1968 Country Squire Stalling Issue: 302 engine

[47fordguy]

Hello everybody having an issue with my 1968 Country Squire with original 302 2bbl. Original carb with hot air choke.

Car still starts up right away when primed with a little starting fluid or gas.
Used vehicle twice in March ran fine for a few miles roundtrip (you may remeber I posted about the wipers around this time.)

Used vehicle in May drove about a mile to inspection garage and as I was pulling in car stalled. Was able to restart fine. Driving back to garage car stalled when approaching red light. Had to pump and hold gas pedal several times to restart.

Last month a family member drove car about a mile and was coasting when vehicle stalled. Car restarted ok and stalled a few times on the way back to garage.

Replaced carb inlet fuel filter in March and the fuel pump was providing a good amount fuel. Could an idle passage port have become blocked, causing the stalling while providing no throttle? The accelerator pump is squirting fuel when I move the throttle linkeage. The stalling occurs after the "cold" light on the dash dissappears. Could this mean an issue with the hot air choke system? The choke has been open after returning from these trips.

Any input would be appreciated as I am more familiar with the setup on my old flathead '47 ford versus this "newer" V8 . I can provide more information as needed and I do have the 1968 shop manual.

Thank you,
Cody

[Gene F]

Take the air filter assembly lid off. see if it acts differently.

[cadillac512]

Cody, it does sound like the idle circuits in the carb may need attention. When the choke is on it masks the symptom, then warms up and stalls. You might try removing the idle mixture screws, shooting some carb cleaner from a spray can in and using a blow gun on an air hose to blow into the mixture screw holes if you have one. Then replace the screws and lightly seat them before turning them out 2 or 2 1/2 turns. If it idles better, adjust them evenly in or out to get best idle.


Terry


p.s. check vacuum hoses for a vac leak too...it's old enough to have a bad or disconnected hose.

[Gene F]

Does it have one of those switches that comes out of the thermostat housing that changes vacuum circuits when the engine gets up to a certain temp?

[47fordguy]

Terry
Good idea I think I will try this. I will also check the hoses closely when I go to the garage next.

Gene
It does have one of those vaccum temperature switches. Believe it has three hoses connected to it.

[bobss396]

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Does the carb have an anti-stall dashpot? I had one go bad on a '64 390, replaced it, problem solved.

[Gene F]

Seems like a lot of the comments are leaning towards vacuum lines. What is ya pleg every one of them. Take the lid off the breather, and run 1 vac line from carb to disributor and take it for a spin? It might take your diagnostics in a direction...

[dono50]

You probably have a filter in the gas tank, did you ever change it.

[50fordcoupeman]

When my avatar 302 acted like yours it turned out to be the coil.

[Gene F]

Ok, it's been a week, so what was the outcome?

[47fordguy]

I am back sorry for the delay in responding. Was working on another car this past week and my attention was diverted away from the 68 wagon. I will hopefully be working on the car this week.

dono50: Never was aware of an in-tank filter so never have changed.

I took some photos of the vaccum switch and carb- does not have an anti-stall but has ran good for years before without. Was rebuilt in 2016. Hoses are looking good.
Will check for vaccum leaks while running.
take off air cleaner and run it.
primary/secondary resistance of coil.
clean idle passages.

[47fordguy]

Photos:

[KULTULZ]

The stalling occurs after the "cold" light on the dash dissappears. Could this mean an issue with the hot air choke system? The choke has been open after returning from these trips.

AUTO TRANS?

Your 68 has IMCO. There should be either an electric or vacuum throttle kicker (w/ dash-pot) solenoid to prevent stalling (it is missing).

I would look for an older style mechanical dash-pot and bracket from an earlier model.

It's stalling once the choke opens indicates either a lean curb idle and/or a too low curb idle. Adjust curb idle to 650RPM while it is IDLING in gear (be careful here) and the choke is fully released.

Remove all vacuum lines at the sensor and just run one vacuum line from the carb port vacuum source to the front DIST ADVANCE nipple.

That temp sensor vacuum line(s) will not operate properly without the throttle solenoid.