Baby won't idle

[deriley]

Finally got the old girl running after changing almost every electronic device known to man (& woman) and boy does she sound great. That is as long as your foot is on the gas! When I ease off the trac goes to flat ZERO and she dies. My husband thinks it might be the engine ground (sounds fishy to me). My neighbor (who is helping me alot) thinks it might be the voltage regulator? Does anyone have any idea or suggestions? My momma told me to always say Thank You.

[So Cal Mark]

a poor engine ground would result in poor cranking when starting, a defective regulator would either overcharge or undercharge the battery, resulting in either a dead battery or a boiled battery. Does the engine restart easily after stalling? If so, I'd look at the idle cutoff solenoid for power- with the key on, remove the wire from the idle solenoid and just touch it to the terminal. You should hear a click if there is power and the solenoid is good. If you hear a click, you may have dirt in the idle circuit that will have to be cleaned out

[deriley]

OK, I checked the solenoid and hear a click, I cleaned the terrminal anyway & its made no difference. Started right up the first time and I kept my food on the gas to about 3500 rpm for about 30 seconds, eased off and the trac went down to zero and the engine sputtered out. Restarts happened but the new battery was going weak. Could the alternator or the voltage regulator be working intermittenly?

[So Cal Mark]

the charging system can have an intermittent problem, but the result wouldn't be what you're describing. It sounds like your idle circuit is either misadjusted or has dirt in it

[2thmaker]

I suspect you've already tried adjusting your accelerator linkage?

[deriley]

No, I didn't try adjusting the linkage, Mark had me convinced that it was the idle shutoff solenoid. I ordered a new one and it came today put it in and its still the same. Thought it need to get up to temp. so I took it down the drive and on the road, went maybe 5 miles and it died, let it sit for a while, tried to restart and it couldn't get above 1000 rpm's so of coarse it would run. It's like the carb was chocking. I give up, it went to the repair shop, they can figure it out.

[dccrux]

I've just bought a 1980, and the same thing's happening. It starts up, I rev the engine, take my foot off the gas and - dead. Sometimes in traffic it's started to die, too, but it always starts back up again. There's a smell of gas, too, which made me think it was the carb - I'll check out the idle circuit.

[Rick)rox]

I had the exact same problem. I may be a stupid teen, but Might I suggest maybe corrsion in the ignition coil? A few days ago my car wouldn't start at all and before when it was running It would die if you didn't keep you foot on the gas. I decided to sand off some of the corrsion off the ignition coil (thought I don't think thats the proper way to clean it off) and stuck it back in and it fired up and KEPT ITS IDLE!!

[mdrburchette]

You don't sound stupid to me. Now, when I was a teen....
I was thinking it may be a fuel problem, like idle set too low, clogged fuel filter, dirt in carb or weak fuel pump. Guess we'll find out when the mechanic figures it out.