V8 Vega Hates me

[austincraig]

Greetings all,I finally got my Vega up and running...BUT when I put the car in Reverse or DRIVE it STALLS-RIGHT AWAY?WTF?!It starts right up idles fine,12 degrees Initial advance,Only 14" Vacuum on my Vacuum Gauge.I have a STOCK Convertor,STOCK 350 engine and a STOCK 350 Turbo trans.Anybody know what the Problem is?Id like to sell this car because I have 4 other cars that need fixed and SOLD also.Whats the PROBLEM and SOLUTION?Thanks

[Postsedan]

What year Vega.....I have a buddy looking for a Vega.

Please email me pictures and your asking price.... [email protected]

Start with the basics....ignition switch, neutral safety switch...check all the leads under the dash to steering column. Could even be a vacuum leak.
Good luck.

Dan

[Lynn]

14 inches is pretty low unless you have a pretty healthy cam.

Just to eliminate crank the idle speed up to about 1500 and put it in gear. Make CERTAIN you have your foot FIRMLY on the brake.

If it stays running, that will eliminate something electronic causing it to die immediately.

It obviously isn't a fix.

[PeteLeathersac]

'

Try hot-wiring coil to know whether it's ignition being lost or not when problem happens?
What of engine/trans themselves, freshly built/recently installed or known working Ok previously but troubles now?
Best of luck!

~ Pete

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[austincraig]

Hello all,Ive had this Vega for 16 years and this is the closest Ive come in all that time to getting this car done.STOCK 1987 350 motor,STOCK 350 Turbo trans,Stock convertor,1850 Holley,Performer Air Gap intake.13" VACUUM on gauge,LOW.Car fires right up idles fine,responds to revving throttle.Idle mixture screws DONT RESPOND very well.Do not believe I have a vacuum leak anywhere.Never had this problem before in 46 years of playing with cars.Just want to get car done and sell it along with 4 other cars of mine and GET OUT of this car stuff.Ive lost all interest in cars and everything car related.Have 46 year collection of parts to get rid of too.Thanks for everyones interest.Ill try everything I can to find problem.Ill probably change carb to see if that helps.

[austincraig]

Greetings all,found the problem to be the 9" Ford rearend locking up solid and keeping the wheels from turning?!Lots of STRANGE things going on here.I back off the shoe to drum distance and it seems to not matter as the wheels/tires keep jamming up and stop rotating.Sometimes with wheels /tires off,everything spins fine.Put drums on and when I tighten,everything gets TIGHT again.No interference between drums and backing plates.It appears as if something in the centersection is bad.No obvious "BAD SOUNDS" coming from anywhere.Losing whats left of my mind.Anybody have a clue where to go from here?Thanks

[PeteLeathersac]

'

If locking up under load, it's probably not brakes and rear parts best inspected before further damaging whatever's wrong?
Has someone watched Pinion @ Shaft for movement while shifting from drive to reverse?
Have you ever had the car moving around under its own power or a roller since you got it?
I know you've listed parts here in the past but what cars/parts are you looking to unload now.
Keep rockin'!

~ Pete

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[Lynn]

Not trying to be a horses arse, but virtually every time one puts a vehicle in drive, the rear is "locked up". In fact, on all the modern cars (since the Audi "sudden accelleration" debacle) you MUST have your foot on the brake to shift out of park to drive or reverse.

Even if the rear were locked solid, the car should idle in drive or reverse w/o issue.

I still think the low vac is a clue to what is going one. Is this a new build, or has the engine been together for a while? How many miles on the engine?

[austincraig]

Greetings all,Ive been playing with the Vega and the car starts quick and easy,idles fine.Ive had the car running and had the right rear wheel lock up while driving it forward.I put the car on jackstands on all 4 corners.With the car RUNNING,the RIGHT REAR wheel would lock up in DRIVE.I put the trans in NEUTRAL,ENGINE OFF and the DRIVERS side rear wheel would still lock up when I spun the right rear axle CLOCKWISE by hand.Then I saw that BOTH axles would spin in both direction when I took BOTH wheels/tires and drums off.With the drums ON both sides and with lug nuts tight the rearend would still lock up when I spun the axle clockwise in the RIGHT REAR but DID NOT lock up when I spun the axle COUNTERCLOCKWISE.I then took OFF ALL the wheels/tires and DRUMS and the rearend spins in both directions on PASSENGER side and Drivers side.NOW,after changing both rear drums SIDE FOR SIDE and putting BOTH REAR WHEELS AND DRUMS back on the car the rearend NOW spins in BOTH directions on BOTH sides.Crazy?!Dont know what else to do or say about this Adventure.Ill fire it up tomorrow and see what happens.Whatever,I will DIVE into a fifth of Black Velvet and not come out to the bottle is empty.Signing Off.