Hey Guys, just chasing some advise as someone might of experienced this problem as well and may be able to point me in the right direction.
The issue is my car stalls when i put it into gear or when i pull up at a lights or a stop sign, seems to do it more when it is not fully warmed up. I tend to have to put on some choke to keep the revs up to avoid it stalling, or put it into neutral.
Also at idle it is normal when i put my foot on the brake it idles faster, and when i put it into gear they drop, and or it stalls.
Its a 138 grey /Hydromatic
Any suggestions on where to start my investigation would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers
Bigmick 404
Car Stalling
Re: Car Stalling
welcome to the forum Bigmick , we need a photo of your car 
Does it have a brake booster ? Idle raising when brakes are applied is a classic sign of a buggered diaphragm in the brake booster - it may also cause it to run lean and stall ??
Does it have a brake booster ? Idle raising when brakes are applied is a classic sign of a buggered diaphragm in the brake booster - it may also cause it to run lean and stall ??
When you're faced with an unpleasant task that you really don't want to do, sometimes you just have to dig deep down inside and somehow find the patience to wait for someone else to do it for you.
Foundation member #61 of FB/EK Holden club of W.A.
Foundation member #61 of FB/EK Holden club of W.A.
Re: Car Stalling
Sounds like your brake booster rubber diaphragm may have a leak if the revs increase when you brake. Try blocking off vacuum to the booster and see if the problem persists.
I'm assuming you are running a booster. I can't think of another reason why revs would increase when you apply the brakes.
Eliminate any vacuum leaks first. Check ignition timing. Re tune idle mixture. Set idle speed to 500rpm in drive.
Good luck
Cheers
Clay
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'm assuming you are running a booster. I can't think of another reason why revs would increase when you apply the brakes.
Eliminate any vacuum leaks first. Check ignition timing. Re tune idle mixture. Set idle speed to 500rpm in drive.
Good luck
Cheers
Clay
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
getting my FB ute on the road
EK van on rotisserie
EK van on rotisserie
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bigmick404
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2016 1:28 am
- State: WA
- Location: Geraldton
Re: Car Stalling
Thanks guys, that was my initial thinking. Yes it does have the separate vacuum booster, i will do the check. Thanks heaps for your reassuring and quick responses, much appreciated.
Attached a pic of the old girl.... "old Holden's never die, they just keep on Rockin"
Thanks Guy's
Attached a pic of the old girl.... "old Holden's never die, they just keep on Rockin"
Thanks Guy's
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- EK1.JPG (67.13 KiB) Viewed 1042 times
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bigmick404
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2016 1:28 am
- State: WA
- Location: Geraldton
Re: Car Stalling
Hey Clay according to the book the idle mixture screw is only 7/8ths of a turn out, doesnt seem that much to me, is this correct?
Re: Car Stalling
nice rig - is that Colleen green ???
When you're faced with an unpleasant task that you really don't want to do, sometimes you just have to dig deep down inside and somehow find the patience to wait for someone else to do it for you.
Foundation member #61 of FB/EK Holden club of W.A.
Foundation member #61 of FB/EK Holden club of W.A.
Re: Car Stalling
Nice bus with hydra and booster. Love the green.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
getting my FB ute on the road
EK van on rotisserie
EK van on rotisserie
Re: Car Stalling
That would be a starting point. Then fine tune by ear. Haven't done it for a while. In till it hunts (rich) I think. Then out till it's smooth. Set speed and repeat. Set speed and repeat etc.bigmick404 wrote:Hey Clay according to the book the idle mixture screw is only 7/8ths of a turn out, doesnt seem that much to me, is this correct?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
getting my FB ute on the road
EK van on rotisserie
EK van on rotisserie
Re: Car Stalling
Hey guys,
I manual has also been stalling at the light when warm. I have upped the idle speed to 520RPM, now I'm trying to adjust my idle mixture screw and tip on doing this without burning my hand?
Rod.
I manual has also been stalling at the light when warm. I have upped the idle speed to 520RPM, now I'm trying to adjust my idle mixture screw and tip on doing this without burning my hand?
Rod.
Re: Car Stalling
Hi Big Mick I notice your very nice sedan has SJ number plates are you from down my way or is that where you purchased the car?
Regards
Neil H
Regards
Neil H
Member of WA FB/EK Car Club
Frankenstein EK V6 Ute
FB Station Wagon Project
1950's Commer Light Truck (2.5 Ton)
Frankenstein EK V6 Ute
FB Station Wagon Project
1950's Commer Light Truck (2.5 Ton)
Re: Car Stalling
The booster issue has been covered above, but I'll chime in with how I tune my mixture as a final part of an engine tune.
Set the points to the correct gap then set the timing using a timing light....
I then use a pretty big hill around here to determine any fine tweaking of the ignition. Usually, I advance by very small increments until the engine "just" pings once or twice in 5 seconds during a sustained climb. With a little 3.89 diff, I'd suggest doing this at around 30 - 35 mph.
What is achieved by this running advanced slightly - is that loss of compression is compensated slightly by "creating false compression" - i.e. - the spark occurs slightly earlier to make the bang before the piston reaches the top... this is normal when ignition is set by the book, but making it a tiny bit more advanced adds just a bit more to it to compensate for loss of compression.
We don't want any more than one or two "pings" in it at full throttle at a sustained speed up a hill..... too far advanced will cause a number of issues - over-heating, burning of pistons and wear on the big ends of the con-rods... so, if you are going to use this "false compression" method... just one or two pings every five seconds or so...
We must also remember that the fuel these dear old girls sipped away at some 50 years back is no longer available. Most will probably be using 91 octane ULP... which might seem to work perfectly. I am firmly of the opinion that these engines do not run as well on it as they did on "super" grade fuel with lead in it.... or even the "regular" fuel with perhaps a little less lead.
An engineer once told me that ignition timing with ULP needs to be altered for cars not designed for it.... something to do with the "flashpoint" temperature differential... and subsequent need to adjust ignition timing..... I sort of followed what he was on about - lost me in the wuthering heights technocracy of his domain... but, my "ping" final setting of the ignition has proved to be quite acceptable in the petrol fueled cars I run.
For the main, I simply connect up the timing light and check it from time to time (excuse pun).
Ignition now done - we turn to fuel.
Set the idle speed to 500 and keep the tacho connected up.
Screw in the mixture screw very slowly until the engine starts to "hunt" (it will start to die down in rpms getting very lethargic the further you go in)... take note of where the slot is in the mixture screw.
Screwing in is making the mixture lean... go too far, and the engine will stall.
Screw the mixture screw out very slowly until the engine starts to "roll" (a rocking, rolling, stammering feel), again- take note of the screw slot position.
Screw the mixture screw back in very slowly until the highest rpms can be seen on the tacho... let it settle there for 30 seconds or so to "clear".... then screw it back out until it "just" starts to drop in rpms... you'll probably hear this more than see it.. but, the aim is to go on the "slightly rich" side of maximum rpms - this "might" just show up on the tacho as starting to fall away - a good "ear" will hear it before the tacho registers it.
Re-set your idle speed screw to 500 rpms.
As motors get older and lose compression - or, an "imbalance" (where some cylinders have more/less compression than others) - you might find you need to set your idle speed slightly higher for a smooth idle... this is no biggie, but remember - you'll lose a bit of engine braking due to the higher idle.
Many things come into play when tuning a motor - testing compression and taking a good look at the condition of spark plugs reveal cylinder/piston/ring issues.
A dwell meter can show up wear in the distributor shaft and cam lobes.
Air leaks in the induction system can cause all sorts of complications - but are more pronounced at idle and slow engine speeds.
Setting tappet clearances should also be part of a decent tune-up.
The list goes on and on.
For anyone to simply tell you that a tune-up consists only of setting the timing and carburettor mixture - leaves much ambiguity as to why an engine is not quite on "song"....
But, if you carry a timing light in the boot of your car - and the engine quits whilst you're out and about - getting that "flash" onto the timing ball is one great place to start (excuse pun) when looking for faults.
Taking off the air cleaner and pumping the carburettor a few times will tell you if you have fuel...
These two are the best places to start when trouble strikes.
frats,
Rosco
Set the points to the correct gap then set the timing using a timing light....
I then use a pretty big hill around here to determine any fine tweaking of the ignition. Usually, I advance by very small increments until the engine "just" pings once or twice in 5 seconds during a sustained climb. With a little 3.89 diff, I'd suggest doing this at around 30 - 35 mph.
What is achieved by this running advanced slightly - is that loss of compression is compensated slightly by "creating false compression" - i.e. - the spark occurs slightly earlier to make the bang before the piston reaches the top... this is normal when ignition is set by the book, but making it a tiny bit more advanced adds just a bit more to it to compensate for loss of compression.
We don't want any more than one or two "pings" in it at full throttle at a sustained speed up a hill..... too far advanced will cause a number of issues - over-heating, burning of pistons and wear on the big ends of the con-rods... so, if you are going to use this "false compression" method... just one or two pings every five seconds or so...
We must also remember that the fuel these dear old girls sipped away at some 50 years back is no longer available. Most will probably be using 91 octane ULP... which might seem to work perfectly. I am firmly of the opinion that these engines do not run as well on it as they did on "super" grade fuel with lead in it.... or even the "regular" fuel with perhaps a little less lead.
An engineer once told me that ignition timing with ULP needs to be altered for cars not designed for it.... something to do with the "flashpoint" temperature differential... and subsequent need to adjust ignition timing..... I sort of followed what he was on about - lost me in the wuthering heights technocracy of his domain... but, my "ping" final setting of the ignition has proved to be quite acceptable in the petrol fueled cars I run.
For the main, I simply connect up the timing light and check it from time to time (excuse pun).
Ignition now done - we turn to fuel.
Set the idle speed to 500 and keep the tacho connected up.
Screw in the mixture screw very slowly until the engine starts to "hunt" (it will start to die down in rpms getting very lethargic the further you go in)... take note of where the slot is in the mixture screw.
Screwing in is making the mixture lean... go too far, and the engine will stall.
Screw the mixture screw out very slowly until the engine starts to "roll" (a rocking, rolling, stammering feel), again- take note of the screw slot position.
Screw the mixture screw back in very slowly until the highest rpms can be seen on the tacho... let it settle there for 30 seconds or so to "clear".... then screw it back out until it "just" starts to drop in rpms... you'll probably hear this more than see it.. but, the aim is to go on the "slightly rich" side of maximum rpms - this "might" just show up on the tacho as starting to fall away - a good "ear" will hear it before the tacho registers it.
Re-set your idle speed screw to 500 rpms.
As motors get older and lose compression - or, an "imbalance" (where some cylinders have more/less compression than others) - you might find you need to set your idle speed slightly higher for a smooth idle... this is no biggie, but remember - you'll lose a bit of engine braking due to the higher idle.
Many things come into play when tuning a motor - testing compression and taking a good look at the condition of spark plugs reveal cylinder/piston/ring issues.
A dwell meter can show up wear in the distributor shaft and cam lobes.
Air leaks in the induction system can cause all sorts of complications - but are more pronounced at idle and slow engine speeds.
Setting tappet clearances should also be part of a decent tune-up.
The list goes on and on.
For anyone to simply tell you that a tune-up consists only of setting the timing and carburettor mixture - leaves much ambiguity as to why an engine is not quite on "song"....
But, if you carry a timing light in the boot of your car - and the engine quits whilst you're out and about - getting that "flash" onto the timing ball is one great place to start (excuse pun) when looking for faults.
Taking off the air cleaner and pumping the carburettor a few times will tell you if you have fuel...
These two are the best places to start when trouble strikes.
frats,
Rosco