I inherited this car from my grandfather who bought it new. A mechanic friend and I have got it running again, replaced the brakes, replaced virtually all the front end parts, etc. It does everything but drive! The problem is that although it idles fine, as soon as you try to drive it, it acts as if it can’t get enough gas and eventually dies (irrespective of whether you try pumping the gas or not). The farthest I have been able to go is about 3 blocks before it cuts out. It will start again in a few seconds, but with the same result. We have rebuilt the carburetor, replaced the fuel pump with an electric one, etc. Any ideas anyone ???
You are 1 lucky guy, does it have a manual choke?
In a car this old there’s a good chance the gas tank has rusted internally . Sounds like the fuel pickup is getting clogged .
Along with the possibility of a rusted gasoline tank, the fuel line may have pinhole leaks and the fuel pump is sucking air. I would check the fuel line from the gasoline tank to the fuel pump.
Try replacing the ignition condenser. These things can get hot and cause symptoms exactly like running out of gas.
OK, you’ve put on an electric fuel pump. Not a bad move, unless the fuel pump also powers the vacuum windsheld wipers. Keep in mind that your car was originaly wired with a positive ground. If you bought one of those standard little red electrical pumps, it will be a negative ground unit. When you turn the switch on, the pump comes on, right? If you disconnect the fuel line from the carburetor when the switch is on, does it pump? It should be capable of pumping a pint in 30 seconds or so. It should pump at about 5 PSI. Any more, and it may push fuel past the needle and seat valve in the carb resulting in flooding the engine. Any less, and it may stall out from lack of fuel. Be sure the fuel lines are not rusty, full of holes that will cause the pump to suck air instead of gas. The gas tank may be very rusty too. Install an in-line fuel filter to keep rust from the old tank from getting into the carb too. If it fills up, put on another one. It that one fills up, you will have to drop the tank and seal it inside with POR-15 or a similar product.
If all that checks out, then it’s not a fuel issue. Also check the gap of the points in the distributor. Have you replaced them as well as the condensor? How about the distributor cap. Have you checked the coil? The Continental engines used in the Kaiser/Frazier line were used in a LOT of other automotive and industrial applications. All of these parts should still be available.
My grandfather installed a manual choke, but it has been disconnected. But starting is not the proble, or even idling.
thanks. A couple of responses suggested looking into that, which I will do.
Thanks. I’ll give it a try.
Many thanks for your thoughtful suggestions. You are right that a surprising amount of parts are still available for this car. I will check the pressure on the fuel pump, then follow your other recommendations. I probably won’t be able to do anything for several weeks, but I will let you all know whether the attempts are successful.
Thanks again, everyone
A wide point gap or weak point spring are possibilities. Also, the vacuum advance mechanism can cause such a problem.
Thanks rod, I’ll check that out too.