Re: Return to forever... the stalling issue!!!

Posted by Packard Newbie On 2018/5/4 12:00:10

Reasoning this through with all the 'Packard minds' online contributing really helps guys, - THANKS!
I finally have a guy helping me who is competent and he is of the mind that whatever the problem is - it is fuel related. He removed the new spark plugs and they were absolutely black with soot and my oil went from new to black very quickly. I thought this was maybe a result of the car being run more and picking up 'old dirt' in the crankcase, but now - not so sure.
Another thing: we teed a fuel pressure gauge into the line yesterday and it started at 4 PSI and at some point stopped showing any pressure, yet the engine continued to run. This coupled with the blackened plugs and the flooding and I think it is possible the float system in the carb is not working properly. This decries my earlier theory that once the carb was changed, it should eliminate that as a problem, but my friend says he has had more than one carb 'out of the box' that did not work properly. Also, to properly describe the stalling issue, it doesn't sputter or 'conk out', it just slowly 'coasts to a halt', if that makes any sense. Then to restart, I have to wait a minute or so and floor it, and it starts exactly the way a flooded engine starts. If it is being over-fueled, the wait could be the hot cylinders getting rid of the raw gas enough that it will start. Before anyone says it - I KNOW this is a bad thing for cylinder walls, fuel in the oil, etc., and once I get this sorted, I will again change the oil.
I have thought through the ignition switch shorting out and the electric fuel pump is on the ignition circuit and it is steady without cutting in and out, so I am leaning more to an over-fueling issue at this point.
My friend seems very confident that we can suss this (me, not so much) and he is very dogged and systematic when it comes to tracking down an issue. Wish us luck?!?!?!?!?
Again, thanks for all the input.