1978 Cutlass stall problem

[CutlassKage]

Hi everyone, new to forum and gbodies. Former foxbody guy (don't judge please). Just bought a 78 cutlass with Buick 231. Ran great 3 hours home. Starts right up and idles fine. Stalls when taking off until warmed up. Any suggestions where to start? Annoying hitting many stops signs and stalling.

 

[Texas82GP]

Maybe it's not getting enough fuel from the accelerator pump which is causing it to go lean and stall? I've never worked on one of those two barrel carbs but I suspect it's about like working on any other. Just a matter of patience and serious attention to detail. If you need a recommendation on somewhere to have it built, let us know, but I would do some looking first. You can visually check the fuel shot. I would do so under similar temperature and amount of warm up circumstances. I would also turn the engine off. You don't want to be looking into the barrels and have it backfire through the carb. Don't squirt too much gas down it's throat or you will flood it. Another idea is to check the condition of all of the vacuum lines. If you replace them do it one by one and make sure to use the right size.

 

[olds307 and 403]

Check your choke tension and choke pull off setting. Is it hot air or an electric choke? If that checks out, check the timing, lube the distributor advance. Then maybe new, cap, rotor, plugs and plug wires. Add in a new fuel and air filter as well. You have a turd but at least it will run good. Always good to make sure everything tune up wise is in good shape.

 

[Jeff L]

I agree with what the others said that a good tuneup and new fuel filter can only help. You might want to try a good fuel system cleaner. I had issues because the car was not driven much a few years and the gas went bad. I was stalling at stop signs and red lights and the idle was just not right. I put in a full tank of new gas and used seafoam, about half a can, and by the end of the tank the car ran smoothly. I changed the fuel filter after the cleaning and car has run perfect. Not sure if this might help but it solved my stalling issue and I did not have to get dirty! lol

 

[oldsmobile joe]

based on your description of the problem, i would check the following:
1. accelerator pump, is it giving a shot of fuel when the carb is cold. some times the cup portion of the pump won't work well till it and the carb warms up and it seals better in the chamber.
2. choke setting, too tight and the carb runs rich, too loose and it will run lean.
3. choke pull off or as gm calls it, vacuum break. this device opens the choke plate a set amount once the eng starts and runs. this is set with an angle gauge or sometimes with a carb gauge tool. a carb gauge tool is a set of dowels of various sizes and are used like a feeler gauge to set various gaps in the carb, i.e., choke, throttle plates, etc. think drill bits without the point or flutes. if the vacuum break is set to open too much (lean), it can cause a stumble of stall. set to open too little, (rich) it will cause a stalling and hard restart.
4. lastly but most importantly, get a factory service manual for your make and model. not a chilton but a factory manual. the information contained in one is a gold mine. it will have specs, step by step procedures for setting up a carb and it will have descriptions of how all the circuits in the carb are suppose to work.

 

[CutlassKage]

Thanks everyone. I feel welcome already. I replaced accelerator pumps before and have done some carb tweaking. Good help from all. I understand the turd comment. I got the car for $1200 with lots of parts. Runs and drives with solid body, frame, undercarriage and interior. I can upgrade to 307 plus later. I looked at some others but this was in best shape for price.

 

[Texas82GP]

A Buick 350 would swap right in and would be a better choice than a 307 in my opinion.

 

[ed1948]

Hey, Fox Bodies are cool as well...that's all I can add. Hope you get your engine running tickety boo!

 

[Bar50]

Pics?

350-403-455....All Olds...

 

[78chevolds]

I have the Olds 260 V8 with the Rochester 2GE-2GC. Not the best carb and I am not sure if they used that in the Buick V6 engine. I suggest you get the 1978 Oldsmobile Service Manual All Series.