[NateB68]

Hi,
My name is Nate, and my grandfather gave me a '68 Cougar Dan Gurney Special with a 302 2bbl. It sat unused in a garage for 20+ years. We recently got it worked on at a shop, and it came back today running really rough. It ran OK the first 10 minutes off the tow truck. Then I shut it down and came back 1/2 and hour later to move it, and it stalled when I put it in gear. The engine was already warmed up. Eventually I couldn't get it to run in Park. Fuel was low, but had enough to run it. Not sure what the problem could be. Fuel starvation? Timing? Has new: fuel filter, gas tank, fuel lines, rebuilt autolite 2100 carb ect. Engine has 40,000 miles on it. The engine is from '74. Also seems like it is not running on all 8 cylinders. Engine shakes, sputters, and runs really rough.

Checked the firing order and it was normal, spark plugs are new, but look questionable (the gap doesn't seem properly adjusted).

I'm a 2nd year automotive student at a career and tech center, and know enough to get up to a certain point, but this has me stumped. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Nate

 

[DeMaxx1]

check for vacuum leaks. when cold the choke is closed and it will draw enough gas to make it run. but as is warms and the choke opens it will start to stall. that would also explain why it's doesn't seem to run on all cylinders,,,

Dwight

 

[woodsnake]

Take it back to the shop that "worked" on it....

 

[rodbender]

Check to see if the choke plates are working properly. They might be closed after warm up.

 

[charlie264]

Had similar work done to mine and ran like crap. Turned out the valves were way out of adjustment. Worth a look...

 

[cougarshaman]

Ok, so what do you mean the gap doesn't seem to be properly adjusted? It either is or it ain't. Feeler gauges or cheap plug gap checker at the parts store: do it.
Also, do you have points ignition on the car still? If so, check the points and condenser.

 

[CougarCJ]

Original fuel tank?
Old fuel has jelled, and migrated to your carburetor and fuel filter.

Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.

 

[68Kat]

"Has new: fuel filter, gas tank, fuel lines, rebuilt autolite 2100 carb ect. Engine has 40,000 miles on it. The engine is from '74. Also seems like it is not running on all 8 cylinders. Engine shakes, sputters, and runs really rough."

So the shop replaced the tank, lines, carb? If so I take it they "tested" the car before they told you it was done? When they replaced the tank was the sender also replaced? I didn't see anything about the fuel pump being replaced. When I got my car running after a bunch of years, I repalced tank, line, filter, pump, carb, ignition parts, and it started with no issues. One thing that does come to mind, make sure the plugs are gapped correctly and replace the points, cap, rotor button, wires worth the money to know fuel and ignition are good.

 

[letsroll]

Mechanics 101. 1)Gotta have fuel. Check the carb for squirting when you pump it. 2)Gotta have spark. Pull a plug and put it in the wire and ground it and crank whilie watch for crisp blue spark. Anything getting toward the yellowish side may not be adequate. 3)Gotta have compression. This takes a compression tester and should have upwards of 100 and ideally above of 125. 4)Then it all has to be timed together.Checking this could be several step including finding number one TDC and going from there. From where I am sitting it sounds like a potential jumped timing chain and doing the above steps should verify or eliminate that diagnosis. Especially the compression test.