Help Diagnose my problems please

[BGGB]

i was on my way back to school today when my 65 2.25 started actign up. i was going about 50mph when all of it started to sputter and then slow down, no response to the throttle, i think the engine died. as i pulled off the highway fourth gear popped out and made a clunk as the engine came back to life. i shut her down and opened the hood, everything looked normal but the inline fuel filter, it was half way. i started it back up and ran it the rest of the way, everything seemed fine. when i go into town and was pulling away from stop signs and signals it would sputter and backfire, but if i eased slowly through the gears it would be alright. my thought are that something is clogging the line or filters, does this sound right? if so how come i can travel at 50 but can't pull up through the gears?

[greenmeanie]

Your diagnosis of the fuel system sounds about right. Remeber to check the screen in the fuel pump sediment bowl if you are still running a mechanical set up and also the tank pick up tube.

You can run at 50 but not up through the gears because acceleration puts the engine under higher load therefore needing more fuel.

[BackInA88]

I had a problem with mine cutting out.
Turned out to be the terminals and fuse hold on the fuse block being corroded. Cleaned them up and all is well.


Steve

[Jeff Aronson]

You might have a fuel line clog. You might have water in your fuel [check the sediment bowl and if it doesn't look like it's all gas in there, empty it out.]

Sputtering and backfiring can also be a clog in the carburetor jets. You need to remove the top cover of the carb, carefully lift it up and out so as not to damage the float, and peer down inside. Can you see grit and dirt? If so, then you likely have dirt in the jets. When you accelerate or put a load on the car, you'll get the sputtering you describe.

But I would lean towards an electrical problem first. Check the gap at the points and check the points themselves for the gap and the condition of the points. Check the wire that goes from the distributor to the coil - it is intact? Are the connections at the coil on firmly?

If you start the car, spray water from a bottle onto the distributor. If the car stumbles or sputters or runs poorly, then moisture is affecting the ingition spark. Do the same to the spark plug and coil wires - again, this will tell you if those wires are intact.

Good luck,

Jeff