1953 Super - popping sound, won't idle, low to barely any acceleration

When you say you have to hold the throttle just a little bit to keep her running are you speaking of by hand or with the food pedal inside. Check you linkage, all the way from the foot pedal to the bracket on the firewall to the carb and on the carb. maybe it may need adjusting or maybe one of the rods is bent or out of place or ?

Good point Lamar, it's either or. I'll look into throttle linkage as well!

Here's some video I just took. There were a couple of bigger pops you can here at the end. http://youtu.be/hhvm2WgwfNI

Strange indeed. I would adjust the idle speed screw to keep it running, get it warm to check the performance when hot. Assure the choke is opening fully when hot. If the engine performs well when hot then we can ascertain it is a cold start issue. Also, the jet screws at the base of the carb, have you fiddled with these?

The pop noise, can you identify where it is coming from?

Was that a cold start? I could see the choke close and open but cannot see your idle speed adjustment screws on the carb linkage. from the comfort of my couch it looks and sounds to me like the pops are backfires, in the muffler. Possibly caused by excessive choke application flooding the engine.

After the engine stalls like that, does it take a bit of cranking to get it to start again?

One thing you can try is operating the throttle with one hand and then manually moving the choke via that rod attached to the butterfly. I would try opening the choke butterfly more and see if that improves the idle, or causes it to die out faster.

Meanwhile can you get better pictures of the linkages with particular attention to the idle speed adjustment screws? Two each, one with the choke closed and a second with it open. Same thing for the regular idle speed screw. You don't have to start the car although those few pumps will result in an excessive rich condition till you start it afterwards.

The pop seems to be coming from the right side (passenger side) of the engine. Possibly the exhaust manifold on that side. The video was after about 3 starts. She has 0 problem starting up. She starts every single time without hesitation. Could the popping be something very serious? I'm a little gunshy with starting her and warming her up.

I've got to go to Charleston on business tomorrow but I'll be back Sunday to mess around again. I will definitely get better pictures then and some more video. I really appreciate ya'lls help.

Starting every time with 0 problems tells me the carb is not flooding the engine. You'd smell the gas and it would crank quite a bit to clear the flooded condition before it would catch and run. So the next problem would be low fuel level in the bowl. You have not kept it running for long but can you keep it running for say 10 minutes? Is there a screw on the side of the fuel bowl for checking the fuel level?

Safe travels on business. Don't think about this. Sometimes just a chance to get it off your mind leads to discovery.

Sounds like intake valves sticking and not sealing. A vacuum gauge will verify. Ask your rebuilder what he set the valve to guide clearance at and then see if it matches your service manual. Also, look inside your distributor cap and verify that all is ok. I have seen rotors burn with Pertronix in 50 to 5,000 miles; some replacement caps do not fit well and can be installed where the rotor chews it up.

Willie

Just thinking through the keyboard; if you cap off the heat tube at the choke element can you pull a vacuum on it?

Bernie

..and while you are at the distributor, verify that the firing order is correct. And be sure that any plug wires that touch under the sparkplug covers are at right angles and not parallel...and you still need to verify timing .

Alright, I adjusted the choke thermostat on the carb to the setting indicated in the manual (it was a few clicks off). I looked in the distributor and everything looked fine although I don't know what I'm looking for. I didn't see anything that looked burned out or any broken pieces. Firing order is correct, however I was not aware of the parallel/right angle setting of the spark plug wires that touch. (Thanks Willie!) I will adjust that when I get back out there in a second. Started her up to take some more video and she managed to idle, albeit running rough. I went out and got a vacuum gauge at harbor freight and hooked it up to the intake manifold. Started her up and it was reading in the "Lated Timing" red zone. It's all in the video that I'm uploading to youtube. When it's finished uploading, I'll post a link. Willie, looks like you are on it with the timing issue! Is it safe to verify the timing if valves are sticking?

John, I have an aftermarket clear plastic fuel filter and not the glass bowl. It seems to fill up well when I start her. I've got footage of it in the video coming. I've yet to pull the carb and spray the crap out of it with carb cleaner, as carbking suggested earlier.

Here's the video I just took:

Two things:

1: where is the Choke Stove pipe that goes here?

And without the choke stove, the choke will not function correctly. To see if this is the problem, push down on the rod indicated by the black outlined arrow while the engine is running.

The screw in the float bowl indicated by the red arrow appears to be the gas level I was referring to earlier. Check your manual on that. Usually if the float is set right, that screw can be removed while the engine is running and the gasoline should just be level with the bottom of the screw hole. If not, then you will not have enough gas in the carb for proper operation.

I don't know where the choke stove is, I never had one. Looks like I need to order one. Will the Dorman Help! Choke Stove Kit work?

I pushed the rod down that you have indicated in the screen cap and the engine stalled.

I will check the float bowl level in the meantime. (sorry for my ignorance, I though you were talking about the fuel filter, lol!)

Dorman kit works well

here's how I attached it

Try giving it time to warm up.then push down on the rod again.

awesome, thanks James (for the picture of it installed, also!) I'll order and in the meantime I'll push the rod down after the engine has warmed up. Thanks!

There is one more thing to check while the engine is cold. The heat riser valve in the passengers side exhaust manifold. It may be loose and the spring may have come off and that popping could be the valve flapping open and closed while the engine is running. Reach down while the engine is cold and feel behind the manifold to exhaust pipe joint. The weight is just above that joint. See if you can flip that valve easily or if it is stuck.

Good call John !

If you find as John says the heat valve loose, I would recommend removing it altogether. At our Latitude (Athens and Birmingham) , the Manifold heat valve is not required.

It aids in warm up, but, I think it can cause problems. Stuck closed or loose....

awesome, thanks James (for the picture of it installed, also!) I'll order and in the meantime I'll push the rod down after the engine has warmed up. Thanks!

I think I remember getting mine from NAPA. But it could be a Dorman from NAPA

There is one more thing to check while the engine is cold. The heat riser valve in the passengers side exhaust manifold. It may be loose and the spring may have come off and that popping could be the valve flapping open and closed while the engine is running. Reach down while the engine is cold and feel behind the manifold to exhaust pipe joint. The weight is just above that joint. See if you can flip that valve easily or if it is stuck.

...driver side manifold

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

An article that might explain about the choke:

http://www.thecarburetorshop.com/Automaticchokes.htm

And, if you wish to make your own heat stove:

http://www.thecarburetorshop.com/Heatstovefabrication.htm

Jon.

Thanks John, I checked the heat riser valve (on the driver's side thanks Willie!) and it is easily flipped. James, is it fairly easy to remove this part? I didn't get a chance to mess around today. I need to get her turned around the other way in the garage so the exhaust is shooting out and not in and thus I can properly try and get her warmed up without killing myself. Also I ordered the Dorman part yesterday and it should be here tomorrow - and thanks Jon, I'll do some more reading tonight! I hope my ignorance has not pissed any of you guys off!

If the weight on the heat riser valve is on the engine side then look at the end of the valve rod on the outside of the manifold. Is there a slot? If so, align the slot parallel to the direction run of the exhaust manifold. That should result in the butterfly flap inside the manifold being in the open position. For a temporary test if this is the banging noise, or not, try using a coat hanger to lock the valve in this position, and then run the engine to test for the popping noise. Removing the valve will mean removing the exhaust pipe, to get at the butterfly flap inside the manifold.

I hope my ignorance has not pissed any of you guys off!

Ha! Ignorance can be fixed, stupid cannot. No worries.

Thanks John, I checked the heat riser valve (on the driver's side thanks Willie!) and it is easily flipped. James, is it fairly easy to remove this part? I didn't get a chance to mess around today. I need to get her turned around the other way in the garage so the exhaust is shooting out and not in and thus I can properly try and get her warmed up without killing myself. Also I ordered the Dorman part yesterday and it should be here tomorrow - and thanks Jon, I'll do some more reading tonight! I hope my ignorance has not pissed any of you guys off!

If the weight on the heat riser valve is on the engine side then look at the end of the valve rod on the outside of the manifold. Is there a slot? If so, align the slot parallel to the direction run of the exhaust manifold. That should result in the butterfly flap inside the manifold being in the open position. For a temporary test if this is the banging noise, or not, try using a coat hanger to lock the valve in this position, and then run the engine to test for the popping noise. Removing the valve will mean removing the exhaust pipe, to get at the butterfly flap inside the manifold.

The bolts holding the the pipe to the manifold are bad to be stuck (all that heating/cooling cycles).

Application of penetrating oil is in order (PB Blaster, Liquid Wrench, Kroil). Spray it in the bolt hole 24 hours before you try to loosen it.

Availability of torch to heat the bolts that hold the exhaust pipe to the heat riser makes life a bit easier.

Hey, I just read through the all postings about your problem, and there's lots of good advice regarding your issue.

I'm wondering if there could be an problem with the timing and/or the Petronix. Were you able to verify the ignition timing? When the Petronix is installed, the ignition timing would need to be checked, as it could be out one way or another, also, is it installed correctly? Having the timing too far back will cause the lack of performance issue that you described. If you do not have access to a timing light, loosen the lock bolt on the distributor and move it a bit so that the engine speed increases a bit, lock the bolt and see how it works. If it pings under load, then you've got too much advance, and back it off a tad. Small changes are the name of the game here. This is the "old school" way, setting it by ear and feel, not so scientific, but it works.

Keith

Thanks guys! I'm going to go through this most current list of tips. I got the choke stove kit ready to install. I had a big art show last night and had to shift gears for that. And thanks Keith for taking the time of going through the thread. I don't have a timing light, but will do as you suggested. I do need to check the timing as you and Willie have mentioned. I'm recuperating from the art show right now, but plan on getting out there this afternoon to mess around with the 'ol girl! I'll report back.

The timing can be set with the vacuum gauge with the engine running turn the distributor to get the highest vacuum reading and the timing will be correct.

Al

Great suggestion Alfre. Thank you! Okay, I managed to pull her out and get her turned around so the exhaust is pointing out of the garage. Upon further listening, it does seem the pinging or popping sound is coming from the heat riser valve. I will remove it tomorrow. I attached the vacuum gauge and turned the distributor both ways to advance and retard while she was running, it dropped considerably when I turned it to retard the timing. I tried turning it the other way to advance it, but I think it might be binding a little bit due to the vacuum advance being attached. I'll disconnect that tomorrow and fiddle with the distributor again.

One last thing, I feel I'm pretty handy but I'm honestly stumped on how the fittings attach with the choke stove kit. I understand that the ferrule fitting and the nut are used to attach one end of the tube to the carburetor. The other end is where I'm lost. I see that the tube goes into the hole of the dome piece that is clamped to the exhaust. Which pipe on the exhaust do I mount it to. Also there are some other pieces that I am unsure of how to use with the kit. Does the piece of tube just sit in the dome piece or do I use one of the other pieces to secure it to the dome piece? There's also a solid cone shaped piece that I have no idea where it goes.

Understand that a generic kit is just that generic. You may or may not need all the parts to make it work in your application. The object of a choke stove kit is to get warm air to the choke so when the car warms up the choke turns off. On one of my cars the pice of pipe just sits in manifold. I would bold the dome piece to which ever pipe is the easiest and put the pipe in it. Start the car and see if you choke turns off when it warms up. If not, see if you re getting warm air. If you are, you may need to adjust your choke.

Understood, thanks Bill - I got the choke stove kit installed. I removed the heat riser valve as suggested. I've disconnected the vacuum advance and I'm trying to verify timing by turning the distributor with the vacuum gauge hooked up to the intake manifold. I can't seem to get her to sound good. I can retard her and she'll just about die so I turn it back slightly to advance and the vacuum gauge still reads in the red "lated timing" zone. She idles, but to me it sounds rough. chugga-chugga-CHUGGA-CHUGGA-chugga-chugga. I also noticed the popping sound is afterfire from the now vacant ports of the removed heat riser valve pin on the exhaust manifold. (I'm guessing the previous popping/pinging sound before was afterfire causing the weight of the heat riser valve to hit the engine?) Anyways, I see a small blue flame shoot out every once and a while at that point. This means a rich mixture, correct? Do I address this now or do I need to put on my big boy gloves and do a valve adjustment as has been suggested?

Here's the video I just took:

She is running like she had a dead miss. At the tailpipe, is the exhaust coming out in a steady stream or do you feel a puff puff on the palm of you hand every now and then?

I forgot to mention that the removed vacuum line must be plugged when disconnected or the gauge could be attached to it. the popping could be a sticking valve and might loosen with running.

Al

Thanks Chris - it is not a steady stream. it's definitely a puff-puff.

Al, I'll plug the vacuum line when I go back out there to test her again. Thanks!

Thanks Chris - it is not a steady stream. it's definitely a puff-puff.

Al, I'll plug the vacuum line when I go back out there to test her again. Thanks!

Need to discover the reason for the misfire. Open vacuum source will produce a misfire. If the puff puff is happening when cold it is more than likely just the fuel returning back to droplet form as it enters the cold intake. Gas is volatile when in fume/atomized form. So this droplet of gas enters the chamber and does not ignite and creates a misfire. As she warms and the gas stays in the atomize form as produced by your carb is it able to fire correctly. Mine will putt putt when cold for about a minute then it smooths out as the engine warms. From then on it fires on all 8 without issue. If yours continues to putt putt after warmed she has a dead miss/intermittent misfire.

See how she runs once you have stopped the open vacuum source.

Thanks Chris. I hooked everything back up. I felt like I needed to start over. I took some more video if anyone wants to check it out. More for sound as the video is dark and a little shaky (sorry about that) You can hear the engine and it seems to skip some beats. In the second part you can see the blue flame pop and this is definitely where the pops are coming from. Is it possible some plugs are fouled and causing misfires? It's starting to bum me out. I'm anxious to get her running like a top.

https://youtu.be/qfayLfuprCQ

That's a good idea to run the engine in the dark. I think a spark plug wire or boot is leaking electricity (shorting to ground). New wire or looming should fix that.

Good luck. Pat

The blue flame (spark) is definitely the source of the pop. That blue spark is electrical. The electricity might be (is) crossing paths from one wire to another. Causing misfire and off time of spark.

I would suspect the wires themselves ...