Car stalls when put in gear

[mymachone]

Ok, guys. I ask this question on another site and got lots of info but nothing worked. I need some freash ideas and or help !

I have a great running engine , idles fine and engine response is also fine , I do have a little bit of a miss at higher rpms. Anyhow , I start the car in park or neutrul and shift into forward or reverse and it stalls.

I have no vacume leak that i can find , and I do not believe the auto tranny is out of alignment or the torque convertor..

the carb had to be rebuilt as the floats were sticking , everthing seems to be ok except one idle screw does not seem to work in or out. The engine also is running rich . and I have tried everything to cure that problem , Keep in mind changed nothing from the original carb spec's. I have also tryed setting the idle speed at 1000 & 1500 . yes the car will move but it wants spin the tires at that rpm.

Help anyone . I could really use a Older Ford Mechanic , anyone ?

[Rare Pony]

I'm older and a back yard mechanic, but it was never a career!

Thats a tough question. Still sounds like a vacuum issue or a carb mounting gasket that is not sealing. Sounds like you have an automatic trans, so did you check the vacuum lines to the trans or the vacuum modulator on the trans. The diaphragm on the modulator could be bad.

To test the mounting gaskets under the carb you can spray a light mist of water around the base of the carb while the engine is running and see if you can tell a difference in the idle. To test this method spray a light mist on top of the carb and you should notice a change, usually a smoother idle with the extra moisture in the air. So if the idle smooths while spraying at the base of the carb you have an air leak.

The vacuum advance on the distributor could also have a bad diaphragm. There is a vacuum pump tool that you can use to test both the modulator and the vaccum advance.

Any vaccum operated diaphragms on the air cleaner should be tested too.

Check the plug wires and make sure you have the correct firing order too.

[Steven Harris]

The running rich and the one idle screw that doesn't work seem to be hints to the underlying issue.

Rare Pony has given you excellent information of steps to take to narrow down possibilities and locate the issue.

I wouldn't want to be accused of calling Don "older" but you might PM Don29163 as he is our "older Ford mechanic" with a wealth of experience and knowledge.

[mymachone]

WEll I have no vacume leaks , but then I haven't used a vacumew gage yet . But from all the indicators no leaks.
Firing order is correct , Vacume advance works .

I am ready to blame the carb , as the one idle screw is not working and it's running rich. Yet I did a rebuild awhiile back and it did not take care of this issue.
I used the regular kit by Edelbrock.
My next move is a new/ rebuilt carb from edelbrock.

I will also contact ol Don

[mymachone]

Well the probelm is fixed ! After deciding it was the carb , I called Edelbrock for tech advice. Nothing they told me to do fixed the problem , so i went out and bought new carb and guess what ? it drives with stalling.
I even rebuilt the edel Carb , so not sure all was wrong./

Thanks everyone

[1969jimmach]

Well the probelm is fixed ! After deciding it was the carb , I called Edelbrock for tech advice. Nothing they told me to do fixed the problem , so i went out and bought new carb and guess what ? it drives with stalling.
I even rebuilt the edel Carb , so not sure all was wrong./

Thanks everyone

So it does or doesnt stall anymore. By the way you worded your last response?

[mymachone]

Well the probelm is fixed ! After deciding it was the carb , I called Edelbrock for tech advice. Nothing they told me to do fixed the problem , so i went out and bought new carb and guess what ? it drives with stalling.
I even rebuilt the edel Carb , so not sure all was wrong./

Thanks everyone

So it does or doesnt stall anymore. By the way you worded your last response?

No stalling , yes some times I write faster than what makes sense.

I had rebuilt the carb awhile back as the floats were stuck open . anyhow after the rebuild , I installed the carb and it worked very well but the engine would would stall when put into drive or reverse .. After hrs of trying to find answers here and else where , I had no luck with anything that I tryed , so i called Tech service at Eldebrock , they gave me a few things to do and nothing helped there either. So i decided it was a carb problem and wanted it fixed. Hence the new carb. The new carb took care of the stalling problem the miss firing issue and also the burning rich issue.

[Steven Harris]

Did you stay with the Edelbrock or go with something else?

[mymachone]

Did you stay with the Edelbrock or go with something else?

I went with a Holley 600 cfm square bore w/ elec choke . It was less money than the Edelbrock by $45.00 and it sets lower on the manifold and is also a lower profile carb which allows my air cleaner fit better.

I like this carb a whole lot better than Edelbrocks , The Holley Carb seems to be a much better fit for Fords engines ?
I also like the fact that the fuel bowls are removable

The car came with a Autolite 4300 Carb. Though it was working fine for me , I wanted something easier to work on if needed. I still have the 4300 and am not sure if it's worth anything ?

[Rare Pony]

Great news, glad you got it going.