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Old 02-10-2014, 01:46 PM   #1
Gold Digger
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Question Mystery

For the last 3 years every Sunday evening after church I drive my roadster pickup to visit my mother that lives in a rest home. I drive a 60 mile round trip. For the last 2 years on my way back home the engine pops and dies with in 100 yards of the same place every Sunday. I have drained and cleaned the gas tank, I only buy gas with out ethanol, I keep it tuned up good. All I have to do is loosen the strained on the zenith carb and let a small amount of gas run out and it always has plenty of pressure there but never have any rust. I screw it back and climb in and resume driving at 40 to 50 mph. Haven't missed a Sunday in two years.
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Old 02-10-2014, 01:50 PM   #2
J Franklin
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Default Re: Mystery

Is that place close to a N.S.A. or other Govt. installation?
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Old 02-10-2014, 01:50 PM   #3
Tom Endy
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Default Re: Mystery

Check that the vent hole in the gas cap is open.

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Old 02-10-2014, 04:32 PM   #4
Chris Haynes
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Default Re: Mystery

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tom Endy View Post
Check that the vent hole in the gas cap is open.

Tom Endy
Yup. Sounds like the vent is plugged. Creates a vacum and gas can't flow, When you open the cap the vacum is gone and you toodle do home.
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Old 02-10-2014, 05:34 PM   #5
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Default Re: Mystery

are you near area 51 ?
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Old 02-10-2014, 10:08 PM   #6
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No government installations near here and the gas cap is so lose it worries me it might rattle off sometime. Still a big mystery to me.
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Old 02-10-2014, 10:22 PM   #7
Ted Duke
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gold Digger View Post
For the last 3 years every Sunday evening after church I drive my roadster pickup to visit my mother that lives in a rest home. I drive a 60 mile round trip. For the last 2 years on my way back home the engine pops and dies with in 100 yards of the same place every Sunday. I have drained and cleaned the gas tank, I only buy gas with out ethanol, I keep it tuned up good. All I have to do is loosen the strained on the zenith carb and let a small amount of gas run out and it always has plenty of pressure there but never have any rust. I screw it back and climb in and resume driving at 40 to 50 mph. Haven't missed a Sunday in two years.
Golddigger,

I once had a friend whose car would drive fine for awhile and then QUIT. He would coast to the side of the road, and sometimes it would start right away, and sometimes not for awhile. Long story short, PING-PONG ball in gas tank, he had po'ed some neighbor kids.

Ping Pong ball, unlikely. Old soggy cork float? Piece of something else?

Ted

P.S. I also had the same problem with a 1971 VEGA (Motor Trend Car of the Year) built like a tank, but shoddy workmanship and NO design, but that problem was a loose wire that caused a perceived low oil pressure to cut the fuel pump off.
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Old 02-11-2014, 07:40 AM   #8
Richard Wilson
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Default Re: Mystery

Back in the 50's my little brother put a little crab apple in Dad's Model A gas tank. Drove dad crazy for about a month before he figured it out.
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Old 02-11-2014, 08:22 AM   #9
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Default Re: Mystery

is it hilly in this area maybe check float level maybe this hill is it taller or longer than others hills and the float level goes lower for I time where it can catch up .when you stop the carb bowl is able to refill enough to run .you could also try to richen your fuel on your GAV before you get to this point of the road please let us know what you find thanks
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Old 02-11-2014, 08:56 AM   #10
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Years ago my Grandpa bought a used pickup. It would run fine then once in a while it would quit. He would blow a small amount of air back to the gas tank thru the gas line and it would run just fine. Later on it would do the same thing. After pulling the gas tank and flushing it out he found the problem. (Someone had put gas line antifreeze in the gas and the foil that seals the bottle got into the tank. It would float then finally get to the out feed of the tank and plug things up. Afordman31
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Old 02-11-2014, 11:00 AM   #11
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Default Re: Mystery

The theories of some foreign material in the tank sound most plausible. But why within 100 yards of the same place? And why only on the return trip?
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Old 02-11-2014, 01:24 PM   #12
mleder
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Default Re: Mystery

Put a little more in the collection plate,it's just a someone trying to get your attention since it only happens after Church.
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Old 02-11-2014, 02:46 PM   #13
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Default Re: Mystery

Check your strainer in the tank.
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Old 02-11-2014, 03:14 PM   #14
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Did you ask your mother if she knew anyone that lived around that place or if that area means anything to her?
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Ya never know.
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Old 02-12-2014, 12:55 AM   #15
james hitchcock
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I say drive home a different route.
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Old 02-12-2014, 06:47 AM   #16
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Default Re: Mystery

Is the fuel in the tank at the same level each time it quits? What happens if you fill up at a different time?
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Old 02-12-2014, 07:17 AM   #17
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Default Re: Mystery

I have rinsed the tank out and checked the screen on the fuel shut off valve. It's not such a big deal to have to stop and bleed the line but I know there is something not right about all of this and I had rather be on my merry way driving. I appreciate all the help I can get on this.
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Old 02-12-2014, 07:59 AM   #18
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Default Re: Mystery

It is either happening at a certain mileage, or from a certain road condition. 30 miles out and 30 miles back. So say it happens at 40 miles. What happens if you drive somewhere else for 40 miles? What happens if you drive a different route home? What happens if you stay longer or shorter visiting your Mom? Since it happens every Sunday, then it is probably not ambient temp related.
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Old 02-17-2014, 10:39 PM   #19
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Default Re: Mystery

Hey all you guy's!! Tom Endy was right about the vent hole. I thought because the cap fit real lose on the tank it would surely vent but I was wrong. I took a air hose and blew through the vent hole and it was stopped at first. I drove the "A" hard Sunday and never had a problem the hold trip. Thanks everyone for the support.
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Old 02-17-2014, 10:46 PM   #20
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Default Re: Mystery

aww shucks it was better as a mystery thriller.....
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