YACT:Car sputters and lopes at idle

[Insane Koolaid Man]

Alright, starting yesterday when I went to take my car out to lunch I noticed that it was idling horribly, and also practically dieing at idle. I noticed that the generator light was on, so today I replaced the alternator, however, it still didn't cure the problem. Basically, it sounds like it's struggling to run unless you give it a good push on the accelerator to get some gas in it, so I was thinking it might be the fuel pump going out now.

Car:
1978 Cutlass Supreme
4.3L (260 CI) V8
127 thousand and some change miles

Any of you guys got any other ideas on what might be causing this?

 

[SuperSix]

First thing I would look for is a vacuum leak, Check all the vacuum lines.

I assume replacing the alternator fixed the VOLT light, right?

 

[MikeMike]

spark plugs bad?

timing went off?

could be a lot of things on such an older car.

MIKE

 

[Zim Hosein]

When was the last time you changed your fuel filter Insane Koolaid Man?

BTW, got any :camera:'s of that '78 Olds?

 

[Insane Koolaid Man]

Ah, just changed the spark plugs and fuel filter this summer as well as the plug wires. Changing the alternator did fix the Volt light however. It's currently sitting in my school parking lot, so tomorrow I'm going to go ask the recreational engines teacher if he can take a look at it in the shop.

No, I don't have any pictures of it on hand, however if I ever get it back to my house I suppose I could take a few. Nothing much to look at however. Just lots of rust and bad paint.

 

[MikeMike]

we used to have a 69 olds cutlass supreme, those things were nice for their age.

MIKE

 

[Tom]

is it cold there ? could be choke is stuck.

 

[Ornery]

Vacuum choke pulloff? $10.00 part, and easy enough to check if the current one is working or not.

 

[Insane Koolaid Man]

Well, it was pretty warm today, around 40-ish. However, the way it's running is the same way it ran when it was close to -30 and I left it out all night without plugging the block heater in.

 

[Grouchyoldguy]

EGR valve is one possibility.