QuestionQUESTION: I just bought a one owner '67 F250 with 59000 miles (352 motor). The truck ran fine for about a week and now has trouble idling. I notice some discolored smoke from the pipes and it smells like gas a bit. It did this a few times over the last week and would return to good idle, but now seems to want to stay that way. The fuel pump is making a slight "clicking" noise but I don't know if that is normal. Any insight to this problem would be greatly appreciated.
ANSWER: Camper usually sit for most of the year...
Lets do some simple math... 1967 to 2007 = 40 YEARS!
so your truck has sat 40 winters.
Conclusion... Your gas tank is gunked up.
Fords have a filter on the carb that may or not be there, many people take them out and add in-line filters instead.
I would check EVERYWHERE under the truck from the tank to the pump and from the pump to the carb for any aftermarket filters. Replace all of them.. or just buy one good see-thru filter. This way you see any problem before it develops.
I would suspect bad gas...
Start buy draining the old gas and changing ALL the filters on your truck. If this fixes your problem for a while but it comes back. You need to get your tank cleaned out. Let me know and we will go on to the next step
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Found and replaced all of the filters and they didn't seem all that dirty. The truck still seems to want to die out when idling just as it did before. There is still that ever-so-slight dark smoke coming from the pipes (only when idling)accompanied by a strong gas oder. All symptoms go away when the throttle is applied.
AnswerFirst if the truck is licensed and insured.....IF it is....
It seem like an old fashioned road trip is called for...
You might have a valve sticking open... carbon has built up and is not letting it seat properly.
I had a 1963 fairlane with a 260 motor in it last year. Just about the same thing happened..
I filled it up with premium and a brand name "engine top half cleaner"
changed the oil and replaced one quart of oil with LUCAS oil treatment ...
Ran it on the highway varying the speed up to 70 mph for about an hour after that it was fine.
Hold on my kid brother (kid HA! he's 46) is adding to this.
Is that the original engine? Has it ever been rebuilt? If not than you need to add a lead additive to keep the valves lubricated. ?remember lead gas? You can get this at most parts stores.
Blue smoke is oil
White smoke is antifreeze.
the gas smell could be unburnt fuel slipping by with the oil....or like on my fairlane just a plain old gas leak...I should fix that!!
find out from the previous owner what the story is on the motor and let me know.Gus
