So we got dad's 61 Starfire out this weekend - 50,000 mile original car with a fresh engine (few years back) - runs beautiful but was stalling out at idle - you have to hold the throttle at 1200 to keep it running...less that that is just dies out...choke is wide open at normal operating temp...

Any thoughts? Float too low?

 

Not an expert but how old is the gas? Might need a little octane boost also has anyone messed with the carb jets?
hope this helps,
Erit

 

I would add a cleaner like seafoam green and run it for a while to help clean up the sheliac build up in the jets then I would get the kids off the hood and run her around the block again.
Steve

 

Haha good idea... although they can hold on pretty good

 

Well - the gas is probably 6 months old - not sure how this ethanol crap plays into that - but essentially only stored this winter - nobody has touched anything on it - ran pisser last year - I think maybe steve is right - run some gunk-be-gone through it and see if I can turn that roto-speedo past the red...dad claims it turns black at 120...if you've never been in one of these it has the bar style speedo - green upto about 35 - then orange to about 70 - then red...that's where the 'black' rumor comes in...I've seen the red but never the black - not in this car - can't be many left untouched as this one....

 

Six month old gas is not old, and I don't think the ethanol is your problem, either. The fact that the car runs if you hold your foot on the gas suggests a fuel delivery problem, not a fuel quality problem. Are the idle settings correct? Is there a partial clog in the fuel line itself? A kink in the line between the fuel pump and carburetor? Have you checked the fuel filter?

 

Just goes to show you, one should always listen to their dad, as fathers know best.

I am able to personally confirm the rolling ribbon speedometer does in fact turn black at excessively high speed. I was able to make that happen on my 1960 Olds regularly.

 

To be honest, haven't done a thing - Started it on Sunday, backed out of the garage, took a spin and noticed the stalling - took the air cleaner off and visually inspected the choke - that's about it - need to get into it a little more - but nobody has touched any idle or mixture settings. Will start with some carb cleaner, check for obvious vacuum leaks, and look at the fuel filter (old stone style glass jar on this one) -

If that doesn't work I'll rip the original 394 out and put in an LT-1 engine with headers...

 

Between you, me, and the wall - I have to pretend I've never seen the 'black' in case the elder "Olds Dad" is reading this thread...