Okay, not money (darn) but fuel mixture...

Within about 1.5 hours of driving, my old '78 Ford 2.3L four went from running fine to overly rich. Idle is okay but at normal speeds, it was running like crap - no power, jerking, etc. It got worse in that timeframe.

I got home and noticed the choke was closed. The electric choke was not working and the ammeter was on full discharge.
I found the brushes in the alternator were worn to nothing, and for less than 5 bucks, I replaced them and the battery is now charging AND the choke works and opens fully. The alternator is in plain sight, so nothing was disturbed when pulling it and reinstalling it.

However, when i first start it cold and the choke is on, black smoke is puffing out the tailpipe and the engine is running lumpy. After the choke opens fully, the exhaust still smells very gas-like and puts tears in my eyes to be near it. No smoke though. It idles okay but pulling off a manifold vacuum cap makes it idle smoothly again. Carb adjustments do not help. With or without the vacuum cap on, the exhaust puffs hard and there is no power at all when driving and the the car jerks around.

I am convinced it is running way too rich. Idle is okay (no stalling) and it starts easily. Any RPM above idle make it sound like it is running on only 2 cylinders...

What else but the carburetor could cause this? It was last rebuilt in 1993, so I know it is due again.
Any other ideas? Valve timing?

 

Have you pulled and cleaned the sparkplugs. Two or more may be fouled from the choke being closed for so long. Common problem.

 

Diss connect the battery & re program the ECM sounds like its running in limp mode

 

I never would have thought...
The plugs were last changed 8 years ago and 25K miles, so I am sure there is something to be said there. The valve stem seals are leaking and it is burning some oil, so i think those plugs just may be shot...
Many thanks!!

 

If there were such a thing, I would have won it yesterday!
These plugs definetely get the Krusty Brand seal of approval...
They looked worse than the 10 year old plug in my 2-cycle lawnmower...
Being too bad to clean, I put in a set of gently used coffee-colored ones i saved from 15 years ago; car runs great now!
It even did a second gear tire chirp, something it had not been able to do for a long time!
Thanks citcapp; I owe ya' one!

(The valve stem seals will be replaced this spring, so that oil burning will be taken care of. )

 

Ewwwwww, yuck! That last one in particular is just...gross.

 

Pays to save those slightly used plugs. I must have 20 or thirty plugs laying around

 

I think I have that many also, still in the AC or Motorcraft boxes!
I also carry slightly used drive belts and rad hoses (cleaned up) in the trunk, just in case one lets go away from home... Also a few tools to put them on...

 

I agree. No matter how well the Olds is running I always carry a toolbox, gallon of anitfreeze, gallon of water, empty gas can. set of radiator hoses, and drive belts. Been doing that since I was a kid, my dad drilled this into me. My kids do this as well

 

Glad to hear you found the problem.

Amazing it would even start with plugs like that.

.....lawnmover????....needs spark plug changes????? thought you just changed the gas and added oil.....just kiddin, I check mine every year. Briggs & Stratton builds a pretty darn reliable lawnmower considering the amount of crap it's gone through in its life. (mine is about the same age and must have over 300 hours + 2 blades)

 

I never said I changed it...

When it would not start a few months ago, I checked it and temporarily replaced it, but still no start. The old one was regapped and put back in. It turned out to be the ignition module (again), a common problem in mid 90's Lawn Boy engines. That $1 spark plug has outlasted 2 $60 ign modules so far... The first was warranty covered and this one is "improved design". The mower has almost 500 hours and 11 years old now.

Now my mom's 1967 Lawn Boy never needed a coil, or anything big. Just points and a carb rebuild maybe every 15 years. It still runs like a top, but that was back when OMC made them. The deck is cast magnesium and the whole thing must weigh only 30 lbs...

Now Briggs are good, too. I had a minibike with a 5 horse. It was so worn that the piston actually wobbled in the bore. It used as much oil as gas and I told my friends it was a built in smoke-screen!
It started and ran, but just very good...

Now I had a techumseh on a go cart once; the #$@& crankshaft end busted right off of it!