After sitting for 5 years, I finally got my 69 el Camino back on the road. In the last year before I got it running, I installed a used, running crate 350 with a quadrajet on top of an Edelbrock performer intake. As far as I know, the cam is whatever came in the crate engine. I bolted my shorty Hedman headers on, and those go through 2 1/2" pipe into Maganaflows. Behind the 350 is a 700r4 with a non locking converter I got free from my uncle. Out back is a 9" with 3.23 open gears and disc brakes I added. Before I started the engine, I dropped the gas tank, and thoroughly cleaned it out with acetone. I rolled marbles around in it as well. After that, I power washed it inside and out at a self car wash. I then let it air dry, then painted the outside.
I only mention these things to give an idea of what I've done recently in case it might help. The car ran great for 2 months, giving me no drivability issues, until this out of no where.
My issue is that within the past week the car won't go above 3500 RPM without stumbling and almost dying. It started close to 4000, then got lower to around 3500. Last weekend I couldn't get it above 2500. It feels like it is running out of fuel. I changed brands of fuel thinking that might help, but it didn't do anything significant.
Two nights ago I pulled one of the fuel filters because it was filthy. I have the clear glass style fuel filter before and after the pump to make sure the pump is functioning properly. I took it for a test drive and nothing changed at all.
Last night I bought a harbor freight vacuum gauge and adjusted the qjet to that highest vacuum I could get. The car runs great for a few seconds, then stumbles and tries to die. I can get it to 4000 RPM once, then once it shifts, and goes back up the power band, it stumbles again. It still acts like it's running out of fuel. I can get it to idle for a few minutes, other times I can see the fuel in the filters isn't filling up the filter like it should, then the car dies. I can get it start up, but it takes cranking on it for awhile before it fires up.
Earlier tonight I checked fuel pressure with the harbor freight gauge, and I got 7 PSI. I figured the pump was still good since it was replaced only a few months ago.
I took the line off before the pre pump filter, and disconnected the line at the tank, then taped a plastic bag at the end. Then I blew the line out, and checked the bag to see if there was any debris in it. The bag only had fuel in it. It looked like fuel, nothing special. So I hooked everything back up, and now I'm at a loss.
I feel I should mention when I pulled the line to blow it out, as well as when I changed the filter, no fuel came pouring out from the tank side. I didn't have to plug it, crimp it, or put it in the air to stop it from leaking. I always thought it leaked no matter what.
The pump is the O'Reilly pump they have on the shelf in the back. It's nothing special. The pressure gauge said it's at 7 psi, even though it didn't put fuel into the line, only air. My next step is to rig up the pressure gauge while I drive, assuming I can drive it since it does stall after a few minutes of driving now, and see what I get while driving.
The plugs showed they're burning great before this fiasco, so I'm assuming that the ignition system (HEI) and timing can be ruled out. New plugs, wires, coil, module, condenser, rotor, and cap. This distributor is the one from my old 350 but it worked when parked. I figure it should be fine since everything else around it is new in the ignition system.
I've been driving without an air filter on it thinking that might help, but it hasn't changed anything at all either.
My next step is a compression check, but because it runs great for a short time, then stumbles, I don't expect any answers there.
I have yet to rebuild the carb, only because I've never done one, and small things tend to frustrate me, so I'm waiting for my uncle to help me.
Anyone have any other ideas? This is my daily, as I gave my Corolla to my girlfriend, and now we're back to one car.
I only mention these things to give an idea of what I've done recently in case it might help. The car ran great for 2 months, giving me no drivability issues, until this out of no where.
My issue is that within the past week the car won't go above 3500 RPM without stumbling and almost dying. It started close to 4000, then got lower to around 3500. Last weekend I couldn't get it above 2500. It feels like it is running out of fuel. I changed brands of fuel thinking that might help, but it didn't do anything significant.
Two nights ago I pulled one of the fuel filters because it was filthy. I have the clear glass style fuel filter before and after the pump to make sure the pump is functioning properly. I took it for a test drive and nothing changed at all.
Last night I bought a harbor freight vacuum gauge and adjusted the qjet to that highest vacuum I could get. The car runs great for a few seconds, then stumbles and tries to die. I can get it to 4000 RPM once, then once it shifts, and goes back up the power band, it stumbles again. It still acts like it's running out of fuel. I can get it to idle for a few minutes, other times I can see the fuel in the filters isn't filling up the filter like it should, then the car dies. I can get it start up, but it takes cranking on it for awhile before it fires up.
Earlier tonight I checked fuel pressure with the harbor freight gauge, and I got 7 PSI. I figured the pump was still good since it was replaced only a few months ago.
I took the line off before the pre pump filter, and disconnected the line at the tank, then taped a plastic bag at the end. Then I blew the line out, and checked the bag to see if there was any debris in it. The bag only had fuel in it. It looked like fuel, nothing special. So I hooked everything back up, and now I'm at a loss.
I feel I should mention when I pulled the line to blow it out, as well as when I changed the filter, no fuel came pouring out from the tank side. I didn't have to plug it, crimp it, or put it in the air to stop it from leaking. I always thought it leaked no matter what.
The pump is the O'Reilly pump they have on the shelf in the back. It's nothing special. The pressure gauge said it's at 7 psi, even though it didn't put fuel into the line, only air. My next step is to rig up the pressure gauge while I drive, assuming I can drive it since it does stall after a few minutes of driving now, and see what I get while driving.
The plugs showed they're burning great before this fiasco, so I'm assuming that the ignition system (HEI) and timing can be ruled out. New plugs, wires, coil, module, condenser, rotor, and cap. This distributor is the one from my old 350 but it worked when parked. I figure it should be fine since everything else around it is new in the ignition system.
I've been driving without an air filter on it thinking that might help, but it hasn't changed anything at all either.
My next step is a compression check, but because it runs great for a short time, then stumbles, I don't expect any answers there.
I have yet to rebuild the carb, only because I've never done one, and small things tend to frustrate me, so I'm waiting for my uncle to help me.
Anyone have any other ideas? This is my daily, as I gave my Corolla to my girlfriend, and now we're back to one car.