Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Hi, all

I have a fuel problem that I'm having a hard time figuring out. I have a 288 with a Carter WDO carburetor. I often drive on the freeway at sustained speeds of 55+. When I exit the freeway and come to a stop at the end of the off ramp the engine always stalls. Always--unless I put her in neutral and keep giving it lots of gas.

This doesn't happen when I'm cruising at lower speeds on city streets and stop at stop signs or traffic lights. In those cases the engine backs down to idle just fine.

The condition does not seem to be related to the engine's heat--I don't think vapor lock is the problem. I have also loosened the gas cap, in case the vent hole to the gas tank was plugged and I had a vacuum. No difference there, as well.

My car's mechanical fuel pump seems to work fine and I also have an electric auxiliary pump. The car stalls whether I have the electric pump turned on or not.

Any ideas you can give me on this one would be greatly appreciated!

All the best,

Mark in Seattle.

Do you have to pump the gas or just open the throttle to keep it going? Assume standard shift?

I pump the gas and/or open the throttle.

Thanks,

Mark

Make sure carburetor bowl vent is not plugged. Does it only happen in hot weather or cool weather too????? If the bowl vent is plugged up then gasoline should be oozing from the carb at various places. The condition u describe could also be a float setting that is too low.

To me it sounds like a carb related issue. Perhaps something is sticking.

I know it's farfetched but kind of wondered if somehow the choke or general airflow was getting sucked closed too abruptly after the drive and slowdown. Maybe the large sudden increase in vacuum was overpowering the thermal spring. Opening the throttle would also open the air flow or choke linkage. I know some earlier engines had throttle dashpots for a similar reason.

Other than the idle circuit don't see what is left and if idle circuit (or choke either for that matter) were bad, then why not happening all the time.

Used to hear about this problem "back when". It was usually traced to an idle problem; either too slow speed, or the mixture too rich or too lean. Try adjusting the idle speed and mixture to spec and see what happens.

(o{I}o)

Hi, All,

Just to let you know...I solved the problem by buying and installing a rebuilt Carter WDO Carb. I dinked around and dinked with settings on the old carb for many months and finally gave up. For less than $200 (Tucson Packards) I got a unit that runs like a champ.

ALSO...I have installed an in-line fuel filter (the car never had one, to the best of my knowledge), and am hoping not to have carb problems in the future.


All the best,

Mark