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Sputtering acceleration - 1959 Cadillac CDV

Started by Paul, July 26, 2018, 01:14:07 PM

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Paul

Wondering if I could get some direction on my issue.  My 59 Caddy engine idles smoothly, but when I put it in Drive and push the gas the engine feels like it's sputtering and struggling? Could this be a timing issue? A carb issue or a gas filter issue? I don't want to start tearing it apart without some logic behind doing it. Also, I feel like when the trans hits 2nd to 3rd gear, it almost feels like the engine hasn't rev'd enough...similar to driving a stick shift and shifting too early, then having to push the gas to get up to speed and smooth out. Could this all be related or are these different issues? Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks!

59 Caddy, Seminole Red with Dover White top

novetti

Check :

Accelerator pump fuel skirt down the carb throat

Timing needs to be checked. If not advance is happening it can cause that sympton.
54' Iris Blue (Preservation)
54' Cabot Gray (Restoration)
58' Lincoln Continental Convertible (Restoration)
58' Ford Skyliner (Preservation)

P. Manoogian

My 59 (AFB) did this after being winter stored. Turned out the gas, in spite of "stabil" additive, was bad and the inside of the carburetor looked like a cesspool. Rebuilt the carb and it is fine.  Pop the top off your carb and see what the gas looks like.
1961 Eldorado - Shell Pearl/Mauve
1962 Corvette 327 - 250 HP Automatic Triple Black
1963 Impala SS Convertible - 283 Automatic Black Red Gut White Top
1965 Impala SS Coupe  - 502 Turbo 400 - Crocus Yellow
1974 Corvette L84 4spd Coupe - White / Black Leather

60eldo

  Mine did this yesterday. A vacume hose fell off. Also could be spark plug wires bad. Check them in dark place , running engine , get a spray bottle and spay lite mist over the wires and on dist. Look for sparks flying around.
Jon. Klu

russ austin

Look at the points, condenser, coil, plugs, plug wires, carb and fuel flow.
R.Austin

76eldo

This type of problem cannot be definitively diagnosed online.
Someone needs to evaluate the engine and it's a process of elimination.
It can literally be anything from junk in the tank, failing fuel line or blockage, carb or vacuum issue, ignition problem like points or condensor, cracked cap, wiring, weak coil, or valve train or timing problems.

You may want to take it to a mechanic to get to the root cause of the problem.

Best thing would be someone with an old school diagnostic scope.

Brian
Brian Rachlin
Huntingdon Valley, Pa
I prefer email's not PM's rachlin@comcast.net

1960 62 Series Conv with Factory Tri Power
1970 DeVille Conv
1970 Eldo
1970 Caribu (?) "The Cadmino"
1973 Eldorado Conv Pace Car
1976 Eldorado Conv
1980 Eldorado H & E Conv
1993 Allante with Hardtop (X2)
2008 DTS
2012 CTS Coupe
2017 XT
1956 Thunderbird
1966 Olds Toronado

59-in-pieces

Paul - Julio - Russ.
Housekeeping:
Join the CLC
Buy a Shop Manual

Now to business:
What model is your car.
When did you get it.
When did the problems start.

Good suggestions on the carb.- unless tri-power (and gas) also look for healthy squirt from accelerator pump, when accelerator is depressed , timing , plugs, wires, distributor cap cracks/dirt (points and condenser).
As for shifting, the trans (TVP shift linkage) may need to be adjusted.
Fuel pump (filter) pressure test.
Check fuel lines from fuel tank to the carb. including any rubber lines - both lines (return line if AC car) for pin hole leases which reduce suction of fuel and its delivery.

Let us know which if any of the suggestions helped the 59 (my favorite car) to work better.

Have fun,
Steve B.

Sorry Brian - didn't see your post till hit post



S. Butcher

Paul

Steve,
Housekeeping: Got the manual, will join the CLC.
Now to business: Coupe DeVille, no A/C. Got it about a month ago. It always had this unsmooth acceleration from the day I got it.
I replaced the rotor, cap, wires and plugs, but not the points or condenser. Noticed an improvement when the new plugs went in. Carb is rebuilt, few years back. Looks clean. Adjusted the TV Rod for the trans and that smoothed out the shifts. I still have to check the timing. I thought I should also check the points adjustment at the dist. cap and thought about adjusting the carb.  I notice there is always a lingering gas smell, not very heavy but noticeable. I was thinking the mixture was too rich perhaps?
I still need to change the gas filter, too. Thoughts?
59 Caddy, Seminole Red with Dover White top

russ austin

Quote from: 59-in-pieces on July 27, 2018, 03:51:25 PM
Paul - Julio - Russ.
Housekeeping:
Join the CLC
Buy a Shop Manual


I am a clc member....
R.Austin

Jeff Rosansky CLC #28373

#9
Ran into this with the 55. Check your coil. When we got her, she came with the wrong old coil that didn't need a resister so someone had hooked up to a full 12 volts. Ran fine that way. I put in the correct coil for the car which needs a resister and it ran horribly. When I discovered the coil had a full 12 volts I put the resister in-line and it runs fine now.
Jeff Rosansky
CLC #28373
1970 Coupe DeVille (Big Red)
1955 Series 62 (Baby Blue)
Dad's new 1979 Coupe DeVille

59-in-pieces

Paul,
Good U R joining.

Coil - check it out - often fails if weak as the temp goes up.

Smelling gas
"Fuel pump (filter) pressure test.
Check fuel lines from fuel tank to the carb. including any rubber lines ... for pin hole leases which reduce suction of fuel and its delivery." and a possible gas smell.

Timing should be set sooner than later.

Since carb. worked of awhile back "look for healthy squirt from accelerator pump, when accelerator is depressed"
And, check for air leak under carb. at gasket to intake by spraying lightly and at a distance some "quick start" and see if engine RPMs increase.= leaks.

Happy hunting - have fun,
Steve B.
S. Butcher

Paul

Just an update: sprayed the carb with a carb cleaner and she instantly ran better. Solved about 40 percent of the problem. Also found loose hose at carb and gas line, tightened that down and any other I found and that helped too. Timing is at 5 degrees per the manual. Will change gas filter next and hopefully that will help smooth acceleration. Halfway there. I’ll update after fuel filter replacement. Thanks for the help!!
59 Caddy, Seminole Red with Dover White top

savemy67

Hello Paul,

In addition to the fuel filter in the glass bowl, your carburetor may have a sintered bronze filter where the fuel line enters the carburetor.  I don't have a '59, and I don't know which carburetor you have, but you may want to check if there is a filter in your carburetor in addition to the filter in the glass bowl.

Respectfully submitted,
Christopher Winter
Christopher Winter
1967 Sedan DeVille hardtop

Daryl Chesterman

Hi Paul,

The stumble on acceleration could be due to a bad vacuum advance.  You can check your vacuum advance if you have a hand vacuum pump.  Pull your distributor cap and with the vacuum pump connected to the hose going to the vacuum advance, apply some vacuum and see if the base plate in the distributor starts to rotate.  If your vacuum pump has a gauge, it should hold the vacuum steady and the base plate should stay where it rotates after the vacuum is applied.  If the vacuum leaks down or you can't create a vacuum at all, the advance unit is bad (provided the hose to the advance unit is in good condition).  If you get a good, steady vacuum, and the base plate does not rotate, the base plate might be binding and unable to rotate, thus no advance on acceleration.

Good luck,
Daryl Chesterman

Paul

Following up on this, I reset the dwell angle to 30 degrees, it was off by 3 degrees at 33. Checking timing again, but what should the advanced timing be on this engine? I have initial timing at 5 degrees pervthe book. Any suggestion on the correct advanced timing? Once that’s correct I will check the vacuumâ€" haven’t had a chance to do that yetâ€"I misplaced my vacuum gauge!
59 Caddy, Seminole Red with Dover White top

Paul

Just an update, was able to lower the idle rpm, it was idling when warm at more than 1000 rpm. Got it down to about 480 rpm - much better. Quicker response and no hesitation anymore. The carb was running very rich, tuned that down as well.
I was told I should advance the timing- it’s currently at 5 degrees. I was advised these big engines like advance. Was also advised to remove a spring from the distributor weights as well. Any thoughts on this? Yes or no. Just curious.
59 Caddy, Seminole Red with Dover White top

cadman59

I have advanced the timing of my 59 also more than the initial 5 degrees and it's running much better now. Idles smoother, far more power and it seems to run cooler. Advanced it just by listening to the engine. If you advance it too much you will hear the engine ping when the engine is under load, so you know you have to retard it a little bit.
Haven't heard about removing a spring of the mechanical advance though.
Feiko Kuiper - Netherlands (Europe)

1959 Cadillac Series SixtyTwo 6-Window Sedan
https://instagram.com/feikokuiper

35-709

#17
You might try 7/8 degrees advance and see how that works.  DO NOT remove one or both mechanical advance springs, I am familiar with putting lighter springs in (which, unless you are tuning for drag racing and know what you are doing, you do not need), but have never heard of removing weight springs all together. 
It would be good to go in and make sure the mechanical advance weights move smoothly and freely and possibly put a thin swipe of light grease under them. 
You will know if your vacuum advance is working when you reconnect the vacuum hose, which was disconnected and blocked off while setting the base timing --- right?   :)  Engine idle will increase and you will see it with your timing light.

Stop talking to Chevrolet mechanics.  Small block and big block Chevys can stand more advance than the stock, slower revving, higher torque Caddy engines.
1935 Cadillac Sedan resto-mod "Big Red"
1973 Cadillac Caribou - Sold - but still in the family
1950 Jaguar Mark V Saloon resto-mod - Sold
1942 Cadillac 6269 - Sold
1968 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible - Sold
1950 Packard 2dr. Club Sedan
1935 Glenn Pray - Auburn Boattail Speedster, Gen. 2

Paul

Just an update: advanced timing to about 8 degrees and adjusted the curb idle to about 550-575 RPM. Adjusted the air/fuel mixture down as well. The car runs much better now. Smoother. I’m going to drop some lead additive in the next tank of gas and see if that helps any, but I’m fairly satisfied at this point.  Still adjusting the TV Rod for smoother shift,but it’s okay. Incidentally, I dropped some seafoam in the tank and sprayed some in the carb. No big smoke showâ€" pretty mild, just a little haze for a minute or so. Didn’t do much, perhaps the carb is clean enough? Any thoughts are welcome on further smoothing it out. Btw, the timing advance is okay. Thanks for everyone’s help on this.
59 Caddy, Seminole Red with Dover White top