Skipping

[daveboy]

My stock, '52 Chevy 1/2ton has had a serious lack of power since I bought her a couple of months ago. She would get up to speed, but it took a long time and she would barely pull a hill. Also, she was very hard to start.
Yesterday, I replaced plugs, wires, distributor cap, rotor, points and condenser. I had a great big smile when she fired right up. But, she actually had less power. I have never installed points before and I thought I might have got the gap wrong. So, I re-gapped the points. This time she runs much better. She has tons of power, cranks easier than my newer vehicles, and I was very happy...until I tried to get a little speed. Now, when the rpms get high, she cuts out. Over 40 mph she coughs, sputters, and skips.
Normally, I would think fuel starvation, but this was not happening before I did the ignition work. I keep thinking that I am doing something wrong with those points. The manual says to set at .018", but for new ones to set to .022" to compensate for wear. It would hardly run at .022", not it is on .020". Do these symptoms sound like they are caused by the point gap, or am I barking up a wrong tree. Again, it was not doing this before I changed the ignition components. All plugs were gapped correctly and I have rechecked all the connections.

Thanks for any help,
daveboy

[fabguy]

Fuel filter? Timing maybe?
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[mknittle]

Seems like a bit wide on the point gap I think I used to set mine at .016
Check for loos or dirty electrical connections too.

Sounds like ignition timing or a passage or a jet in the carburetor plugged.
first thing I would do is play with the timing. Also check the automatic advance flyweights and springs in the distributor. Make sure they are not stuck. or the rotor isn't interfering with their operation.

[OrrieG]

Possibly crud in the gas tank is finally finding its way into the fuel pump or carb? Maybe the fuel pump is starting to fail. When I had the 235 in my truck we took a long summer trip (10 weeks) across the western US. Along the way the truck started having the same symptoms and eventually would not start. I pulled the line into the fuel pump, nothing came out. Blew into it, got a little resistance then a mouth full of gas. Reconnected the line and drove about another 5 miles and same thing happened. Pulled the tank and turned out a big glob of solder had broken loose and was rattling around the bottom of the tank and would block the line. Put everything back together but truck did not have any power off idle. Mechanic in the next town said the fuel pump diaphram was starting to rupture from all the running dry. He could not get one until Monday (this was late Saturday) but next largest town had a store open on Sunday where I could get one. We nursed the truck the 60+ miles at 20-30 mph over the pass then coasted down for miles into the town. Replaced the pump is a Safeway parking lot, got invited to a great meal and a shower by a nice Mormon family, and then went on our way the next morning with no problems.

[daveboy]

Thanks for the replies. I am beginning to think it is a fuel problem and I just didn't notice it before because it was running so bad anyway. I kept adjusting my point gap until I got it running like a fine Swiss watch. But, when the revs get really up it begins cutting out. I can get up to about 55 and it is smooth, then it begins bogging down. The first thing I am going to do is clean the fuel filter, but that will be another day.

Thanks again,
daveboy

[mknittle]

Sounds good.