Posted by Clint Dixon [74.206.63.42] on Sunday, September 29, 2013 at 11:23:42 :
In the posts below where people are trying to help you diagnose the problem with your truck, there was a quick mention of the governor, the heat riser, and the condensor.
I have never seen a governor or heat riser cause the symptoms you describe. That is not to say that one or the other is definitely NOT the problem. I have just never seen either cause an engine to act this way.
I had also never seen a condensor cause these symptoms...until one day I did. But it took about 25 years of my working on Power-Wagons before this peculiar problem occurred on one of my trucks. Now, I always carry at least one new, never used, condensor as a spare in each truck - cheap insurance and easy and a quick and easy component to change out in a pinch. It may not be the problem, but one ruined Rally spent chasing down a problem that pointed to everything BUT the condensor, was a hard lesson learned for me.
With that said, I am not a big fan of the shotgun approach of changing out parts in the hopes that it will correct the problem. But there can be a long-term benefit of doing just that, as long as you learn from your mistakes. There really is no better teacher. I am also not a real big fan of relying on the "manual". Manuals are not going to cover everything and are no replacement for practical experience.
Imagine what it was like when I started out on Power-Wagons in 1980 with no internet and no fellow enthusiasts to consult. I had all the generic mechanics textbook manuals that gave me the understanding of how things worked, but the real ability to diagnose problems did not completely take effect until I acquired the Dodge factory shop manuals. They are geared more towards applicable procedures and diagnostics - rather than the basic theory behind how things work. And then, there was the trial-and-error, learn-from-my-mistakes, seat of the pants on-the-job training if you will.
Look at the positive side. If you spend a lot of money on multiple carburetor, distributor, and engine rebuilds, and it ends up being a cheap condenser that finally failed and caused the problem, I'll bet you don't make the same mistake when it happens again 20 years down the road.
Junior
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