Running goofy....Is it the cold?

[billschroeder5842]

Here in Texas recently, we have had a couple of cold (well for us that is) days with mornings in the high 20's and the days in the mid 40's.

My '69 with a 383 has a 180 'stadt due to the 100 plus summer days and have had her out a couple of times

Upon "spirited" acceleration the car feels like it stutters a bit, which was not present during the summer months. Everything seems to smooth out when I back off the accelerator.

Could the cold be messing with things? Any adjustments I can make?

Thanks!

[JB400]

Cold air is condensing and making it run rich, possibly.  Have you adjusted the carb any?

[billschroeder5842]

No adjustments made on the carb....

Any suggestions? It is an Eddy performer.

[Cooter]

Spray the plug wires with a mist of water, then get in it hold the brake and try to "Power brake" it a little. If stumbles badly, check for one or more bad plug wires. Weatehr changes seem to paly hell with old wires.

[Dino]

It's the cold, mine does it as well with the 1407 eddy carb.  It'll make stuttering noises until I'm in third and then it slowly goes away.  The car itself doesn't stutter, only the carb does. 

If you have time let the car warm up before you put it in drive. 

[billschroeder5842]

Dino

Thank for the advise (Nice color combo BTW...) I probably need to let it warm--lots.

The car always seemed to be a bit cold blooded and runs better when hot.

It will be 60s this weekend!

[Dino]

You're welcome.  And thanks!  Yours ain't so bad either.  

I noticed mine started that carb stutter when temps dropped around freezing.  I only drove it a few more days until not having a heater became an issue.  It would stutter and rev higher before shifting to second but once warm it would be fine.  If you can let it run for 5 minutes then it should be good to go.  You will hear the idle even out and if you touch the gas you should get a crisp response.  I can't do it though because that gives the neighbor enough time to get a gun.  

I have to fire it up, put it in D, and coast down the driveway.  I go real slow down my sub and down the road leading to the main road.  By the time I get there it's just warm enough so I can slowly take it up to 55.  These things are most vulnerable when they're cold so go easy on it.

Btw, is your heat crossover blocked?  Since I blocked mine it doesn't play as nice when cold but it's a small price to pay to not have the fuel boil out of the carb when I shut it off.

[440]

Technically a car should run better when the weather is cold, even better damp. Like stroker says the air is more dense, more fuel and air. I have always found my cars a bit sluggish in the heat. I wonder if it's Eddy carb thing. Not knocking Edelbrock but I always read about more issues with them then not to make me stay clear of them. I've always run Holly and have never had an issue.

[Dino]

Technically a car should run better when the weather is cold, even better damp. Like stroker says the air is more dense, more fuel and air. I have always found my cars a bit sluggish in the heat. I wonder if it's Eddy carb thing. Not knocking Edelbrock but I always read about more issues with them then not to make me stay clear of them. I've always run Holly and have never had an issue.

I think you hit the nail on the head.  It's an eddy thing.  I rarely hear about this with other carbs yet many who run an eddy have this issue.  It's a good looking paperweight though.   

[billschroeder5842]

I really don't like my Eddy. I have this funky stumble when I accelerate at 1100-1300 that I can't seem to shake. I'm thinking of breaking down and just buying a Holley. Any recommendations? I have a 383, super mild cam, headers and aluminum intake. I'm old enough to want dependability over balls-to-the-wall performance, but still like to nail the gas.

[Dino]

I really don't like my Eddy. I have this funky stumble when I accelerate at 1100-1300 that I can't seem to shake. I'm thinking of breaking down and just buying a Holley. Any recommendations? I have a 383, super mild cam, headers and aluminum intake. I'm old enough to want dependability over balls-to-the-wall performance, but still like to nail the gas.

Mine does the same.  They are notorious for that stumble.  The thunder series is supposedly a good carb though, I have the performer 1407.  I'm ditching it for an old school thermoquad.  When tuned properly it should give me better response, better fuel mileage and I shouldn't have to fiddle with it.  Most here like Holley or Proform but I'm not sure how many of those are actual drivers. 

[68 RT]

Sounds like choke adjustment. Also 1407 is a manual choke carb so as long as you have full travel of teh choke you have full cntrol of how car runs when cold. A heat cross ove does not matter with a manual choke. Your stumble sonds like accelerator pump. Is the rod in the upper hole? Next check step up springs pistons, if you don't have one it is worth the money.  Also I have a 1407 on my car and have no issues hot or cold. Also if you can't get the Edelbrock right you will never get a themoquad to work right.

[Dino]

Sounds like choke adjustment. Also 1407 is a manual choke carb so as long as you have full travel of teh choke you have full cntrol of how car runs when cold. A heat cross ove does not matter with a manual choke. Your stumble sonds like accelerator pump. Is the rod in the upper hole? Next check step up springs pistons, if you don't have one it is worth the money.  Also I have a 1407 on my car and have no issues hot or cold. Also if you can't get the Edelbrock right you will never get a themoquad to work right.

I have the electric choke kit on mine and once the crossover was blocked it wasn't nearly as effective any more.

I'm sure I can get the 1407 to run better with one of their kits, I just don't want to go there.  Too many complaints about these things on a 440 so I'm not going to bother.

I will follow the rebuild guide to get the TQ back together but will likely need a hand to fine tune it.  I'm not just replacing it with the TQ because of the eddy btw, I want the TQ because I mostly cruise around so the small primaries should be more efficient for my use.  I get 11mpg on the highway right now and that's with 14" rims and 2.96 gears.  Abismal.

My 1407 runs okay hot or cold as well but when it's really cold it'll stutter, when I take off slowly from a stop it will more than likely stumble.  When I floor it it'll stumble garantueed.  Idle is rich, wot is lean and that's after tuning it.  Maybe it works for you but I don't think hthis is the carb for me.  The previous owner said it was the one thing he did to the car that was a mistake.  The 1407 is on an eddy performer intake btw.

I'm sure eddy has a ton of great stuff but I don't think this carb is the best for a 440.

[billschroeder5842]

So I did a bit of messing around and got the Eddy to run better; significantly reduced the stumble on take off.

I first put the accelerator pump on the lowest or smallest squirt upon take off.

Second, I advanced the timing. It had to kludge the reading because my timing light is fritz. I took a vacuum gauge and "advanced" the seeting from 16 to 16.5, steady on the gauge. If figured it was worth a couple of degrees.

So far so good. Drivability is better and runs well at 70.

Anything else I should try?

[Paul G]

I had my Charger out last Friday night. Temps in the 50's. It has a Holley 750 with no choke (manual choke, held open). I had a very bad stutter when I gave it lots of peddle. Just cruising was fine. I am not going to mess with it for now. I run a 180 stat as well. Never got to 180, didn't drive far enough.