'29 DA stalling and not restarting easily

[Bob Zetnick]

I am not a great mechanic and don't want to putz my car up without direction. I have had my car in driveable condition for 6 years, but recently it has been stalling out and hard to get going again. The last month has been hot and I overfilled the gas tank. I have a 6v fuel pump I can regulate. I have the original Stromberg U-2 carb that has been rebuilt. I will say that last year the spring to the gas pedal would not retract and revved the engine up a lot and I had to lift the gas pedal up w/ my foot to idle at normal speed. I replaced spring and oiled linkage to where it's easier to idle, but it's still not perfect. Also, when I go around corners it can stall out, but then start up again while in motion when I get around corner....I downshift to 2nd gear when this happens. Lastly, when I stop  for a bit and try to start, the car seems to flood and then the starter totally shuts down, like a dead battery (I've replaced battery and checked cables and terminals...starter is also rebuilt).....no noise at all.....if I push the car backward and then put in gear, then car starts.....car putters until car performs normally and then all is fine. I'm afraid to do errands on my own as I need someone to help push car and I'd love to go to Great Race when they stop in Pueblo, CO this July 1. So these are my thoughts:

1) Carb or distributor might need adjusting  due to vibration?

2) I don't have a hole in gas cap and w/ tank so full may not have any pressure to carb?

3) Vapor lock in hot weather?

4) Gears not meshing correctly from starter to flywheel?

Any other ideas are appreciated. Thanks!

 

[keiser31]

#2= Sounds like you need a vented gas cap to me.

[Bob Zetnick]

19 minutes ago, keiser31 said:

#2= Sounds like you need a vented gas cap to me.

Thanks...yeah, I have a bit of a leak where the tank float is, but overfilling the tank may have reduced any air flow......maybe I can drill current gas cap.....thanks!

[nearchoclatetown]

Before you start drilling anything prove that is the problem. Take the cap off and see if it fixes itself. 

[nearchoclatetown]

I am not in any way second guessing John, didn't want it to sound like I was. It's much easier to take the cap off then drill holes. 

[Mattml430]

Sounds like your starter is locking in when you try start it. 
If it’s flooding that will make it hard to start. You may need to regulate the fuel pressure back a little and also check your needle and seat. 

[Bob Zetnick]

13 hours ago, nearchoclatetown said:

I am not in any way second guessing John, didn't want it to sound like I was. It's much easier to take the cap off then drill holes. 

Thanks! I do have the old beat up cap that has a hole I can use to check out.

[Bob Zetnick]

5 hours ago, Mattml430 said:

Sounds like your starter is locking in when you try start it. 
If it’s flooding that will make it hard to start. You may need to regulate the fuel pressure back a little and also check your needle and seat. 

Is that typical for starter to lock up (no noise whatsoever) when carb is flooded? You are describing what's happening....I didn't know if hot days or overfilled gas tank had anything to do w/ it as it's just been the last few drives. Thanks!

[Mattml430]

5 hours ago, Bob Zetnick said:

Is that typical for starter to lock up (no noise whatsoever) when carb is flooded? You are describing what's happening....I didn't know if hot days or overfilled gas tank had anything to do w/ it as it's just been the last few drives. Thanks!

The ring gear could be badly worn and locking it up. Once it’s stuck it generally won’t make any noise. 
If it’s real hot weather and it stop the intake manifold might be getting really hot and vaporising the fuel. I have separated my intake manifold from my exhaust manifold to prevent this happening,  modern fuel doesn’t need to be pre heated like the old fuel the cars ran on back in the early days. 

 

 

[Bob Zetnick]

1 hour ago, Mattml430 said:

The ring gear could be badly worn and locking it up. Once it’s stuck it generally won’t make any noise. 
If it’s real hot weather and it stop the intake manifold might be getting really hot and vaporising the fuel. I have separated my intake manifold from my exhaust manifold to prevent this happening,  modern fuel doesn’t need to be pre heated like the old fuel the cars ran on back in the early days. 

 

 

Yeah, the ring gear has a couple of minor chips, but otherwise good shape......it is hot weather for this area....can't really separate intake from exhaust on manifold as it's one unit. This might be a combination of things. I may try suggestions one at a time...see if it helps. Thanks!

[Mark Gregush]

I had a 46 Dodge truck that seemed to have hot weather starting issues. It was hard starting after it got warmed up. What I was told back then was that the starter was drawing too much current with not enough left to fire the plugs so I would flood the engine cranking and pumping that gas pedal. Got to be standard procedure to pull the air cleaner off and stuff a rag down through the carb and soaked up any excess gas pooling in the intake that I could reach with the rag on whatever was handy. Of course, that gave the engine time to cool down in the meantime, so was probably not necessary, but it occupied my time rather than just standing there. Sold the truck later, never did anything with the starter. 

[60ch]

Bob, Is your manifold heat control functioning. I found that mine was rusted in the on position when I got my car. Originally thought it was just

the wire from the dash control knob rusted solid and it was, but so was the Barrel valve in the manifold.  Good luck in you search for the problem.

Terry

[Bob Zetnick]

17 hours ago, 60ch said:

Bob, Is your manifold heat control functioning. I found that mine was rusted in the on position when I got my car. Originally thought it was just

the wire from the dash control knob rusted solid and it was, but so was the Barrel valve in the manifold.  Good luck in you search for the problem.

Terry

No mine is not...it too is rusted in open position and while I  have the parts I'm afraid to break that manifold......I will say that in the 50+ years I've had the car it  has never had a starting issue unless a dead battery.