I had a strange problem happen to me after getting home from DSR last week. My ’60 died on me in traffic as I pulled into Topeka. I restarted it but it wouldn’t ‘idle’ without pumping the gas. It seemed to be missing on more than one cylinder. Once I got it in my driveway I checked it out. Keep in mind I just drove 80 miles at highway speeds with no apparent problem. It was making an odd whistling noise and wouldn’t idle with out holding the peddle, and when I say idle I mean a steady rpm well above 1500rpm, otherwise it would die. Above about 2500 rpms it seemed to smooth out. I consider my self a two and a half banana mechanic when it comes to engines but this one had me scratching my head.
First thing I checked was for obvious vacuum leaks: nothing I could see. This truck has all smog equipment intact so chasing vacuum lines can be a nightmare. Pulled the plugs and checked for spark = all had spark. Did a compression check = all between 130 -140. checked fuel in carb = ok. I then thought maybe cracked intake causing vacuum leak, I pulled carb and manifolds = all look ok. Checked the fuel cutoff circuit = ok. Egr looked ok and closed properly. All vacuum lines looked good.
What I did find while I had everything out? One of the hoses connecting from the air pump to valve dohickey was pulled loose but not completely off and a couple of vacuum lines were not connected where my Haynes manual showed they should. I also found a few small pieces of plastic in one of the hoses connecting to the air pump cluster, (obviously belonging to something important). So thinking that all this somehow may have contributed I reassembled everything and fired it up---nothing changed. Still running like butt and I wasted a Saturday. I get mad and slam the hood so I can roll it out into the driveway so I can wash the tuttle creek off that I brought home. I hop in and start it so I can limp out of the garage and it makes a popping noise and then continues into a smooth idle. Only god knows what happened but it fixed itself. (I then go in the house and brag to my wife that I fixed it, she rolls her eyes and mumbles something about it being self induced.)
Anyone have an idea what happened? Any chance this has happened to anyone else?? What was the whistle?
First thing I checked was for obvious vacuum leaks: nothing I could see. This truck has all smog equipment intact so chasing vacuum lines can be a nightmare. Pulled the plugs and checked for spark = all had spark. Did a compression check = all between 130 -140. checked fuel in carb = ok. I then thought maybe cracked intake causing vacuum leak, I pulled carb and manifolds = all look ok. Checked the fuel cutoff circuit = ok. Egr looked ok and closed properly. All vacuum lines looked good.
What I did find while I had everything out? One of the hoses connecting from the air pump to valve dohickey was pulled loose but not completely off and a couple of vacuum lines were not connected where my Haynes manual showed they should. I also found a few small pieces of plastic in one of the hoses connecting to the air pump cluster, (obviously belonging to something important). So thinking that all this somehow may have contributed I reassembled everything and fired it up---nothing changed. Still running like butt and I wasted a Saturday. I get mad and slam the hood so I can roll it out into the driveway so I can wash the tuttle creek off that I brought home. I hop in and start it so I can limp out of the garage and it makes a popping noise and then continues into a smooth idle. Only god knows what happened but it fixed itself. (I then go in the house and brag to my wife that I fixed it, she rolls her eyes and mumbles something about it being self induced.)
Anyone have an idea what happened? Any chance this has happened to anyone else?? What was the whistle?
What do the vanes in the pump look like? there not plasticy by chance? 
