351 Ford Motorsport Engine Dies

[mrmustang]

A little late, but I would also check to make sure your carb is sealed to the intake manifold properly. If you overtightened the carb, when it gets hot, it will open a small gap underneath it. When the engine cools just a bit, that gap is no longer there. Also, when your engine died, did you physically check to see if there was fuel starvation (remove air cleaner and pump throttle by hand while looking inside the bowls)? I'll buy the idea of vapor lock, but not at such regular intervals. Do you have a carb spacer between the carb and the intake manifold? Do you have gaskets on all surfaces??? What about the fuel filter, was it full of debris when you pulled it off?


All further questions that needed to be asked and answered........


Bill S.

[Dennis Kelley]

Cobra 1 it wasn't the pump was it?

[CowtownCobra]

I'm not familiar with a Holley red. How's it different?

[wilf leek]

Just a thought:

In addition to the other excellent advice meted out, check to see if your tank is properly vented.

The symptoms you describe could easily be explained by a vacuum build up in the tank as the fuel level drops.

If it happens again - jump out and pop the filler cap. If you hear air rushing in as you do so, there's a big clue.

[Ron61]

Dave,

The Holly Blue pump is an out right performance pump and puts out 14 psi and flows 70 GPH. The RED pump is more for street and puts out 7 psi. It flows 67 GPH and does not require a regulator.

Ron

[cobrabuilderI]

Yep- right on Ron.
Had the regulator mounted on the frame of vehicle which the guy at the high performance place here in Tampa that sells Holly told me that guys have mounted that regulator that has 2 outputs neat the carb. He said that if I was racing (which I'm not) it would be a volumn problem not using both outputs on the regulator. I'm only using one side. He said that I could take the regulator off and it would has sufficient pressure but I didn't bother and it worked fine. We'll see how this street version works. If you guys could help me with the other situation on the vibration noise- tons of thanks. Cobra owners are the best-
Bruce

[Ron61]

Buice,

I hope the new pump fixes that problem but I don't use both outlets to the carb. I have mine mounted at the front of the block and just a short distance from the carb with a clear in-line filter between it and the carb. I just used one outlet to go to the carb and got one of the screw in pressure gauges which is in the other outlet. That way I can check and adjust the pressure while under the hood. I could send you a picture if you like. As for the vibration noise I must have missed that in one of your posts so will look and see if it is like anything I have heard of. As loud as mine is, if I heard a vibration noise I think it would be the last thing before the car broke into.

Ron

[trularin]

If you are refering to the pump noise, that's normal. I have a red pump and if it isn't humming, then I am out of gas. LOL

I heard of someone who put two sets of rubber shock mounts to the mounting flang and surface and it went away. As I remember, he used four small mounts to secure a 3/16" plate at the rear of his car. Then he used two larger mounts for the bracket that wraps around the pump and secure that to the plate.

Hope this helps and happy holidays.

Good morning Ron, hope you had a good holiday.

The 8" of snow we got is melting... getting ready for round two.

[Ron61]

Tru,

Good morning to you also. Glad the snow is melting. If you rush maybe you can get in a drive between storms. We haven't had any snow, but a lot of cold wind and some rain. Snow level is supposed to be down to 2,000 feet this morning and I can believe that as it is really cold, (for us), here. My holiday was good and I hope that your'swas also. Now I have to prepare for next month and all the holidays coming up. Also a birthday which I have decided to NOT have.
I think that in your location, a Cobra with rear tractor tires and skids on the front would work in the Winter. You could pay for them by dozing your neighbors driveways.

Ron

[cobrabuilderI]

the BABY is running FINE-
with the check on the rear end HAHAHHAHAHA and the fuel situation, all is good. My lower link bars were not set properly as they should be and the oil might have been a bit low. Ran the beast for 50 miles this afternoon and all was GOOD> Thank you all==== you are the best.

Brucie Baby

[trularin]

Ron, the cobra is in storage. It's like 40 outside and well, a run in that temp will make your nipples hard. Not to mention the ice forming on your face.

No, I may take it out to load it on to a trailer and send her to the painter for some touch-up, but she'll wait for a dry spring.

Happy birthday! How old does that make you????? Doesn't really matter.

Happy holidays to all of yours!!!

[Ron61]

Tru,

Hope that you get the Cobra all serviced and painted ok. Man, I don't miss those Winters back East at all any more. The ones here are bad enough for me. We had more snow on the low hills over by the dam last night and that is just 7 miles away. Now there is a very cold wind blowing right across them and it is like being in the Arctic, except not that cold.

I will be 64 years old on December 23rd. Getting old and senile. Darn, I can remember when I couldn't wait to be 16 so I could get a drivers license. Each year seemed three years long. Now I wish I could be 16 again and each year seems about a month long. Funny how they speed up as you get older. If I had it all to do over again, I would stop getting older at abuot 30.

Ron