hesitation

[lvmymopar]

Hi, I took my 66 dodge coronet out for a ride today. I probably drove about 10 miles and then out of the blue it started hesitating. Like it was gonna run out of gas. I had a 1/2 tank. Like it was starving for gas. Pinging a little bit. We tried changing the fuel filter and still doing it. Should I try carbeurator cleaner in the gas? Maybe some plugged jets? Ran great and then all of a sudden it happened.

 

[1badstroker]

How long has the car been sitting? I would try some fresh gas if the car has been sitting for a couple of months.

 

[Meep-Meep]

Pinging could indicate a lean mixture and with the hesitation something could be plugged up in the carb. You might check the accel pump too.

 

[72 Charger SE]

I had something similar happen to mine a couple years ago after it sat for a while. Rust scales from inside the fuel tank plugged the filter on the fuel pickup inside the tank. I needed a new sending unit anyway since my gas gauge wasn't working, so I cured 2 problems with 1 fix (actually 2 fixes, since I replaced the fuel tank as well, rather than spending the time to try to clean it.) My car would only run at an idle until I shut it off for a while, but would act up again after driving for a few minutes. My fuel pressure gauge showed zero pressure with the engine at idle. Sounds like you have a blockage somewhere, from the pickup in the tank, a fuel filter, or at/in the carb.

 

[lvmymopar]

The car is pretty much a daily driver. We figured out it is the fuel pump.

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

How did you come to that conclusion??

 

[696pack]

What all above have said to check as well as water in the gas.

In the winter it is common for the water in gas station tanks to condense and show up in YOUR tank. Don't put anymore fuel in it and load the gas tank with a product called Heat. It is designed to "eat" the water in your tank.

 

[72 Charger SE]

What all above have said to check as well as water in the gas.

In the winter it is common for the water in gas station tanks to condense and show up in YOUR tank. Don't put anymore fuel in it and load the gas tank with a product called Heat. It is designed to "eat" the water in your tank.

Heet is essentially methanol, or wood alcohol. Any alcohol added to your fuel will do the same thing. If you are already using gas with an ethanol blend, you shouldn't have a problem with water in the gas, unless you have a LOT of water in the gas. Water his a polar molecule, and octane and other standard hydrocarbons are non-polar, so they do not mix. Alcohol molecules are polar on one end, and non-polar on the other (in general) and allow the water and gasoline to mix. So Heet doesn't really "eat" the water in the tank, it just allows it to mix with the gasoline so that you will burn it along with the gas, instead of sucking up a straight shot of water from the tank.