66 Electra Keeps Cutting Off

Discussion in 'Wrenchin' Secrets' started by easyellis, Jul 29, 2019.

  1. easyellis

    easyellis Well-Known Member

    Will try this this weekend. Tried the other trick of killing the carb while gassing it; still not idling. Will clean the bulkhead connector tonight/tomorrow.
     
  2. easyellis

    easyellis Well-Known Member

    No Sir, will not idle.
     
  3. easyellis

    easyellis Well-Known Member

    Did not mess with the idle screws. I can keep it running by keeping my foot in the gas pedal; as soon as I remove my foot it dies. I can drive it with both feet, but at a stop I put it in neutral.
     
  4. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    You could also run a line from the positive battery terminal to the coil positive. If the problem goes away, you know it is somewhere between the ignition switch and coil. Next replace the wire between the firewall and coil and see if the problem goes away. If not check the ignition switch, and wiring under the dash. Isolate the problem.

    Is the carburetor flooding?
     
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  5. easyellis

    easyellis Well-Known Member

    I agree with not just feeding parts to an issue. My problem is, my mechanical skills are limited. This is why I am reaching out for hep to this forum and friends.
     
  6. easyellis

    easyellis Well-Known Member

    No flooding. I am under the hood now, it starts and runs and does not have fuel spilling over into or puddling in the carb.
     
  7. easyellis

    easyellis Well-Known Member

    Thanks for the info but my mechanical skills are not that savvy.... always willing to try though.
     
  8. yachtsmanbill

    yachtsmanbill Well-Known Member

    So I am taking a stab here... is this a Carter AFB or Edelbrock carb or a Rochester 4V? Points or HEI? Could be a broken (ready to fail) reluctor wire (if HEI) or a bad condenser at the points if not HEI. Is it possible to adapt an HEI to a nailhead?

    Is the fuel supply to carb with a hose? That would be easy to "T" into with a fuel pressure gage. Mine BARELY ran with 3 lbs of fuel pressure, yet a new pump and tank pickup gave me 7 lbs. and made a world of difference.

    Easy to hot wire the coil as mentioned above. A piece of wire and two alligator clips. One clip to the battery PLUS side (+) and the other to the coil plus side (remove and tape the removed plus wire thats on the coil now) .

    One last issue... try going for a spin with no air cleaner and see if the choke is malfunctioning, as in closing when at a stop light. You should notice a really rich exhaust smell if that happens.

    How about this... if its smoking real bad white smoke out the back, could be a failed(ing) vacuum modulator off the trans fouling the plugs. Thats just a few things of the top of my head.

    Where is southern Illinois ya from? Goreville?? ws
     
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  9. easyellis

    easyellis Well-Known Member

    I have a Carter AFB and I am 20 mins from Goreville in Marion. I will run some wire in the morning.
     
  10. GSX 554

    GSX 554 Gold Level Contributor

    Do what Larry suggests . But I'll still stick with the Idle circuit clogged Take the 2 mixture screws out and squirt carb cleaner with the tube into each . You can 2 foot drive . That tells me its not Ignition . It also runs fine when moving . The only problem is It Won't Idle . Try sucking on the carb again . Don't be afraid to rev it up to like 3000 RPM's and use your hand to choke off the carb , removing you hand when it starts to recover while still opening the throttle .

    What did you use to power up your HEI ??
     
    Last edited: Aug 1, 2019
  11. easyellis

    easyellis Well-Known Member

    I used the breakerless SE single wire to covert to electronic ignition. I turned the idle adjustment screw clockwise 3 turns and the engine ran while idling without gas pedal assistance. Once warm, I tapped the gas to kick it down and the problem is still there. Made another adjustment to the screw to see if it would idle again and it would not.
     
  12. GSX 554

    GSX 554 Gold Level Contributor

    I don't understand . If you turned the IDLE ADJUSTMENT SCREW in 3 turns and then tapped the gas pedal and it returned to the original non idle it appears you are turning the wrong screw. Maybe someone that is more familar with the AFB could chime in . Is there a separate screw for fast idle and another screw for base idle ??? Maybe a picture of what you are turning on the carb ???
     
  13. easyellis

    easyellis Well-Known Member

    This was a suggestion from another individual. This is this screw that was turned and when turned; the car idled during warmup and when I tapped the gas pedal to kick the engine down to regular idle it shut off.
     

    Attached Files:

  14. easyellis

    easyellis Well-Known Member

    When my kid comes back I will get assistance with your suggestion again.
     
  15. telriv

    telriv Founders Club Member

    That screw your turning is the choke fast idle screw. The one you need to adjust is on the front on the left side. It touches the linkage. You can see it in the pic you posted at the top almost out if the picture.. That IS THE HOT IDLE screw. Now back off the choke fast idle screw probably two turns.
     
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  16. GSX 554

    GSX 554 Gold Level Contributor

    BINGO !!!! That is the " Fast Idle Screw . But is that the Curb Idle Screw above it in your photo ??? The one with the spring under it to keep tension on it ??? Its at the top of your Photo .
     
  17. easyellis

    easyellis Well-Known Member

     
  18. easyellis

    easyellis Well-Known Member

    Here is a video of the car idling after about 5 mins.
     
  19. GSX 554

    GSX 554 Gold Level Contributor

    I can't see the video of it running after 5 minutes BUT . It appears the first 5 minutes it is running on the FAST IDLE SCREW . and once you "Kick it off fast idle " it stalls because the CURB IDLE SCREW . is not adjusted correctly .
     
  20. GSX 554

    GSX 554 Gold Level Contributor

    You seem to be confused . There are 2 Screws for the IDLE . One is the FAST IDLE SCREW , which you have been turning and the other is the CURB IDLE SCREW that is adjusted AFTER the fast idle screw is kicked off . . Did you read my post #36 ??????? That screw at the top of the picture " APPEARS " to be the curb idle screw . Its the one with the spring wrapped around it .
     

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