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Yes.

I had a couple of minutes during lunch to run home and pull the distributor out. I'll take it with me to NAPA to get the correct replacement wire.

I checked the coil and noticed it was labeled "No External Resistor Required". So does the coil handle all the resistance needed before it goes to the dizzy?

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Well guys, I'm at a loss here.

New points, condenser, rotor and cap. Points set to correct gap per the service manual. Reset the timing by putting #1 at 9 degrees TDC (8.5-10 according to manual), then setting the distributor with a multimeter.

The guys at NAPA looked at the dizzy (I brought it in) and the bare wire seen in the picture is a ground wire, according to them. No idea if this is accurate. Regardless they didn't have a replacement that they were aware of. The power wire coming from the coil and going to the points is red and is fully intact.

Confirmed the vacuum advance holds suction and moves the plates, removed line and capped to set and confirm timing with car running. Bent the arm that controls the idle steps so the set screw is on the first notch at full open choke.

I took it out for a test drive and had the same result. In nearly the exact same place, as I'm nearing 35 MPH the engine stumbles, sputters, and dies. Made it about a half mile. I can floor it in first and second gear and it doesn't seem to struggle. But get it into 3rd and it's like it has no power. Within a minute of going into third and trying to accelerate it dies.

I have no idea where to look next.

-Kevin

Is it a spark breakdown? When it no longer runs does removing a plug wire create a spark to the block when it is turned over? If no, how good is the coil, they act like you are describing when they fail, not allowing any power once hot. Do you have a way to test the coil? If you have spark and the coil is good then you have eliminated the spark side of the three legged equation. Air and gas are left. Sorry I cannot be more exact and you are in a very frustrating situation, but there will be an "AHA!" moment when the gremlin is found. Had one where it was a high rev failure and turned out to be the throttle linkage grounded a bare wire, it may end up being something strange, just keep at it.
Good luck,
Bob J.

If the car behaves the same after working on the distributor, it suggests that the problem is not in the distributor.

The plug wires can look like new and still give trouble, especially if they are of the radio suppression type, or if they are bundled together or routed through a metal harness.

(*If you are uing a 12 volt coil, a condenser for a 12 volt application is probably needed. The coil primary in a 12 volt coil is significantly different from that in a 6 volt coil, and should probably have a condenser of a different value to prevent arcing at the points and early point failure.


The fact that the distributor work had no apparent effect on the car's performance, and the fact that it sputters and quits running when any SUSTAINED demand for power is put on the engine, suggests a fuel delivery problem.

A gas tank that has been coated inside may have the fuel pickup pipe partially obstructed.


Any tiny air leak anywhere on the suction side of the fuel system can cause problems like you are having.

Excess exhaust heat reaching the fuel line can cause similar problems.

Any non-stock type filter on the suction side of the fuel system may cause problems, and they very often do.

**When you take the car out and it begins to run bad and then dies, exactly what do you have to do to get it running again?

When you do get it running again, does it run fairly well until you take it out on the road?**

I don't personally have equipment to test a coil, besides a multimeter. I may be able to take it to NAPA and see if they can test.

When the car dies, I have to let it sit for a minute or two before it will start back up. I can crank the engine, but it's like there is no fuel and it won't catch. Within a minute or two it will start right up and run fine. After it died last night, I let it sit for a minute, started it up, then went through 1st and 2nd gears with the pedal nearly to the floor. Didn't stumble or anything.

I checked fuel pressure at idle last night, it was 4 PSI, and it did not drop at all once the car was shut off. I'm going to install a tee fitting and watch the fuel pressure gauge while I'm driving to see what happens. I'm also going to remove both filters entirely and rely on just the glass bowl and screen in the fuel pump to see what effect that has.

-Kevin

That certainly sounds like a fuel delivery issue.

4 psi is good on the pressure, maybe even a little high.

However, a good static pressure reading does not prove that fuel volume delivery is sufficient to meet on-the-road demand.


I think that adding a T connecton to monitor fuel pressure on the line between the pump and carburetor is a good idea, especially if you can locate the gauge where you can see it when you are driving the car.

Some variation in the fuel pressure might be expected, with some pressure drop when then engine is making more power, but it should not drop much and it should not stay down.

The fuel system is designed to be capable of delivering far more fuel than the engine can use.

Be sure all connections to the gauge, etc, are tight and secure, You do not want a fuel leak when the car is running.

For sure, validate your fuel delivery first.

I also recommend cleaning the ceramic filter element. They can look good, but the pores can get clogged. Pull it out, and blow it out with compressed air.

Another issue could be carb float level. Perhaps it's leading to starvation during high demand.

If the carb hasn't been serviced, it may be something to look at.

Also, that wire in the distro should not be bare like that.

TxGoat - I want to rig up a gravity fed tank so I can check the volume of fuel that is pumped out at the carb. But that would just be at idle, so not sure how much it would tell me.

BigKev - the '38 Supers didn't have a ceramic filter. Just a fuel bowl at the inlet for the pump to catch sediment in the bottom, and a screen up top to prevent any particles from getting into the pump.

I did rebuild the carb, but I certainly could have screwed something up. Maybe the float level isn't high enough. Accelerator pump seems to be fine, as it has a quick and snappy throttle response at rest. Jets seem to spray fine.

On the wire, I can see remnants of the cloth insulation. Not sure if Napa can dig up some sort of replacement if I talk to the right person. Otherwise, maybe I remove it and add my own insulation?

-Kevin

Flackmaster replied to you and said he had those parts. Take him up on it!