My 58 ford keeps stalling. I have a fresh engine, rebuilt carburetor, new fuel pump and fuel filter, rebuilt generator, new coil, blew out fuel lines and flushed and dipped fuel tank, rechecked spark plugs, and vacuum lines and all is ok. it dosen't happen right away, usually around 15 mins of driving. I have a new air filter and I checked vent tube on fuel tank and it wasn't clogged. It's not consistant when it happens either. sometimes it bogs down like it wants to die but kicks back on and I can drive another 5 mins or so. Sometimes it bogs down and just dies. I don't know what else to do. What do you guys think?

Maybelle lee

Does it happen while cruising, idling, both?


Lawrenceville, GA

Fuel pump sucking air somewhere along the inlet line?  Coil breaking down?  Condenser going bad?  Loose choke that’s flopping closed?  When it dies, check to see if the carb is out of fuel.  Another thing to do when it dies is to spin the engine over with the key on and the coil wire pulled from the distributor cap and help about ¼“ from a ground and see if you have a nice strong spark.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Is it possible that the gas cap got replaced with a non vented cap?

Jeff Petersen

@ Charlie-It happens while cruising

@Ted- I have a new coil and wires, a new condenser, I checked the choke and it's not loose, the inlet line to the fuel pump is new and tight so I don't think it is sucking in air and I will check the spark next...

@Jeff- I got the cap from the local parts store so I don't know... should it be vented like the oil cap is?

Maybelle lee

@Jeff- The tank is vented and I checked that... but the cap is not. Do I need a vented cap and a vented tank?

Maybelle lee

No, you dont need a vented cap as long as the vent tube is clear. Having both would just increase evaporation. However, a couple of times this site has had reports of Mud Dauber Wasps trying to start nests in the vent tube. Make sure it's clear...

Paul

I checked vent tube and it was clear... I drained my tank today and all was ok...what else? I just brought the car back from the dead after 10 years in a field and Im starting to think she would of rather stayed that way lol

Maybelle lee

Next time it dies, do what Ted said. He's thinking you may have a coil issue. If you have a good spark pulll the air cleaner and pump the carb to see if there's fuel in the carb. Let's determine what the cause is by the process of elimination.  

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

It could be the ignition. Coil, condenser or what happened to me once. I had a 1971 Capri that would randomly stall and I was convinced it was a problem with the carb. It turned out to be a bad contact on the wire inside of the distributor that grounded the points. That had me going for a long time.

My point is that it could be a lot of things other than a fuel issue.  A problem like you have requires an open mind. Pete