WT!!

[RaycerX73c20]

Okay I a new guy and my wife and I just bought a 73 C20 350/350. Its an old truck but was well maintained mechanically by the owners.

Heres the deal. It ran great when we bought it and fine the next day. Then without warning it started to run rough and want to die. It had just had new plugs put in it but wires looked old so I put new ones on it.  That didnt help. It would idle just fine but when you step on the gas it would cough and sputter and then back fire, after that it would idle reall rough and want to die. It had an Eldlebrock 1406 carb on it, so I bought a rebuild kit and tore it down and rebuilt it. With it reinstalled the truck ran great,better than when we bought it. I went to go to a friends house and after about 10 miles it went right back to running like crap and so bad that I ended up getting towed off the freeway. Just for some giggles I went and bought a brand new eldelbrock 1406 and installed it in the parking lot.  Again the truck ran great but this time it didnt even make it out of the parking lot.  

My friend think its ignition related. So since I no nothing about points, I am going to get the petronix conversion and install that and see what happens.  

Has anyone had anything like this happen to them and if so how did you fix it?

Edited by: roundedline at: 8/10/06 5:12 pm

[Lt.Del]

To me it sounds as though there may be junk in your gas tank.  Do you notice the carb's gas filters?  Anything there?

Next guess would be to check for vacuum leaks.  You have a 73, so there is no EGR smog crap, but still a leak could be around your carb or intake manifold.

Did you replace cap/rotor of distributor when replacing plug wires?

I would throw an HEI distributor in it.  It is very simple to do and won't require any points.  YOu can remove your external coil as well.

Check your coil now that i mention it.  They are cheap, I'd replace it since you don't know when it was replaced last, that is, if you choose not to go w/ HEI distributor.  

SgtDel
aka "Andy"

www.delbridge.net

1979 Big 10 383 stroker
1991 Blu 'Burb 3/4 ton 4x4

[Pushrod]

Fuel pump and filter

[autonuerotic]

Did you check the gap on the plugs before installing them?  It is possible the gap is too big.   Check your firing order as well, especially if you didnt replace the wires one at a time.

[RaycerX73c20]

It has a brand new stock replacement fuel pump and filter, firing order is right plugs are gapped right and still look new.  And I want to go with a HEI, but the wife wants to keep it stock. She likes old school. As soon as I get the water pump in our 81 z28 Im gonna go screw with it some more.

Edited by: RaycerX73c20 at: 8/10/06 5:30 pm

[roundedline]

Check the coil.  You may also want to check to see if there is water in the gas tank.

Chris Lucas
www.73-87chevytrucks.com
www.captkaoscustoms.com
Project Su
Jimmy 2WD Project

[DnStClr]

Funny that it was maintained well and running good til 2 days after you got it. I would suspect bad gas like Chris says. Can you call the former owner to see if he had same problem?

Don St.Clair
Culleoka Tn

[RaycerX73c20]

Talked to the guy we got it from and hes never had a problem like this. He thinks maybe the points got messed up some how, but when he got bought the truck a few years ago he said it ran rough til he got the points and dwel set. So tomorrow it gets a new MSD HEI(I won) and plug wires for the HEI. Then we go from there and see whats up.  Eveyone I have talked to seems to think the HEI will solve the problem or at least get it home to screw with it more.

[123 pugsy]

HEI is definitly the way to go. I just wish I could win over my wife like you did!  

[RaycerX73c20]

IT LIVES....  still running a little rough, but I need to get a timing light for that. Drove it home, no issues. Looks like HEI was the cure.

[Lt.Del]

Congrats!  HEI is so much better than stock points.

SgtDel
aka "Andy"

www.delbridge.net

1979 Big 10 383 stroker
1991 Blu 'Burb 3/4 ton 4x4