???'s for you mechanics...

WGNMANinaRENEGADE · **Posted:** Sat Feb 02, 2008 2:43 pm

OK, fellers, this isn't a liberty question, but i trust someone here knows my answers.

an old grand wagoneer w/ 360 v8. carb is relatively new and trustworthy. distributer not too old, and last i knew trustworthy. always has been 'cold natured beast', but this is ridiculous! left to sit most of the late summer and fall. now, runs like poo! at first idled very rough, with backfire and flame out exhaust and all! unable to idle well enough to get up to temp, unable to build rpms w/o backfire and flame.
so, i blew out and cleaned/de-iced the fuel lines, changed filters and such, cleaned carb as best as possible w/o dis-assembling, added 5 gal 'fresh' gas w/ some octane booster and cleaner. got it to idle, but soon as it's put under load [put in gear] it gets weak. can't even get around the block on its own power.
i thought if i could just build up enough temp, some of this would go away. no such luck!

i'm about to change all the other cheap and easy stuff [pvc valve, plugs and wires, etc...], but these aren't very old either and i don't really suspect them to be the problem.
as of last spring, this thing would fire up right away, and take all the punishment i could dish out.

my questions, what does this sound like to you:

timing? vacuum? carb [fuel/air mix]? choke? all the above?
have i done something more serious to this poor old wagon?

where would you start/look at this point?
as always, i thank y'all in advance, for what i'm sure will be my answer found thru you guys.

dloc_jeep_KJ · **Posted:** Sun Feb 03, 2008 8:01 am

kinda hard to say. i would check the timing though thats my first guess. i have a buddy that switched his distributer and had the same problem. if u have a timing gun check it out. if not try slightly moving the distributer while the engine is running and see if the idle gets smother.

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Sun Feb 03, 2008 9:11 am

I'd vote the carburetor is still clogged. The have very small air/fuel passages and as old gas evaporates is leaves a residue that causes problems - probably needs a complete rebuild
It doesn't hurt to check timing and plugs - but there's nothing inherent in sitting for 6-8 months that would cause a problem with them -

dloc_jeep_KJ · **Posted:** Sun Feb 03, 2008 9:17 am

ATXKJ wrote:

I'd vote the carburetor is still clogged. The have very small air/fuel passages and as old gas evaporates is leaves a residue that causes problems - probably needs a complete rebuild
It doesn't hurt to check timing and plugs - but there's nothing inherent in sitting for 6-8 months that would cause a problem with them -

thats true.. i just thought when he said he just replaced it he could have not tightened the bolts for the distributor down and it could have moved and caused it to throw the timming off. just a thought and its free to check it. considering the fact it has been sitting for a while and u added new gas etc it really could be the carb.

WGNMANinaRENEGADE · **Posted:** Sun Feb 03, 2008 11:51 am

OK. I fiddled with timing yesterday. 1st i adjusted by ear, at idle in park. no luck resolving issues. later, i did the hillbilly timeing set - kid in the driver seat, me in the hood, motor running, loosen the bolt and put her into gear and let her seat herself. this was really bad! so, i again set her by ear! the distributer itself was new spring of '05, and was fine as of last spring, so i don't know how or why it would be the trouble, but i fiddled with it anyway.
no change when trying to run around the block.
now, the carb, it was bought new and professionally installed spring of '05. was doing fine spring of 06. my only concern with it might be 'junk' in it.
the motor itself was bought new about '98, and probably only has about 40,00 miles on it. and of course, aint a single one of those miles been a hard one! [joke, joke]
my buddy is steadfastly swearing it's choke, and wants to help me put in a manual choke.

whaddya think?
and, again, thanks bunches. this thing being down sure is makin life hard on my liberty/renegade. it's pullin double duty, and i'm tired of cleaning this indiana mud off it!

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Sun Feb 03, 2008 6:30 pm

You should be able to see the choke - when the engine's cold should be almost closed - warm wide open - it should have an adjustment on the side (a small round disk/cylinder type thing - had a coil spring inside that expands with heat) - you loosen the 3 holdown screws and rotate it - has an arm that connect to the choke.
(This is on a Holly - don't know what the 360 runs)

best adjustments on the carb are made with a vacuum gauge - try for a max vacuum idle.

don't time by ear - get a timing light
find #1 cylinder - get it on top dead center and line up the rotor - then get the timing light on #1 and plug the vacuum line - don't know the spec on a 360 - but stock is probably about 5-10 advanced.

WGNMANinaRENEGADE · **Posted:** Mon Feb 04, 2008 4:16 pm

I'M SURE YOU'RE RIGHT ON THAT ONE. BUT, I'LL HAVE TO HAVE MY BUDDY DO THE PROPER TIMING W/ LITE CAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE ONE!
I'M JUST A LITTLE BIT 'HILLBILLY' WHEN IT COMES TO MECHANICING.
THANKS A BUNCH GUYS.
I'M REAL CLOSE TO HAVING IT IRONED OUT...

OH YEAH, THE CARB IS A MOTORCRAFT, 2BBL. IT WAS [LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE DESCRIBED HERE!] FINE BACK IN THE SPRING.

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Feb 04, 2008 6:23 pm

have you taken the distributor cap off to see if there is any moisture in there? Is it points or electronic ignition? If points they could have corroded some.

David Jr · **Posted:** Mon Feb 04, 2008 7:35 pm

Based on my personal experience with old cars, check to see if there is a crack in the distributor cap. such things can screw up your whole day.

supermanwv · **Posted:** Tue Feb 05, 2008 9:52 am

Take the distributor cap off and see if the contacts inside it are oxidized. If so...use a small fingernail file or piece of fine grit sand paper to clean them off. When they sit around without the engine turning over regularly, the contacts will oxidize. Also check the little brass/copper contact on the end of the rottor botton for oxidation. If just one contact is oxidized it can cause problems.

This is just a guess as to what may be wrong...but its worth a shot.

Clark (SupermanWV)

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Tue Feb 05, 2008 10:03 am

If there's one thing I learned growing up it was that a carburated vehicle needed to be started at least once every couple weeks to keep it working in "A-OK" fashion.

The two areas that everyone are highlighting are the most common issues:
1) Carburator
2) Electrical

Sorry I'm not much help. Hopefully you get the bugs worked out without too much headache.

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