help ! boiling fuel ? engine flutters after 5 miles, what is going on ?

[Rockin Ken]

after a cruise for about 5 miles(daytime]the engine starts to flutter like it's going to kick off.
then I rev the engine and it goes away, this then repeats about every mile till I get home.
this hasn't happened at night yet.
any help would be greatly appreciated.
coincidentally this all started after a fill up at a strange station, bad gas?
maybe no relationship to the issue

 

[jscott]

well I know nothing about gas but I do not like coincidences.....so if it never happened before and started after a fill up I would pull all that fuel out and clean the system.

 

[jpaz]

Put some fuel stabilizer in the tank. Sounds like you might have some water in the fuel.

 

[Rockin Ken]

well I know nothing about gas but I do not like coincidences.....so if it never happened before and started after a fill up I would pull all that fuel out and clean the system.

I added some fuel treatment and we're going to test.
it's too much gasoline to remove.

 

[Rockin Ken]

Put some fuel stabilizer in the tank. Sounds like you might have some water in the fuel.

I added some fuel treatment and we're going to test it.

 

[Rockin Ken]

Put some fuel stabilizer in the tank. Sounds like you might have some water in the fuel.

after testing with the gas additive no difference.

what should the fuel pressure be? mine is fluttering between 2 and 3 psi .

 

[Steve McMahan]

Maybe the tank inlet is plugged up?

 

[Rockin Ken]

Maybe the tank inlet is plugged up?

I filled the tank up for the first time in 12 years,
and i think that some dirt or rust was released and clogged my fuel filter.
I have over-nighted one . we will see what happens

 

[Steve McMahan]

That sounds like it

 

[c9zx]

https://www.jdpower.com/cars/shopping-guides/how-long-can-gas-sit-in-a-car-before-it-goes-bad

 

[Stanglover]

So, from what you're saying, it seems like the car has not run in 12 years, is that right? I mean, even if you never filled the tank full, did you run the car in that time? If not, I would have to think something serious needs to be done, maybe even a new tank or at least new fuel lines as well as a carb strip and clean.
On my car, the tank was still good, but I decided to change it all, front to back. Here's what part of the fuel line looked like, and this was a better part of it.
If you do decide it's time to replace lines, please remember to use Fuel Injector grade rubber hose where needed as it is ethanol resistant. Also a pep peeve of mine, use proper fuel line clamps, NOT gear clamps that can and likely will fail.

 

[Paul M]

after a cruise for about 5 miles(daytime]the engine starts to flutter like it's going to kick off.
then I rev the engine and it goes away, this then repeats about every mile till I get home.
this hasn't happened at night yet.
any help would be greatly appreciated.
coincidentally this all started after a fill up at a strange station, bad gas?
maybe no relationship to the issue

I had a similar problem where the fuel was vapor locking due to heat from the top of the water pump or the close proximity of the water hose. There's a lot of heat in that area. I put a pc of wire loom over it and had no problem since. I still want to add an aluminum shield one of these days. I knew this since it only happened recently in hotter weather while the engine was hot. I just read about the 12 yr part. Leave no old gas prob drop and flush tank, flush lines and replace filter right before starting. Big difference of indoor or outdoor storage.

 

[Paul M]

So, from what you're saying, it seems like the car has not run in 12 years, is that right? I mean, even if you never filled the tank full, did you run the car in that time? If not, I would have to think something serious needs to be done, maybe even a new tank or at least new fuel lines as well as a carb strip and clean.
On my car, the tank was still good, but I decided to change it all, front to back. Here's what part of the fuel line looked like, and this was a better part of it.
If you do decide it's time to replace lines, please remember to use Fuel Injector grade rubber hose where needed as it is ethanol resistant. Also a pep peeve of mine, use proper fuel line clamps, NOT gear clamps that can and likely will fail

So, from what you're saying, it seems like the car has not run in 12 years, is that right? I mean, even if you never filled the tank full, did you run the car in that time? If not, I would have to think something serious needs to be done, maybe even a new tank or at least new fuel lines as well as a carb strip and clean.
On my car, the tank was still good, but I decided to change it all, front to back. Here's what part of the fuel line looked like, and this was a better part of it.
If you do decide it's time to replace lines, please remember to use Fuel Injector grade rubber hose where needed as it is ethanol resistant. Also a pep peeve of mine, use proper fuel line clamps, NOT gear clamps that can and likely will fail.

Yep mine sat for a bit longer than his or was subjected to outdoor storage. I also needed a new tank, sending unit, fuel inj rubber lines n clamps, pump,hard line,inj line to carb new filter carb. What came out of that tank was pretty scary sh!t The brakes were just as bad.

 

[jscott]

You filled the tank that has been sitting unused for 12 years and ran the car?????????????

 

[jpaz]

I just read the 12 year sitting part too. You can’t just dump gas in a car that’s been sitting that long. Probably going to have to replace fuel tank, sending unit, gas lines and possibly the fuel pump. Plus the carb will need to be cleaned.

 

[Stanglover]

@Rockin Ken,
If when you do get the car back up and running after you have fixed any and all fuel flow issues and you still have vapor lock problems, you may need to either add a heat shield plate or an insulating spacer under the carb, or a more drastic fix, remove the intake and block off any exhaust heat cross over passages in the intake that go under the carb similar to a 351C. BUT as you list your car as a 468, I assume a 460 bored oversize, I can't say if that is a possibility and of course you might have added an aftermarket intake.
Regardless, it sounds like you have some work to do, keep us posted on progress.
While I'm here, I see you have recently joined the Forum, congrats and welcome. If you did not already do so, there is a section for Introduction under "Forum". We'd all love to learn more about you and your car. We love pictures and the back story. If I missed your intro, welcome from SW Ontario, Canada.

 

[Rockin Ken]

So, from what you're saying, it seems like the car has not run in 12 years, is that right? I mean, even if you never filled the tank full, did you run the car in that time? If not, I would have to think something serious needs to be done, maybe even a new tank or at least new fuel lines as well as a carb strip and clean.
On my car, the tank was still good, but I decided to change it all, front to back. Here's what part of the fuel line looked like, and this was a better part of it.
If you do decide it's time to replace lines, please remember to use Fuel Injector grade rubber hose where needed as it is ethanol resistant. Also a pep peeve of mine, use proper fuel line clamps, NOT gear clamps that can and likely will fail.

all good advice,
I changed the fuel filter and it seems to be repaired, so far.
the psi went from a fluttery 3 to a steady 9 psi at idle.
this issue was just a symptom, the cause is the fuel tank.
it will arrive tomorrow, and I will change it out.

 

[Rockin Ken]

@Rockin Ken,
If when you do get the car back up and running after you have fixed any and all fuel flow issues and you still have vapor lock problems, you may need to either add a heat shield plate or an insulating spacer under the carb, or a more drastic fix, remove the intake and block off any exhaust heat cross over passages in the intake that go under the carb similar to a 351C. BUT as you list your car as a 468, I assume a 460 bored oversize, I can't say if that is a possibility and of course you might have added an aftermarket intake.
Regardless, it sounds like you have some work to do, keep us posted on progress.
While I'm here, I see you have recently joined the Forum, congrats and welcome. If you did not already do so, there is a section for Introduction under "Forum". We'd all love to learn more about you and your car. We love pictures and the back story. If I missed your intro, welcome from SW Ontario, Canada.

thank you, and I will post some pictures

 

[jscott]

Hopefully you got the Spectra F32A and not a Taiwan made one.

Don't forget to replace the fuel lines, they get rusty after 50 years, especially if it has been sitting for so long!!!! Go steel as stainless is harder to work with.

 

[Paul M]

all good advice,
I changed the fuel filter and it seems to be repaired, so far.
the psi went from a fluttery 3 to a steady 9 psi at idle.
this issue was just a symptom, the cause is the fuel tank.
it will arrive tomorrow, and I will change it out.

If the previous fuel smelled like varnish, I'd run some denatured alcohol through the lines (hard line). It will break loose the varnish that's going to end up in your new filter. Probably already has. We are lucky these tanks are cheap. I had to take the tank out and flush it for a week on an old Datsun 280z car. It took 4 cans of denatured alcohol (80.00) to do it. I cleaned the sending unit as well & saved 700 from buying a tank n sending unit.