Mate . I will pass you a beer 🍺 

does your carb have a filter in the inlet connection to the carb ?

in line filters are cheap . Throw another one at it 👍

did you set the points with a dwell meter ?

those are my first thoughts  

oh second thought... the fuel pick up sock! maybe pop that out and check its clean too 

Pass me another beer, for today I am celebrating. I lay awake at 3am wondering what the hell is going on with my car. Upon awakening and after performing some necessary chores, it was time to face my crimson nemesis and show it who's the boss...so I stood there and peered into the engine bay and entered a mild meditative state.

Upon returning from Nirvana I was still stumped. As if guided by a greater force I removed the inline filter - fuel squirted out of the hose at considerable pressure, so I know the fuel pump is doing it's thing and plenty of fuel seems to be getting to the carb. I shook the filter and then blew through it - clear as a bell. I was really hoping that was going to be the problem but no. Reconnected everything and checked the points dwell and ignition timing - both perfect. Ignition advance - spot on. I then thought I'd have a look at the plugs & leads. Got the multimeter out and methodically pulled each plug & lead and checked all components for continuity. While I was at it, I thought I might as well install the 8 new NGK plugs I got from Rockauto some time ago - they were so cheap it was laughable. So I checked the gap on the new plugs (.035") installed them and carefully reattached the HT leads, ensuring that there was a reassuring 'snap' as each one sat on the plug end. I also checked the coil to distributor lead - all good. With absolutely no confidence at all that the problem had been fixed I took her for a spin. Well - what a difference. For the first time since I bought that car, it finally goes as hard as it looks. It absolutely tore up the road - downshifted to second gear and gave her a bootful and you could hear the secondaries open up and there was a rush of power as it all came together. I shall get a mate to sit in with me and will post a short video one day.

I came home, put the car away, had a shower and am now going to positively irrigate myself with beer to celebrate this momentous occasion.

The lesson? Don't really know. I hear that modern spark plugs are not always reliable: 2 trusted mechanics have told me they will only use NGK plugs. The Pertronix? I also hear that the quality varies - you can get a dud unit. I add some Upper Cylinder Cleaner/Fuel Stabiliser/Octane Booster/Lead Substitute product from an Australian supplier to each batch of fuel (in all my cars) and here's hoping the damn Pontiac's problems are done. Cheers!          

Well done . Maybe it was those leads ?

I have never had ngk plugs let me down !

 

All I use is NGK bro. I tried the E3s in my Harley but went back to the NGKs. Glad you finally figured her out bro.

We will never know. I was convinced it was fuel but turns out it wasn't. The old plugs were AC Delco from Ames...I've heard stories...

I'd like to reinstall the Pertronix, but for the mileage the car will do, it's not gonna matter - points & condenser shall remain. At least if they screw up, I'll know what to do. With that little black box, you're at it's mercy.

Anyway, it cruises sweet and goes hard on demand...a bit like my good self!

Happy friggin' days.

I certainly hope my experience helps other poor souls out. As we all know, it's usually the electrics that will cause your vehicle to play up, the fuel system is pretty simple and is composed of very few moving parts. Even though I was convinced it was fuel, it just goes to remind us all how symptoms can go either way. At least now, I feel empowered to actually go for a decent drive without worrying if it's gonna stall at an intersection or something.

I was about to sign out of FP and just noticed that I'm in the 'Hot Topic' zone with over 1300 'replies.' Really??? Are there 1300 people out there who took a look in the last hour? Ringo - let's talk appearance fees!   😁

10 hours ago, Fitzy said:

I was about to sign out of FP and just noticed that I'm in the 'Hot Topic' zone with over 1300 'replies.' Really??? Are there 1300 people out there who took a look in the last hour? Ringo - let's talk appearance fees!   😁

mate !!! thats a typo !!! its 1.3 veiws 

And i am sure thats Green peace, checking on their red whale 

20 hours ago, Fitzy said:

The old plugs were AC Delco from Ames...I've heard stories...

Fitzy ! you know what .... i did what you did !! i bought ac delco plugs for my 64 ! why.... because thats what pontiacs use aye ?????

and at less than $2 nzd each ... they are cheap.........oh shit ! i justA answered my own question !!!... 

i am pulling the plugs in my 389 !!!!!😡

wrong way, fitzy... whats the ngk plug for a 389 ?

22 hours ago, Fitzy said:

it was time to face my crimson nemesis

love your word craft mate !!! ...

isnt it justA red whale ? 

I'm running a 428 bro, but the NGK website says for a 64' Bonnie with a 389 they recommend these plugs.

V-Power spark plug # XR4

Iridium IX spark plug # ZR4IX

I've ran both and I personally like the V-Power in the older engines that I've ran them in. 

Hope that helps bud

Thanks mate . I am going to grab some  tomorrow . Cheap plugs are not always good … I have know idea why I bothered !!! 

Wrongway is correct (does that make sense?)

Anyway, those NGKs he mentioned are exactly what I am using.

I hope your story has as happy an ending as mine.

Don't forget to check the gaps. I had to slightly decrease each one by a fraction of a millimetre. They also seem to have a tapered washer, so gently snug them in - be patient.

14 hours ago, 64 kiwi boni said:

Fitzy ! you know what .... i did what you did !! i bought ac delco plugs for my 64 ! why.... because thats what pontiacs use aye ?????

and at less than $2 nzd each ... they are cheap.........oh shit ! i justA answered my own question !!!... 

i am pulling the plugs in my 389 !!!!!😡

wrong way, fitzy... whats the ngk plug for a 389 ?

Gawd only knows who is making AC Delco plugs these days (no disrespect to Ames). I know AC plugs are made in Mexico now. It might be NGK, it might be someone else. That's why I shop around for only NOS AC plugs mates. I got a bin full of them. What does your owners manual say your car(s) need? I can be on the look out at swap meets for you - genuine, Flint-made AC Spark Plugs, if you'd like.

Ah even if they are 10 bucks each frosty . It’s easier for me to just buy them at the local parts shop 👍

It's probably prudent to bear in mind that yes, I did change the plugs but also fluffed about with other stuff too. The ignition module could have been playing up, the HT leads MAY not have been connected properly (long shot) and so on.

One strange observation is that the car actually sounds slightly different at idle now - changing back to points? All plugs now firing?

Also since carb rebuild, air is really being sucked through - very strong vacuum. Sure, engine is fresh so I expect max vacuum, but it just SOUNDS much stronger now.

Fingers crossed that it now continues to behave itself.

sound to me like you have a stronger spark now !

On 2/14/2023 at 5:25 AM, Frosty said:

Gawd only knows who is making AC Delco plugs these days (no disrespect to Ames). I know AC plugs are made in Mexico now. It might be NGK, it might be someone else. That's why I shop around for only NOS AC plugs mates. I got a bin full of them. What does your owners manual say your car(s) need? I can be on the look out at swap meets for you - genuine, Flint-made AC Spark Plugs, if you'd like.

That's interesting Frosty but I'm now sticking to NGK. Like Kiwi, I was quite prepared to supply the car with what I thought was right but have now moved on. It seems that nowadays you can no longer depend upon the quality of what you buy.

Godammit...I'm home again for my fleeting 3 days off and I want to take El Poncho for a run so I can get the oil nicely warmed up before changing it but the damn rain WILL NOT STOP. Perhaps tomorrow.

I am now searching for (what seems to be elusive) a carb mounted kickdown switch, as mine has always been missing. Wrongway very helpfully sent me some Lokar links, but mine is a carb mounted switch. Apparently, the preferred way to go about it is to install a later switch that sits behind the gas pedal which I'm happy to do but I'd really like some images. Anyone out there with either setup, would you be good enough to take a pic? Anything from '65 on should do it. As a reminder: fullsize B body, 389, TH400.

Thanks in advance.

4 minutes ago, Fitzy said:

Godammit...I'm home again for my fleeting 3 days off and I want to take El Poncho for a run so I can get the oil nicely warmed up before changing it but the damn rain WILL NOT STOP. Perhaps tomorrow.

I am now searching for (what seems to be elusive) a carb mounted kickdown switch, as mine has always been missing. Wrongway very helpfully sent me some Lokar links, but mine is a carb mounted switch. Apparently, the preferred way to go about it is to install a later switch that sits behind the gas pedal which I'm happy to do but I'd really like some images. Anyone out there with either setup, would you be good enough to take a pic? Anything from '65 on should do it. As a reminder: fullsize B body, 389, TH400.

Thanks in advance.

I have one on my caddy mate ! It’s mounted of the carb and the 429 has a turbo 400 behind it .. but I am not home till Sunday . Am at the beach working 

You're at the beach, ahem 'working?' Mate - sitting around and taking in ocean views whilst bending your elbow every few minutes as you chug down another beer isn't work. It's one of life's remaining pleasures.

I wish !! Am staying at the beach but doing a love job for my mopar mates kid in Tauranga ! 
just finished … so back to the beach . Thank god for the bait fridge !!! Nice cold beers waiting for me 

I was just revisiting Frosty's pics from Stahl's, and I am half cut (for our International viewers,  that means many beers have passed through me) and I cannot think of any other item from the 20th century that has invoked such passion and desire as the humble box of steel on wheels, aka the car. Through the decades, the car has followed (or defined) all sorts of trends as society embraced new ideals. The exuberant styling of the 50s, thru to the more conservative (but muscular) 60s and then as a product of the fuel crisis, a forgettable 70s & 80s and so on. But...around the world having a car meant different things: in most of Europe & the UK, it was enough to simply own something that no longer consumed hay. The US had the advantage of cheap gas and a healthy post war economy. In Australia, the cars had to be built like 4WDs just to put up with the shit roads. And yet, through all these constrictions, the manufacturers came up with such beauties as the E Type Jag, the Citroen DS and 6.3 litre Mercedes Benz hotrods. Such emotion amd passion was injected into these and many, many others. 

I am such a car tragic. Send help...and bacon.

Good to see that Ringo's bots have identified me as an appropriate suitor to look after hordes of horny young women.

Pontiacs? What Pontiacs?

11 minutes ago, Fitzy said:

Good to see that Ringo's bots have identified me as an appropriate suitor to look after hordes of horny young women.

Pontiacs? What Pontiacs?

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*Looks at picture*

Wait. What were we talking about?

Apparently there are some cars on this site too. Once I tear my eyes away from her...um, eyes I'll check them out. The cars, I mean. Large, voluptuous, pneumatic cars.