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I'd been out in the Dodge today, a round trip of about 90 - 100 miles. It ran sweet on the outbound and most of the way back. Then it developed a missing or surging, a bit of a backfire when pulling up a hill. Once over the top it passed but it did seem to have lost the top end 'bite'. This repeated itself with increasing susceptibility on hills or when really under load. Eventually when on a long steep hill when close to home, having been forced to drop speed and having dropped gears to keep the thing going it eventually wouldnt pull at all. I had to resort to setting off in first a few yards until it coughed its protest then set off again in stages until I was over the crest. I dont think the problem is low fuel in the tank - with it running away from the feed pipe as I believe it is at least half full(Unreliable guage, but I set off with a tank full and would expect to get perhaps twice that distance on a filling). That will be checked tomorrow. Once over the hill it managed to keep running but was obviously a 'bit sick' but it got me home. Load is obviously a key factor. Thoughts are water or dirt in the carb or the spark failing under pressure. Points/coil/ plugs? I didnt stop to do a roadside check due to the snow falling and while it was rolling- then keep it rolling! Anyone suffered similar and care to suggest an 'order of search'? Thanks for any input.
Dunc UK

Check the points gap first, and the state of charge of the battery - lift the radiator cap just to check it isn't a blown head gasket.

If those are OK you are talking fuel system. Suspect a leaking fuel pump diaphragm, blocked fuel pump valve, blocked fuel filter, and fuel hose drawing air in through a porous sheath.

Easiest way to check is to run fuel straight to fuel pump inlet from a can and see if that cures it (then it'll be fuel hoses, lines or filter) If it doesn't cure it clean the fuel bowl and carb inlet and float bowl.


Somewhere in that lot should be the solution, might be something like a shorted condensor but that's it.

Gordon

Have to agree with Gordon on this one, just one other thing, check that the exhaust manifold heat shield plate is in place/fitted.

Situation like that happened in my 1/2 ton. Bad points was the problem. Replaced and set the gap, truck runs good.

'Nuff said.

Could be the coil, I've known these to fail and cause Kangaroo syndrome.
If fuel is running right then it must be electrics. Trouble is its the sort of thing , take your pick and check. Did it come on suddnley , was it damp has the truck stood what sort of fuel? these may help pin it down.

DS:

What Gordon said about fuel. Could be a bad pump, filter or float. Doubt if it's electric. Let us know what ya find.

Good Luck

We had a situation in my friends wc52 last year that sounds a bit like yours .The problem was that a baffle in the muffler had broken off,this caused the engine to loose power when tou tried to accelerate ,To much back pressure,exhaust gasses could not escape .Replaced muffler problem fixed .Just a thought,Ray

Sorry its taken so long to get back -work got in the way of doing anything meaningful until this week. The points looked a bit scabby so I replaced them. Retimed engine to suit. Cleaned fuel filter bowl out - lots of crud in there. Replaced the flexible feed line to the filter. Took a look inside the carb and that looked fine, no obvious dirt or water. A friend suggested the valves could be on their way out or badly adjusted. Unfortunately I then found it needs half an engine strip to get the inspection covers off and I couldnt move the breather pipe at the back. I suspect i have a non standard fuel pump also as this got in the way of the front one and I couldnt get that off either!! However it did a 20 mile run without apparent problem but did cut out while slow manoevering back in tot the garage. So I will recheck timing tomorrow and maybe speed up the idle a touch. Anyone ever put Slick50 or another similar ptfe product in their old engine? Did it make any apparent difference?
Cheers
Dunc

Dunc:

From what I hear, Slick 50 is actually BAD, as in NFG. Valvoline has an oil out for older, high mileage, truck engines.

Later

Dunc;
Did you changr the condrnsor when you did the points?
I have had a couple of condensors go bad, just as you discribed.
Ernie

Slick 50 bad!!? Hmm.
No, Ernie I didnt change the condenser.Although that will be an item I will switch if next weekends run is 'eventful'. In fairness in some ways there aren't that many things which can be wrong, it's just a case of identifying the right area. It ran today almost first turn, after a minor backfire. Tried to adjust the carb for lean/rich with a colourtune but I there was no sign of a good 'blue' colour anywhere in the range just more orange as the screw went down and less as it came up.! Its gobbling fuel so have adjusted it to err on the more leaner end.

DS wrote:Slick 50 bad!!? Hmm.
No, Ernie I didnt change the condenser.Although that will be an item I will switch if next weekends run is 'eventful'. In fairness in some ways there aren't that many things which can be wrong, it's just a case of identifying the right area. It ran today almost first turn, after a minor backfire. Tried to adjust the carb for lean/rich with a colourtune but I there was no sign of a good 'blue' colour anywhere in the range just more orange as the screw went down and less as it came up.! Its gobbling fuel so have adjusted it to err on the more leaner end.

if spark is orange it is the condenser or the coil, or your dwell settingis wrong. did you set the dwell (aka cam angle) with a dwell meter? Gapping only when setting points is always a bad idea. Always check with a dwell meter. 9 times out of 10 your setting will be wrong when checked with a dwell meter. Steve

I put slick 50 in mine, engine and the transmission, result is amazing. The engine runs quiet and smooth, though it always does (Touch wood) the main change was in the transmission it now moves like silk. I would have no hesitation using it.

I had virtualy the same problem as you with a WC56, changed points and cleaned carb still had same problem.
Changed coil problem solved, it appeared that as the coil got hot it became progessively worse until it broke down completely.
When cold worked OK agian.
Hope that helps

I have fitted all mine with a Spitfire Multispark http://www.fuelcat.co.uk it replaces the lead from cap to coil. The diffrence is remarkable.