[UBIE09]

I am lost at what to do now. My engine will hesitate, stumble, and even backfire sometimes when I try to give it some more fuel to accelerate. I have to step on it ever so slightly or else it will misfire and even die.

To try to fix the problem, I have replaced all my spark plugs, wires, cap, rotor and fuel filter. The engine did shake really bad when I first got the car a few weeks ago. It has now calmed down more because I drove it more and used sea foam along with everything else.

The does not seem to be any vacuum leak that I can detect. I have a Holley 4160 carb with a Edlebrock intake. I did not install the carb, the previous owner did. He most likely did something wrong, judging from the way he made all the electrical connections on the radio and alternator with just using electrical tape.

I read that it could be a collapsed catalytic converter, so the headman headers and glass packs that I just installed took care of that myth. The problem is still there.

I am going to buy a timing light and try to see what the timing is set at. Who know what the previous owner did.

The car does decide to die on me now when I am stopped, and then try to accelerate. For example, I will be at a stop light and the car is idling. When I try to step on the accelerator ever so softly, the car will die. This sucks!

I heard something about my vacuum needs to be adjusted. Is this the case?

This is on my 1978 Mustang II with a 302. If this is in the wrong section, please move it. The "5.0" section said 1979 - 1994...

 

[Ryno761]

I had a slightly similar problem with my 1977 mustang II with a 2.8 L 171. It would stall out at stop signs and redlights. It sounds like it could be the vacuum advance on the distributor. Check that out first, I hope it helps.

 

[T. Hadley]

check the timing first, then make sure you are getting pump shot out of the nozzle, and then float level, make sure that the PO did not put a screw in the secondary linkage, that will cause a huge bog,

here's a good site that should help you.

Google Image Result for http://v8tvshow.com/images/stories/TechStories/110/11123%5B1%5D.jpg

 

[UBIE09]

Thank you for all the help.

I will check the vacuum advance when I am looking at the timing.

Also, where is the secondary linkage that I need to check for a second bolt. I imagine that he could have done that.

I also noticed that the bar that connects to the automatic transmission is not even connected to anything. Where should this connect to the transmission?

This is the first time that I have ever worked on a carburetor before, and needless to say, it is very different.

 

[Davieo]

I had the same problem with my 78 v6. What I found was that the ethanol in the gas was taking the varnish off of the walls of the gas tank and it was getting into the carb and clogging up the jets. I dropped the tank, cleaned and sealed it, put all new filters in and the problem went away. I went thru all kinds of repairs before that. Good luck.