Something very puzzling happened with my truck

Something very puzzling happened with my truck - 04/09/13 12:18 AM

I took it out to do a few errands yesterday. It's a '76 360, auto two BBL. To begin with (a few in town miles) it ran fine (a bit cold, but other wise fine). After I went a few miles, I came to a stop, sat there idling (till traffic cleared), hit the gas, it just died! After I got it restarted, it started running like it was running out of gas (both tanks had gas in them, about 1/2. I even switched tanks a few times). I'd come to a stop and it would die. I'd restart it and it would sputter, then run up ok as I gave it gas in neutral. As soon as I'd put it in gear (on a roll), it would sputter, and barely run again (did this three or four times). I did this a few times. I abandoned my errands and headed (at a limp) for home (just a few miles, a few stop signs, and not knowing if I was going to make it or not). As I got closer to home, it started to run like it should again. I gave it gas, and it started taking it again as it should. Got to the house, and even backed it into the car port. Revved it up a few times in the car port, it did Ok.
Today I put a new fuel pump, and filter on. I'm not sure if this fixed it or not. I haven't had a chance to take it out yet. I did start it up in the car port, and it ran fine (both in neutral, and in gear) for the few minutes I revved on it, and had it running. Very puzzling.
Have any of you out there had one of yours do this? I'm thinking a fuel delivery problem (Carb.?), but could it be electronic, vapor locking (although the fuel lines are not close to anything hot)?

Posted By: Challenger 1

Re: Something very puzzling happened with my truck - 04/09/13 12:20 AM

water...I have no idea what your driving other than a truck.

Posted By: Challenger 1

Re: Something very puzzling happened with my truck - 04/09/13 12:21 AM

Thanks for the update....water, my guess.

Posted By: bigblock340power

Re: Something very puzzling happened with my truck - 04/09/13 12:25 AM

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Thanks for the update....water, my guess.

I suppose that could be it.
But the tank I run on most of the time is in the cab. Other than condensation, I don't see how water could have gotten into the fuel system. But now that I think of it, the fuel caps are on the side of the body, and it was raining for a few days. Hummmmmm.

Posted By: wingman

Re: Something very puzzling happened with my truck - 04/09/13 12:25 AM

How'd the filter look when you took it off?

Posted By: bigblock340power

Re: Something very puzzling happened with my truck - 04/09/13 12:30 AM

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How'd the filter look when you took it off?

It was a bit harder to blow through than the new one, but I don't think it was that bad.

Posted By: Challenger 1

Re: Something very puzzling happened with my truck - 04/09/13 12:38 AM

You have the filter mounted after the pump, right?

Posted By: bigblock340power

Re: Something very puzzling happened with my truck - 04/09/13 12:40 AM

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You have the filter mounted after the pump, right?

Yes, between the pump, and the carb.

Posted By: Challenger 1

Re: Something very puzzling happened with my truck - 04/09/13 12:42 AM

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You have the filter mounted after the pump, right?

Yes, between the pump, and the carb.

Posted By: bigblock340power

Re: Something very puzzling happened with my truck - 04/09/13 12:48 AM

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You have the filter mounted after the pump, right?

Yes, between the pump, and the carb.

I am starting to like your "water in the tank idea". Because my locking gas caps are not that tight a fit. I think they could let a bit of water in. I'm going to get a couple of stock gas caps for when I have it sitting in the back yard (secure) for long (rainy) lengths of time.

Posted By: RapidRobert

Re: Something very puzzling happened with my truck - 04/09/13 01:20 AM

concerning the water you might take the top off of the carb & see if there's a bunch of water globules in the bottom of the bowl & could take out the idle mix screws & shoot a 2 second blast of starting fluid into each port (need to fit a thin red nozzle straw extension to the spray cap button to get enough in there to flush it out good)

Posted By: scratchnfotraction

Re: Something very puzzling happened with my truck - 04/09/13 02:25 AM

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You have the filter mounted after the pump, right?

Yes, between the pump, and the carb.

I am starting to like your "water in the tank idea". Because my locking gas caps are not that tight a fit. I think they could let a bit of water in. I'm going to get a couple of stock gas caps for when I have it sitting in the back yard (secure) for long (rainy) lengths of time.

you can BUY crappy gas with water in it also.

Posted By: Challenger 1

Re: Something very puzzling happened with my truck - 04/09/13 02:26 AM

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You have the filter mounted after the pump, right?

Yes, between the pump, and the carb.

I am starting to like your "water in the tank idea". Because my locking gas caps are not that tight a fit. I think they could let a bit of water in. I'm going to get a couple of stock gas caps for when I have it sitting in the back yard (secure) for long (rainy) lengths of time.

The 10% ethanol crap gas that they sell us now attracts water now too. Get those filler caps sealed up!

LIke RR said you might want to check your fuel bowls for evidence of water, it'll be laying in there if it's present. Good luck.

Posted By: Challenger 1

Re: Something very puzzling happened with my truck - 04/09/13 02:27 AM

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You have the filter mounted after the pump, right?

Yes, between the pump, and the carb.

I am starting to like your "water in the tank idea". Because my locking gas caps are not that tight a fit. I think they could let a bit of water in. I'm going to get a couple of stock gas caps for when I have it sitting in the back yard (secure) for long (rainy) lengths of time.

you can BUY crappy gas with water in it also.

Does it cost extra?

Posted By: Russ H.

Re: Something very puzzling happened with my truck - 04/09/13 02:30 AM

Just to be safe, I would add a bottle of fuel conditioner/dryer to your tanks. It should take care of any remaining moisture.

Posted By: scratchnfotraction

Re: Something very puzzling happened with my truck - 04/09/13 02:38 AM

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You have the filter mounted after the pump, right?

Yes, between the pump, and the carb.

I am starting to like your "water in the tank idea". Because my locking gas caps are not that tight a fit. I think they could let a bit of water in. I'm going to get a couple of stock gas caps for when I have it sitting in the back yard (secure) for long (rainy) lengths of time.

you can BUY crappy gas with water in it also.

Does it cost extra?

why yes,it did! when this new place open up after the fuel company had been closed a few yrs, they had good price while everyone else was high.

I got 10 gals of gas from them. my truck would barly run,had to flush the fuel cell/lines/filter/pump/carb and refill with gas.

what I did run was !@#$%^ and had droplets of water all under the truck where the exhast dumped,smelled like burning paint thinner.

yea it cost me and a few town folk extra. they dont have many customers nowdays either.

Posted By: Challenger 1

Re: Something very puzzling happened with my truck - 04/09/13 02:54 AM

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You have the filter mounted after the pump, right?

Yes, between the pump, and the carb.

I am starting to like your "water in the tank idea". Because my locking gas caps are not that tight a fit. I think they could let a bit of water in. I'm going to get a couple of stock gas caps for when I have it sitting in the back yard (secure) for long (rainy) lengths of time.

you can BUY crappy gas with water in it also.

Does it cost extra?

why yes,it did! when this new place open up after the fuel company had been closed a few yrs, they had good price while everyone else was high.

I got 10 gals of gas from them. my truck would barly run,had to flush the fuel cell/lines/filter/pump/carb and refill with gas.

what I did run was !@#$%^ and had droplets of water all under the truck where the exhast dumped,smelled like burning paint thinner.

yea it cost me and a few town folk extra. they dont have many customers nowdays either.

Posted By: ghostrider

Re: Something very puzzling happened with my truck - 04/09/13 04:21 AM

When that happened to my 78 D150 with 318 I found it was a distributor hold down had come loose. Happened on my way to work after 11PM going up a bridge incline. Figured it out after work the next morning, timed by ear and tightened it down and never another hiccup.

Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Something very puzzling happened with my truck - 04/09/13 04:28 AM

Buy gas from somewhere else for a while and see if it makes a difference. I've ran into this before.

Posted By: 451Mopar

Re: Something very puzzling happened with my truck - 04/09/13 04:30 AM

had same problem when fuel line split. The pump would pull a bit of fuel and air at idle/unloaded, but under load could not deliver the fuel volume needed.