[jrockjr26]

My car runs fine at a idle, but as soon as you put it in drive or reverse it wants to stall or when i come to a stop i have to put it in neutral. I have to keep one foot on the gas and one foot on the brake. Does anyone have any possible solutions to this annoying problem ?

 

[Dave Birdwell]

Several things come to mind...your initial ignition timing may not be advanced enough, your idle speed may be too low... I'd try advancing the timing just a few degrees and see if that helps. You have to be careful doing this, though...be sure to listen for spark knock under acceleration. If it pings, you'll have to retard the timing until it doesn't. Then you will have to raise the idle speed at the carburetor.

 

[swcash]

The fix is to get the engine running better. What kind of engine is this? You are not giving us much to work with here. Maybe you need a converter with a higher stall speed.
Squido

 

[jrockjr26]

It's a 396 stock motor with the exception of a pair of hedman headers.

 

[350chev]

Less back pressure may cause it to do that. If anything, I would start with the timing and advance it 1-3* and see if it goes away.

Also, you could check for vacuum leaks around the carb and intake manifold.

 

[gasoline_fiend]

I second idle speed.

 

[jaf6738]

I had a dirty fuel filter that caused that same problem once.

 

[jrockjr26]

Ok, I advanced the timing a hair . The stalling when i come to a stop is gone but now it pings slightly when i cruising about 40 mhp's and hit the gas. Any new suggestions other than sell the car and find a new passion ?:sad:

 

[webfoot]

What grade of fuel are you running?

 

[jrockjr26]

Pump gas, 93 octane.

 

[don lemek]

Most older GM big blocks had a very thin steel plate between the manifold and the carb, Holleys and Q jets, if it is not there it affects the idel and you can not check it by spraying any starter fluid around the carb, because the vac. leak is inside the carb. check your year. I fixed a lot of them, most people don't even know it belongs there. Good luck

 

[Bob80Elcam]

You need a tune up. Take it in to a reputable shop and let them do their thing. That's what they are there for.

 

[jrockjr26]

Yes there is a thin plate between the carb and the manifold. should i remove it ? what is its purpose ?

 

[Jerry70]

Ok, I advanced the timing a hair . The stalling when i come to a stop is gone but now it pings slightly when i cruising about 40 mhp's and hit the gas. Any new suggestions other than sell the car and find a new passion ?:sad:

You may need to recurve the distributor in order to have enough advance at idle without having too much at higher rpm. I know you it's stock except for headers but it's very possible that the distributor curve has been changed from original. If real light springs are used you can get some mechanical advance in at idle. When you put it in gear and the rpm drops the mechanical goes away, resulting in too little advance. When setting initial be sure to set the idle as low as possible and then put it back where you want it when you're done.

 

[Dave Birdwell]

Back the timing up a degree or two until the ping is gone and raise the idle speed screw on the carburetor.

Does the car hesitate when you accelerate from a stoplight, or does it go ok?

I assume you're running a quadrajet? With the addition of a free-er flowing exhaust, it may be a touch lean, before you back the timing up, turn the idle mix screws on the front bottom of the carb about 1/4 to 1/2 a turn counter clockwise. Drive the car and see if that helps.

 

[novaderrik]

if it isn't already, put the vacuum advance on a port that always has vacuum and turn the idle speed down as needed and see if that makes any difference.