'62 wagon idle issues

c-dale-willys

c-dale-willys

Knuckle Buster
Jul 26, 2017
4
Carbondale, CO
First Name
mark
Willys Model
  1. Wagon
Willys Year:
  1. 1962
Hello, I'm new to this site and hope someone can help me.

My issue: My Willys runs great but when I come to a stop the idle drops and the engine dies. It seems like it runs out of gas. When I start it, I'll give it gas, it'll run for a few seconds, then abruptly stop.

My vehicle: I have a '62 Willys wagon with the L6-226 motor. The carb is the Carter YF.

A note about me: I'm good with tools and have done a lot of work on the vehicle over the 20 plus years that I've owned it. However, I'm not a trained mechanic and am not good at diagnosing problems. I'm great at following a manual though! Also, over the years I have replaced broken parts but have not upgraded anything, ie. for the most part it's as it was when I bought it.

What I have done: When the problem started I bought a kit and rebuilt the carb. For the first 2 weeks it ran great then it happened again. I tuned up the idle speed (way too high) so I could get it home without restarting it at every stop sign. Strangely the next time I tried it, I turned the idle speed back down and it ran great again. After another 2 weeks, however, the problem came back. I have not driven it since. I adjusted the idle mixture screw but it did not alleviate the problem.

Other possible pertinent information: I replaced the fuel pump three years ago. I currently do not have a fuel filter, maybe some tank crud got sucked into the clean carb? The vacuum line is attached to the distributor but the distributor mount is broken so the distributor is loose (I'm assuming this is not ideal but it was that way when I bought it and it worked so I've never done anything about it, other than a brief fruitless search for a replacement). Not sure if any of this matters.

I included pictures on the off chance someone may see something.

Thanks for any assistance.
Mark

willys carb front.jpgwillys carb left.jpgwillys carb right.jpg
 
Simple things first.... Make sure the gas cap is allowing some breathing. On my 62, there is no vent on the gas tank, so the gas cap allows the breathing so the tank doesn't develop a vacuum and cavitate. If vacuum builds up in the tank, the pump will not be able to overcome the vacuum to will not move gas from the tank.

Since this seems like a gas issue, I guess you have already checked out the electrical system.

Other obvious things could be stuck float. Junk from the tank could cause the problem too... and you should have a filter, but the symptom sound more like total gas loss than the symptom you get with clogged jets.

Welcome to the forum.
 
Jim,
Thanks for the reply. Regarding your suggestions: It's not the tank. I have 2 tanks and the second one is definitely vented. As for the float, it accelerates well so I'm guessing the floats are OK. Though as I mentioned, this is all guess work for me. Thanks for the suggestions.
Mark
 
I just thought of something... you said your dizzy is loose on the pedestal/mount. You need a good ground for the points. The mere touching of the shaft and dizzy body is not a reliable enough ground.. especially when warmed up and moving (with vibration). Try running a separate ground from the dizzy body to the engine or battery.
 
Jim,
I'm not sure what a "dizzy" is. I assume distributor base? If that's the case, it's been broken since I bought it 20 years ago and have put 20,000 miles on it since so I would be wondering why it would start acting up now and only during idle. But I'm willing to take any and all suggestions.

In general, it drives perfectly under all circumstances, it just does not hold an idle, so it seems like it should be something specifically associated with the idle. The low speed/idle circuit in the carb, or something like that (but since the rebuild I've currently ruled that out). In your first post you said something about checking the electrical system. I have not, but since everything else works, I'm not sure where I would start looking.
Thanks again.
Mark
 
Why don't you have a fuel filter? The first thing I would do is install a fuel filter. Then I would tear the carb back down and clean it and pay particular attention to the idle circuit. Check the mixture screws and seats to make sure they are not damaged. Actually I would install a Weber carb and be done with it but that's another thread. Then repair the distributor issues. You have several small issues that are adding up to be a failure on the road and an expensive tow bill.

Good luck!
 
I had a similar issue on my 63 truck ended up being a bad pick up stem in the tank small leak only showed at idle speed when gas was less than full. It was a weird one but only resolved after doing all the other stuff first then replacing the tank and pickup tube.


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I had a similar problem. I set the idle and it ran good. Then stopped at an intersection and my engine would die. I tried a few things and realized my problem was in the cable for my gas pedal and the spring that pulls the the throttle back to idle. The spring was catching and stopping the throttle at the same point most of the time when parked but when driving the spring would un catch and allow the throttle to close all the way back to where is should have been but now the idle speed setting would be to low because it was set wrong. Stupid me. But simple problem that seemed like a big problem.
 
Hello,

I would check your points.. As the rubbing block wears down, the gap gets smaller and smaller until you get stalling @ an idle.. Just
a suggestion.. An easy item to check and correct... Very easy to forget to check... And I know because..............
 
More data regarding my idle issue: the idle only drops when I use the brakes to come to a stop. After applying the brakes the engine goes from regular idle to really low idle in 1-2 seconds, really fast. It usually dies before I come to a complete stop. This does not happen when I am already stopped and I apply the brakes. The engine does not die if I coast to a stop. Also, this does not happen when I brake while driving in reverse. In general, everything runs perfectly, except for when I brake for a stop. However, it happens everytime I brake. When stopping I have resorted to the unsustainable practice of: 1. pushing the clutch and pulling it out of gear, 2. braking with my left foot, 3. simultaneously when the idle drops giving it gas with my right foot, and if I keep it going until I'm fully stopped the idle returns to normal and everything is perfect again. Since there is no connection between the idle and brakes that I'm aware of all I come up with is something associated with gas sloshing in the carb.

What I have done based on previous responses:
1. I got a fuel filter and after 50 miles there is no junk in it. I have not pulled the carb but I assume everything is still clean from my rebuild 200 miles ago. Also, this issue happened before I did the rebuild, it was what prompted me to do it.
2. Several people recommended I consider my gas tank. I have 2 tanks and this happens with both so I've ruled that out. Also, the drop in idle speed is immediate. It seems that if the tank, lines, fuel pump, etc. were involved there either would be a time delay between starting to stop the vehicle and the idle drop, or this issue would occur at different times, not just when I brake.
3. I checked my points, exactly 0.020.
4. I checked the gas pedal linkage and spring, everything seems fine.
5. I rigged something up so the distributor is solidly mounted and the broken mounting ear is no longer a factor.

Any further thoughts or assistance is greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Mark
 
Larry hear from Texas.im having a similar issue with my 61 wagon.it cranks but then floods out. Gas comes out of the tube at top of.carb.i notice two of picture looks sort of damp like maybe flooding out .haventfigured out yet
 
Eliminate the electrical. Run a jumper from the battery to the + side of the coil then hit the brakes while at speed. It's possible something is moving under inertia... but a bit of a stretch.

Do you have the vacuum hose hooked up from port on the carb to the vacuum advance?

Do you have the vacuum line hooked up between the manifold and the (dual action fuel pump/vacuum pump) and wiper vacuum motor?

Just thinking a loss of vacuum could do this too.
 
Electrical short in the brake light circuit? (Remember: No fuses.)
 
I'd check it because you never know what the PO has done. I'm saying just take a look at the electrics to eliminate it as a potential source.... that's me though....
 
I do not know where your carburetor float is hinged, but it could be the surge of fuel moving forward (against the float) when you use the brakes, causing the inlet needle to stick closed. The engine restarts and runs for a few seconds when you depress the gas pedal because more fuel is being added to the manifold by the accelerator pump discharge. The old time mechanics would test for a stuck float by smacking the carburetor with a rubber mallet to see if the vibration would cause the carburetor to start working normally again.
 
Idle circuit in your carb, Most likely a plugged orifice.
 
When mine was playing up I ended up fitting a carb out of a 60s Ford that I had laying around
Had to make an adapter plate to get it to fit
It will eliminate the carb from the equation
do you know anybody with a 226 that may lend you a carb for a couple of hours to try it
 
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