Thread: 350 stalls when put in gear

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Originally Posted by TyphoonZR

If your lifters were set too tight, then they would never have been closed one hundred precent. This might have been the cause of the engine stalling when dropped into gear.

I agree. No matter what, I'd like to see you do a compression test on the motor when you get it back together. Remove all the spark plugs (so the motor will spin faster and not overheat the starter) and wire the carburetor primary throttle blades wide open. Make sure the battery is fully charged.

You can use a hand-held compression tester with a rubber tip that you just push and hold into the spark plug hole or you can use one that has the proper threads and screws into the spark plug hole.

Make sure the engine has been warmed up before beginning the test, to ensure that the oil has been warmed up. A cold engine will not test correctly.
Disable the ignition module or coil.
Insert the compression tester into one cylinder spark plug hole at a time.
Hold the throttle to full open position to ensure the engine gets adequate air intake. (Or like I said, wire the throttle open for the test).
Crank the engine continually for at least five to 10 full revolutions to obtain an accurate reading on the compression tester. (This is why you need a fully charged battery before you begin).
Record the reading for each cylinder. If any of them vary 10 percent or more from each other a problem may exist in one or more cylinders. If the variance is greater than 10 percent, specialized testing equipment may be required to fully diagnose the problem.
If all cylinder readings are within 10 percent of each other, no further testing is required and compression is considered optimal.

I'm strongly suggesting this compression test because I want to know if you have bent any valves by having the valves adjusted too tightly.

A good solid street motor should have 140 to 180 psi in all cylinders, depending on the static compression ratio and cam timing.

i thought it would be fun to go in another direction. Is the torque converter bad on the tranny? Is it a tranny problem making it die? just some things to check.

OK guys we found the problem BUT first let me tell you what Steve did to get there................. He pulled the engine out AGAIN. Replaced the lifters, cam and removed the heads. He wanted to make sure NOTHING was wrong. All new everything. Put the engine back in, tightened everything down, hooked up all components and GUESS WHAT!!!!!!!!!!! The dieseling noise is gone!!!!!!!! Turned out the valves were adjusted too tight and that was that issue. Started the car and once the alternator kicked in, BAM! the damn car died. Same problem we were having before all this occured. None of this made sense so since Steve ruled out vacuum leaks, firing problems, etc. He turned to electrical, that was the only thing he had not considered because prior to the engine change, everything worked fine.
Well at about midnight last night, he found out what was causing the damn car to die, it was the HEI distributor it didn't like the ballast resistor!!!!!!!!!!! So he took it out of the loop and WHALAH!!!!!!!! Fixed.
He took it out for a drive after finding that and said it "Runs like a RA*ED Ape". Seriously he said it ran smooth, shifted great and timing was perfect. SO there ya have it.
I wanted to post as soon as he figured it out so in case there was someone having the same issue, and they could maybe avoid all the useless steps we did.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR THE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!
JoAnne

Back at post 14 that same thing was mentioned

You're right!!!!!!!! But at the time we were looking at something other than electrical. Steve said he is much happier now that he dismantled the engine tho because now he knows that all components are right and working properly. The "clattering" or "dieseling" noise were the valves being too tight. God I feel better and now I can make a show or 2 before the season ends.
THANKS EVERYONE!
JoAnne

Ok Low Jo, a week ago you were willing to sell me your piece of junk for $1,500.00. Is it still available?

How Low will you go Jo?

Originally Posted by LowJo

You're right!!!!!!!! But at the time we were looking at something other than electrical. Steve said he is much happier now that he dismantled the engine tho because now he knows that all components are right and working properly. The "clattering" or "dieseling" noise were the valves being too tight.
THANKS EVERYONE!
JoAnne

Actually you can be glad you didn't fix the electrical without reassembling the motor and adjusting those valves.

Was the coil another swap meet find, like the cracked intake?

No the coil was new when we put it on. I went to Advance and bought another last night and she fired right up. Now that the resistor is history, this one may last. I do agree that we burned the first one up, that's the only thing that makes sense, but what does with this car?????
I am taking it to a car show today so my fingers are crossed that we have no problems.
JoAnne

Well when your tired of it I have a flatbed outside by the shop and I'll come take it off your hands.I'm only about 80 mi.away

Well the Chevy ran great and drove super. Show went well and took a first place even tho it rained most of the day.
I get alot of offers for the Chevy and I tell you what.............the first person with a 65 or 66 Mustang in just as nice of condition, comes along, the Chevy is GONE !!!!!!! Outta here. I wish I would have never sold the one I had back in the 60's, kick myself every time. I will have one again BUT Steve said I will have to find a different mechanic cause he ain't workin on a Ford!!!!! Damn I guess the Mustang will have to come with one,
JoAnne

NO COMMENT, I have to live with him!!!!!!!!!!! I gotta give him credit tho honestly, he did the best he could being a "backyard" mechanic and all it cost me was, well...............................................
JoAnne

I would check your vacuum again, are you using manifold vacuum or a ported source off the carberator? I am running a Holly carb and HEI ignitioin on a small block 350. If your vacuum source to the transmission is not directly off the manifold but from a ported source on the carberator you modulator will function incorrectly and may cause a stall. Good Luck!

jc

I know problem has been solved, I have been busy ,not much time to read these pages much but I will share expiriance. Bought 31 had intermittant slight miss on cold start-up & mid-range, watched tach- would fluctuate greater than rpm change. Called Classic insturment(remember I bought car w/ them alredy installed) great customer service!!! suggested removing "tach filter" I did runs great. seems MSD pointless( not MSA Red Box) has problems mating w/ Classic tach w/o ignition problems. sorry for long post but something to file away. 31 5w