Letting the wagon go... :(

When I was 15, I had a '58 Chevy Nomad, 348, 3-Speed. I fixed up the car through the months and when I finally turned 16 I had trouble getting it inspected. My parents talked me into selling it and buying another car. I had to have a 3-Speed or 4-Speed car but couldn't find a 2-Dr Chevy in decent condition and for a good deal anywhere. I was anxious to get something on the road and settled for a Powerglide car ('62 Impala 2-Dr HT). The car was all original and great, but not a Hotrod like my '58 was and not a Stick Shift. I couldn't get used to it and came very close to hating the car. Then little by little I fixed it up. Added Dual Exhaust with Glass Pack Mufflers, Raised it up, added Chrome Reverse Wheels, 4-Barrel Carb and Intake and best of all when the Powerglide let go, I switched it to a 3-Speed on the floor with a Hurst Shifter. I ended up loving that car and thought back how at one time, I almost hated it. What I'm getting at is, that if I were in Tony's position, I would give the car a full good complete try, before I ever gave up on it. Tony, don't forget that if you do get the Cadillac, you won't have to place to store that one undercover either.

...just my 2 cents.

Bill

 

My '58 Nomad looked like this one, but not nearly as nice, although my intentions were for it to be.

http://img504.imageshack.us/f/58nomad0107uo.jpg/

Bill

 

This ^^^^ Caddy for the wagon?
If it as at least equal mechanically take the Caddy and run, err drive.

 

Thats a nice 58 wagon Bill.

Ross, the guy had already sold the Caddy, so thats out.

 

Thanks. Yeah, all of that is new. New distributor, new points, etc, etc. I have replaced everything new and we checked the timing like 5 times already. Still showing to be on the money.

Yeah, it has a bad exhaust leak... always has since I have owned it. I looked and I dont see any "heat riser" on the manifold of this car?? :confused:

I will check the carb for the gas flow.

Almost at wits end.

 

Just came in from checking the carburation. There is a stream, but its not like its blasting out. Dad also looked, he was there and he said the stream was a little weak and perhaps I should try to find another quadra-jet and see if it helps. Still seems to think I should let it go and get another car.

If another wagon I like comes along that someone wants to trade, I will go for it.

 

how about the fuel pump and filter?

 

Changed the filter not too long ago... didnt do anything to the pump.

 

i wonder if you dont have a weak fuel pump then, with a weak flow its gotta be the pump (which would lead to a lack of power)...or an enlarged prostate....i'm leaning toward the former here!

so you have two choices here....1. a new fuel pump or 2. a prostate exam!
and depending on the car...# 2 may be more pleasant!

 

MMMMMMMM, I can only imagine the frustration of this issue.

From what I have read and the vids that where posted, I am leaning to a fuel delivery problem. Could be the jets adjusted wrong, something internal in the carb?

I have been told by GM guys, that if the qudrajet is rebuilt wrong or never tuned correct, it can lead you down in a tizzy of weird issues.

If I was closer man, I would not have any issue of taking that '72 off your hands. She would be at home with another '70s road king. Besides, I think that glide-a-way tail gate is still one of the coolest things on a car.

 

Thanks. Yeah, now I am wondering if its either the fuel pump or carburator. I am going to try to find a good used quadra-jet and give it a try. We did rebuild it, but I guess a kit can only do so much. The carb on on my 73 Pontiac Grand Ville is a quadra-jet as well, but the gas line hook ups are different and I really dont want to go messing with that car since its running fine. Dont want to screw it up. lol.

I dont think the fuel pump is hard to change on these cars... may purchase on and throw it on there... couldnt hurt. If that dont work, move onto the carburator.

Thanks.

 

Tony,

Right, Fuel Pumps are no problem to change, but there is a Push Rod in there that will make it easier to install with the pressure off of the pump lever. If it so happens to be in the wrong position, crank the engine a little to get it in the no pressure position (Dis-Connect the Coil Wire first so the engine will not start during cranking).

....But, I would still make sure that you don't have some kind of Exhaust Constriction first.

Also want to add though, based on everything I am familair with so far, that if I were there, I would still be concentrating on the Distributor first. I know that you have mentioned a couple of times that everything is new, but if your problem is something simple, I'm betting that something is wrong with the Distributor, whether it was was installed wrong or something about it all is just not right. That is one reason why I had mentioned earlier about showing us some pictures of the Distributor so we can see the position of the Rotor with the cap off (and the engine on TDC, Top Dead Center, as mentioned in detail earlier). I believe your Dad should also be familair with what I am suggesting, if you need some help with it.

Keep us posted.

Bill

 

It's not the carb. or fuel pump, save your money.
It will backfire through the carb or plain stall if you don't have an operating accelerator pump. If the fuel pump can't supply enough fuel to fill the bowl it will likewise stall. A failed mechanical fuel pump on that engine will also fill the crankcase with fuel.

 

Time to start over with basic trouble shooting.
This shotgun approach ain't workin' and just frustrating you. I wish I were there this thing would be singing in no time.
Check ign. timing. My guess is it's severely retarded.
Confirm fuel delivery
Confirm good spark
Check points for adjustment and condition.
Confirm no vacuum leaks


It is possible but unlikely that the valve timing is wrong due to a jumped chain or incorrect assembly. Anybody claim to have rebuilt this engine?

 

The trouble here, Ross, is that there are several threads about selling this wagon and its problems. There is more info scattered in the other threads. This thread, being the most recent, is stumbling over things that have been discussed before without the benefit of the info that was in those prior threads. What needs to be done here is to, somehow, consolidate the threads in an orderly fashion. For example, 72king had a cam and other things installed in this engine. He has also answered many of the same questions that are being asked here in this thread. Originally, I tried to go step by step with this engine problem, even on a PM basis, but then others asked the same questions over and over and then other threads popped up to further confuse the issue. Personally, I am at a point where I am reading the same stuff over and over so I tried going back and forth to the other threads until I finally became thoroughly confused. I think we need to have 72king start ONE thread on this problem and repost some of the prior posts in it. As it is, people have tried to help in several threads and that shotgun approach is just confusing the issues IMHO.