Spits, sputters, dies

[cosfj40]

My 72 FJ40 was running fine, and then bam, while driving it yesterday it acted like it was getting no gas. It sputtered and then died. Originally I thought it was because a dip**** put in super unleaded fuel when it needed gas the other day. I had a friend tow it home, siphoned the gas out of the tank, and put normal unleaded fuel in it. However, that did not fix the issue. It will barely start, sputter for a few seconds no matter if the accelerator is pushed down or not, and then die. On a couple of occasions it backfired a couple of times. Once dark smoke came from the tailpipe. With the air filter arm removed from the carb, I started it again. It sputtered, then smoke issued from it. I believe the carb needs to be rebuilt (I sprayed carb cleaner into it and saw some leak), but don't know if this is the only source of the issue. Any idea what else it could be? The only other difference between when it was running well and this is I put in a thermostat.

 

[CruiserStuff]

I'm not convinced that you're having the problems you describe due to your carb needing a rebuild....especially if it was running fine and all of a sudden you were having issues. Have you confirmed that gas is getting to the carb? I'd also suggest checking/replacing your fuel filter. Perhaps when you took the super unleaded out, etc, you kicked something inside the tank loose and now it has clogged a line or clogged a jet in your carb.

 

[CruiserStuff]

is gas visible in the carb window?

 

[Pighead]

"all of a sudden" suggests electrical, not fuel...
Plus, 50% of carb problems are really electrical.
Where in the fuel pedal do you have problems? Idle or WOT? Does choke help? How much?
Need more info to give an answer....

 

[steverb]

try the cap and rotor. if the caps burnt or cracked it can have those symptoms. i had the same symptoms a month ago.

 

[cosfj40]

"all of a sudden" suggests electrical, not fuel...
Plus, 50% of carb problems are really electrical.
Where in the fuel pedal do you have problems? Idle or WOT? Does choke help? How much?
Need more info to give an answer....

It's not the fuel pedal that has problems; it just has no effect. Choke has no effect either.

 

[Pighead]

is gas visible in the carb window?

Is gas visible in the carb window?

 

[cosfj40]

try the cap and rotor. if the caps burnt or cracked it can have those symptoms. i had the same symptoms a month ago.

Cap looks very good. The rotor is a little black on the end, but otherwise looks okay.

 

[Pin_Head]

Is gas visible in the carb window?

X3 Take a peek.

 

['74 UA FJ]

Plus, 50% of carb problems are really electrical.

Lol. I like this quote. Worked on my brother's carb for a week before I plugged in the iac wire that had come loose.

 

[Pighead]

(Pighead secretely thinks it's just a loose little wire on the coil, but gotta ask about the gas...)

 

[Pighead]

Originally I thought it was because a dip**** put in super unleaded fuel when it needed gas the other day. I had a friend tow it home, siphoned the gas out of the tank, and put normal unleaded fuel in it. However, that did not fix the issue.

Wait a sec, you thought putting super un-leaded in the tank killed it? And you're calling someone else a dip****?

 

[Felix]

Lol. I like this quote. Worked on my brother's carb for a week before I plugged in the iac wire that had come loose.

(Pighead secretely thinks it's just a loose little wire on the coil, but gotta ask about the gas...)

I want the OP to read these one more time.

I had what sounds like the exact same thing happen to me a couple years ago. After a buddy towed me home, I chased down all kinds of ideas... fuel pump, carb settings, etc for a couple weeks before I noticed that the wire to the dizzy was loose at the coil end.

Check every ignition connection you can see.

 

[cosfj40]

Wait a sec, you thought putting super un-leaded in the tank killed it? And you're calling someone else a dip****?

Panick had set in...I thought maybe the super un-leaded had gunked it up.

 

[cosfj40]

I want the OP to read these one more time.

I had what sounds like the exact same thing happen to me a couple years ago. After a buddy towed me home, I chased down all kinds of ideas... fuel pump, carb settings, etc for a couple weeks before I noticed that the wire to the dizzy was loose at the coil end.

Check every ignition connection you can see.

Going to do that today...hopefully it is something as simple as that.

 

[CruiserStuff]

I ALWAYS run premium unleaded in my rig.....(and, don't tell the that I put regular in all the other cars).....:

 

[cosfj40]

X3 Take a peek.

Yep, plenty of gas in the window.

 

[CruiserStuff]

Next......fuel filter clogged? ....starting to think Pighead may be right....coil wire......

 

[cosfj40]

is gas visible in the carb window?

Yes, it is.

 

['74 UA FJ]

Wait a sec, you thought putting super un-leaded in the tank killed it? And you're calling someone else a dip****?

Lol. No s***.