a heat riser in the passenger side exhaust manifold. It would push hot exhaust gases through the bottom of the intake, so if any fuel didn't atomize, the liquid droplets would instantly vaporize when hitting that warm surface. If the heat riser isn't there or functioning, the fuel going into the cylinder would have large droplets of liquid fuel, that won't burn well, and that in turn could even cause black smoke and run poorly. Up here the fuel is modified to improve atomizing the fuel (even on modern cars) during the winter (they use methane-alcohol-and other chemicals) which reduces emissions during colder weather. In other words, it may just be the nature of the beast. My 68 New Yorker with a Holley (factory carb), the choke would stay on what seemed like forever. Try kicking the choke to stay on a little bit longer and see if that helps?? As far as it starts and then seem to want to stall, that could be because the float bowl isn't filled due to the gas evaporating when the engine is off-and it takes a moment to refill it on the restart.
HTH
 
Sounds fuel related. I am in upstate NY, and we have different fuel for the winter versus the summer. Fuel needs heat to atomize correctly. During the warmer weather, it atomizes easily. I worked as a mechanic during the 70's (before fuel injection became standard), and that first cold day, there would be a bunch of no starts. That is when any choke problems would show up. We are so accustom to jumping in our daily drivers, and just fire it up and drive away. Carbs were way different. People would say my car is cold blooded meaning it ran terrible in the cold. I see you are in Texas and "we don't need the choke." The colder it is, the more likely the choke could help (cold for me you cold for you may have different definitions). Also on a 68, there should be a heat riser in the passenger side exhaust manifold. It would push hot exhaust gases through the bottom of the intake, so if any fuel didn't atomize, the liquid droplets would instantly vaporize when hitting that warm surface. If the heat riser isn't there or functioning, the fuel going into the cylinder would have large droplets of liquid fuel, that won't burn well, and that in turn could even cause black smoke and run poorly. Up here the fuel is modified to improve atomizing the fuel (even on modern cars) during the winter (they use methane-alcohol-and other chemicals) which reduces emissions during colder weather. In other words, it may just be the nature of the beast. My 68 New Yorker with a Holley (factory carb), the choke would stay on what seemed like forever. Try kicking the choke to stay on a little bit longer and see if that helps?? As far as it starts and then seem to want to stall, that could be because the float bowl isn't filled due to the gas evaporating when the engine is off-and it takes a moment to refill it on the restart.
HTH
I remember the New York carb/choke issues, I lived in finger lakes region until I was 20 and moved south! I think I just had sticking or just junk in carb, after berrymans treatment and re tweaking my carb it is running good again. I keep it garaged and it is only a weekend warrior, so it has never had a cold start problem. My father always had Chryslers so yes, I know cold blooded and always heater/defrost issues! I don’t miss those days! Thanks for the input.
 
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