Car Stalling On Sharp Turns

[Guest shadetree77]

Recently, my '52 Special w/ straight eight has started stalling in the middle of sharp turns. Most of the time it's in a parking lot or turning onto a side road, etc. It happens right in the middle of the turn right after I let off the gas. It doesn't happen every time. Maybe every other turn or so. If I'm quick enough, I can take my foot off the brake and give it a little gas to make it keep going but it's really annoying and I'd like to fix whatever is making this happen. I read in the service manual that an out-of-adjustment dash pot could cause this problem, but I have adjusted it both ways and neither seemed to help. Any ideas?

[1957buickjim]

Robert, you are right, it might be that the dash pot needs adjusting on the car. I had the same problem with my 57 and adjusted it and stopped the issue. What was happening is that the throttle plates were closing competely off and the dash pot retards that closure, leaving enough fuel through to keep the car from stalling. The dash pot is the sliver part with the spring on the bottom of the photo that is hitting the throttle linkage, which would look a little different on your 52. Also, it could be that the dash pot is inoperative (worn out). I would look for getting a new one. I did that as well, since mine was cracked and dry rotted at the rubber bellows where the arm goes in. That may be your first order of business. For the adjustment to work, you need to make sure that your transmission linkage is adjusted correctly per the manual, as well as your throttle linkage. Adjust those 2 items first to spec, then adjust the dash pot. I know the stalling is frustrating for sure, but this should take care of it. Good luck.

Edited May 1, 2012 by 1957buickjim (see edit history)

[rick60]

Are the float level and float drop set to specs? Is the idle speed set too low? If the car is equipped with a dashpot be sure it is working and adjusted properly. It should be an easy fix. Good luck! I really enjoy your reading about your car!

[55 SURVIVOR]

Could be new carb parts need broken in,float hanging up,A wire or wires need dressed up,something touching or fouling against metal with movement in a turn.Could be under hood or under dash,a loose wire [ignition].I would check things over mildly,but put more miles on it.If it is a carb problem it may go away and break in.The more i ran mine the better it ran.But there is in all repairs a mix of old parts with new,mabey give it more time,and if your lucky it will go-away/ or just plain go!! then you will know what it is.

[smithbrother]

Not to be PICKING on you or your comment, I just haven't ever heard of a carb, BREAKING IN.

Personally I would want to approach the issue, ONE STEP AT A TIME, so that when you do cure the problem, you will KNOW what it was.

Hoping it will just GO AWAY, wouldn't work for me, but then, WHAT DO I KNOW.....

I wish you well,

Dale in Indy

[55 SURVIVOR]

The carb kits today are'nt that good,rubber composites[stiff],not like they used to be,needle seats, gaskets,made in china does no good either.I think you had a carb rebuild recently?I think you said you put around 100 miles on it to a few shows.Ive put 5,000 on since a year and a half and i had my share of the "gremlins"but it did'nt leave me stranded as it sounds as yours has a glitch now and again.Do the easy route first is all i'm saying,be patient and keep in mind it"s a 60 year old car. Wish i could still get old school parts,instead of after market stuff,but i must take what i can get.

[Rosiesdad]

Mine was stalling on right hand turns. I found deposits inside one of the long brass tubes (Jets?) on my carter carb. affecting the fuel level. Cleaned it out and no more stalling.

Phil

[Guest Straight eight]

What is this business with the right foot on the brake?????? When we took delivery of the third Buick with Dyna Flow, the salesman instructed us to use the left foot on the brake, and keep the right foot over the throttle resulting in much faster brake application, and with a combination like that, and a little coordination stalling could be avoided.

[smithbrother]

Well, SOME FOLKS don't have the same control with their LEFT foot as they do with their RIGHT, that's one thought, another thought is that in a panic situation, if you use the RIGHT FOR GAS, and LEFT FOR BRAKE, WELL, one might JAMB both, and guess what?, the gas pedal wins.

That's what I was taught. Food for thought.

Dale in Indy

[Guest Straight eight]

Dad never had that problem. The gas foot stayed on the gas, and the brake pedal regulated the speed. Tuff on brakes.

[smithbrother]

Yep, I see folks driving on the highway at SPEED, and the brake light flashing and you know they are driving with LEFT on brake, and RIGHT on gas. Yep, TUFF on brakes is just another reason NOT to do such. IMO

Dale in Indy

[JohnD1956]

I am used to that approach from ages ago when my 56 used to be just like that, wanting to stall out everywhere. Right on the gas feathering it to keep er going, left on the brake to stop. When I started my delivery job the flat nosed cab over Izuzu truck has the steering column in the way and THAT was tough getting used to just using the one foot for both again. Oh well. That doesn't help Robert solve this problem. Can't wait to hear the solution.

[Guest shadetree77]

Ok guys, I have a few more clues to add to this mystery. Yesterday, I took the car for a drive in town. It did just fine for 3/4 of the trip. On the way home after the car was good and warmed up(as a matter of fact I think this only happens when the car is warm), I turned left at a stop light and the car abruptly stalled and died. I coasted to a stop in a nearby parking lot and I could smell gas....strongly. I immediately jumped out and raised the hood. The carburetor was wet around the back side. Not a lot, just a good splash or two of gas. I thought maybe I might have a leak but I turned my electric fuel pump on and let it run for a minute and there were NO leaks. The car started right back up and I drove it home with no stalling. Checked the carb when I got home and no gas leaks anywhere......:confused:. What is the deal here folks? Could a setting on my carburetor be allowing too much fuel into the carb at idle, thus flooding the engine? But then, if that's the case why does this only happen on sharp turns?

Edited May 11, 2012 by shadetree77 (see edit history)

[Pete O]

Sounds like the float is sticking open, particularly when a sharp turn causes the fuel in the carb bowl to slosh to one side. There might be some binding in the float hinge, or some play that causes binding when the float is lifted more on one side than the other due to the sloshing.

[KAD36]

This used to happen to my Buick also around corners when it was warm, notably after I stopped regular use of it and it was laid up in the garage for awhile (years of very limited use). Sounds odd, but running a couple of tanks worth of concentrated fuel cleaner in it and STABIL marine grade ethanol treatment coupled with some "get it good and hot" on a long highway run, readjusting the mixture screws (with the current gas I have my mixture screws backed out an extra half turn or so) and adding an electric pump cured it. The hesitation and stutter on start up went away also. Prior to that I pretty much had myself signed up for a new accelerator pump and float adjustment.

I picked up a new dashpot last summer on eBay and recently put that on - that didn't necessarily help my particular case on but the engine sure idles down slower. As stated, that will prevent an engine stall when you snap the throttle closed.

Regarding the splash of gas on the back of the carb, you gotta find that if gas is spalshing on a hot engine obviously before you drive it much further. Wipe the carb down and get it really clean and dry and if it happens again maybe you can use a bright light and inspect to see if a body gasket is weeping or not. Another place to look is the fuel pump (even though you had the electric on with no leaks). I had the top gasket of mine go and splashed a bunch of gas around - no fun.

Edited May 12, 2012 by KAD36 (see edit history)

[61polara]

Check the float as others have mentioned. A friend had the same problem on a car and I kept on telling him the float level was too high. He finally agreed to pull the carb on the morning we were leaving for a 4 hour drive to an AACA National Meet. I opened up the carb and found the pivot pin for the float in the bottom of the bowl and the float just floating..............Put the pin back in from the correct side for this car, checked the float level and remounted the carb. It hasn't stalled in four years.