My Chevelle died on me today.....

[1970Turtle]

So I was at a stop light today and the Turtle just started idling very rough and my oil light kept flickering on and off then stayed on and the car just shut off and would not restart. After about two minutes of sitting at the stop light, and waiving at pissy motorist honking as they drove by, she started back up and drove perfectly find the rest of today. What the heck could that be? It has been sitting for a few hours now and I just checked the oil level and it's right at the full line on the dipstick. It does have a leaky rear main seal, but I wouldn't think that would cause the problem I had today.

[Rank]

probably nothing to do with the oil ... the light came on because it was sputtering ... could be a fuel - a dirty fuel filter ... if its electrical it could be a number of things from charging system to secondary .... you got a points dizzy?

[Chevelle_Nut]

Check your fuel filter, they are very small and can clog, pay special attention to the way it goes back in. Also check to make sure the rubber hose in front of the fuel pump is not collapsing. You could have also had a piece of trash get in the needle and seat. Remember your car is simple, fuel air and spark is what makes it run.

[1970Turtle]

Well, it's a brand new alternator and battery so I highly doubt, although won't rule out, a charging problem. The car smells highly of gas when I drive it and I have always thought that to be from a BAD exhaust leak where a doughnut gasket should be on the manifolds and holes in the floor boards (lol) causing the exhaust gasses to come into the car. However, I did stall it up at a dead stop and get on it the other day and it dumped way too much fuel into the carb, so it's a good possibility that it needs a good tuning, it also spits if I'm stopped and get on it too hard (i.e. to get across traffic when turning at a light). I'll start checking my fuel lines to see if any have collapsed and I'll just change the filter. Also, in a totally unrelated matter, my fuel gauge just quit working last week. It's stuck above the F, would that be the sending unit failing on me or could I be lucky and a wire just come loose?

[Chevelle_Nut]

It sounds like to me your carb needs a good overhaul. The Rochester 2bbl is easy to do but the throttle plates have a habit of wearing and need to be rebushed. I would start with the carb since it is flooding.

You need to fix that exhaust leak, carbon monoxide is dangerous. Doughnut gaskets are cheap just use plenty of PB Blaster on the nuts first.

Lets get the thing running safely before getting on the fuel gauge, more than likely you will have to drop the tank to fix it.

[Warputer]

so it's a good possibility that it needs a good tuning, it also spits if I'm stopped and get on it too hard (i.e. to get across traffic when turning at a light).


Mine has done this a few times.....especially if I don't let her warm up all the way & try to take off with the choke still on. Get a back fire thru the carb & she'll cut off. I plan to rebuild the Holley this winter.

[Hank70SS]

There is a tan wire in the harness that goes into the trunk. This the wire that goes to the sending unit. Trace the wires to find the correct one. Disconnect the tan wire and ground it to the body somewhere. If the gauge goes to empty the harness, trunk forward, and gauge are ok. Follow the tan wire down to the sending unit and make sure it's connected. Also check the ground wire from the sending unit. I would remove the ground, clean up the connection and reconnect.

It could be the sending unit but if any wire is not connected or you have a bad ground it will read full. The sender connects the gauge to ground, with varying resistance, as the fuel level goes down.

[shadowgray396]

"The car smells highly of gas when I drive it and I have always thought that to be from a BAD exhaust leak where a doughnut gasket should be on the manifolds and holes in the floor boards (lol) causing the exhaust gasses to come into the car."

Could be a sticky float if you are smelling gas. Running rough could be it got flooded out at idle. Once the gas got out of the cylinders it refired or like said above check the filter.

[Highway Star]

Gas *could* be boiling in the carb.

[1970Turtle]

I think there is a float stuck, took the cleaner off today and the front left(driver) side of the carb is covered with gas. Couldn't find any numbers on the carb to cross reference but it is a quadrajet 4-barrel. Will check out a rebuild kit tomorrow at work, might just end up getting the edelbrock intake and holley carb I've been looking at. As far as the exhaust leek, I see long tubes and a 2 1/2" exhaust upgrade in my future.... and of course new floor pans

[Rank]

Give the carb a few sharp raps with a block of wood .... sometimes that will free up the float ... dont hit it so hard as to break sumthing though. ... guud luck!

[1970Turtle]

Barney Rubble approach, I like it!