1953 Plymouth Cranbrook Fuel supply problem

[Guest Angelo Morascyzk]

My Cranbrook only has 8587 original miles. It doesn't get driven very often. Lately when I take it out it starts great idles great then I drive it about 4 or 5 miles and it acts like it is running out of gas. When I press the gas pedal it bogs and then stalls. I wait a few minutes and it will start back up then die again after a mile or so.  Any ideas what it could be.  I changed the fuel filter. Next step to change the fuel pump?  Any other ideas.

[keiser31]

Coil heating up will do that. I had a 1949 Dodge and it would run for a few minutes and die. Then the coil would cool off and the car would start right up again and go....for a few miles. It was also a low mileage car.

Edited July 21, 2017 by keiser31 (see edit history)

[TerryB]

If it has an older fuel pump the diaphragm might be failing. 

Terry

[Rusty_OToole]

Is the vent in the gas cap plugged up? Or did you install a new gas cap recently? If it does it again open the gas cap, if you hear a woosh of air it is not venting.

 

Another possibility is vapor lock. If it does it again put a wet rag on the fuel pump. Is the heat deflector still on there, between the fuel pump and exhaust manifold?

Edited July 22, 2017 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[nickelroadster]

Check to see if you have gas in the carb immediately after stopping.  This will give you an idea whether you have an electrical or a fuel problem and allow you to eliminate some  reasons for the problem.

[Guest Angelo Morascyzk]

Thanks for the input. I'm going to try a few things to see if it might be Vapor lock. Seems to be getting worse as I only drive it a few times a year.

[PFitz]

Usually, if any part of the fuel system is too hot to comfortably hold your hand on it, then vapor lock is a very good likelihood.

 

If putting cool, wet paper towels on the fuel pump and carb, or spraying cool water from a plant sprayer on them (don't get a lot of water inside the carb) to quickly cool them down, lets the stalled engine restart sooner , that is another good indication that the problem is vapor lock.  

 

Paul 

Edited July 24, 2017 by PFitz (see edit history)

[Rusty_OToole]

My guess is bad coil, bad condenser or no gas tank cap vent. Check the cap first, it is easiest. Pull the coil wire and hold it near the engine while someone turns the key to see if you have sparks.

 

How long do you have to wait until it will start again?

[Guest Angelo Morascyzk]

It will start back up after a few minutes.  But it acts like its out of gas when I hit the gas.  Will usually idle then stall when I try to hit the gas. Most noticeable when I try to go up a hill when it is acting up.  Every time this happens if I wait a little while. 20 minutes or so. I can get it back home.

[PFitz]

What you describe is exactly what happens with vapor lock. But it can also be a coil going bad from heat.  Usually when it's a bad condenser it quits after a few times of running bad and it won't start even when it cools down.  

 

With vapor lock, it starts out turning the carb lean and starving for gas, which gets worse because a lean engine runs hotter, dumping more heat into the engine bay and under the car around the fuel system.

 

With the coil, the higher cylinder pressures of an engine under load make it tougher for the coil to  jump the spark gap.

 

To quickly cross vapor lock off the list of possibilities, try wetting down the fuel pump, fuel lines, and carb, with wet towels and see if you can get that twenty minute wait to restart reduced to just a few minutes without doing anything else.

 

Then, if that made no  noticeable difference, get it hot enough again to stall out and if it's the coil, or condenser cutting out, there will be no, or barely any spark at the plugs.

 

Once you determine the cause, if it's a bad coil then changing it should eliminate the problem. If it's vapor lock, there are a number of things you can do to deal with that.

 

Paul

Edited July 26, 2017 by PFitz (see edit history)

[Rusty_OToole]

When it stalls run around and take off the gas cap. If you hear a hiss of air there is your problem. There should be a small vent hole in the cap. But modern caps are sealed. If the cap has been replaced it may not have a vent.

 

You have been given a whole list of things to check. Have you done any of them? Come back when you know if it is a gas or spark problem.

[c49er]

Does the gas tank filler tube have the smell of old gas? An old low mileage car like that sat a lot to have only that mileage.

There is a "Oilite" fuel filter in the tank... non serviceable. Could be plugging up.

Also the flex hose at the fuel pump could be cracked and sucking air.

Also a bad fuel pump as mentioned.

Your car could have been one sold from a Texas dealership owner years ago that never sold a bunch of  1952-55 Mopar cars...all extremely low mileage back in the mid to late 70's as I remember.

Good luck with your car!

[Spinneyhill]

Any chance it is carb. icing?

 

Fuel pump: has someone over tightened the bowl stirrup, bending the top? the glass bowl will rock on its seat. The top can be straightened with heat (boiling water) and gentle clamping.

 

Neither of these things should be happening on a low mileage car that hasn't been messed around with.

 

Do some diagnosis before replacing anything. Throwing parts at it might not solve the problem until you have spent quite a lot of money you did not need to spend.

 

 

Edited July 27, 2017 by Spinneyhill (see edit history)