Engine Dies When Placed In Gear

[boboh1]

Engine seems to idle fine but as soon as I put it into drive or reverse the engine immediately stops running. Any ideas what I can check?

 

[Geoff 2]

More info needed. Engine specs, ign & carb type...

 

[Kern Dog]

I agree. You usually do need to divulge more information about the combination to entice others to join in to help. Year, make, model, the overall combination, etc. People often have multiple cars and nobody here knows everything about everyone.
Just a stab in the dark But....
Sometimes, a car with an automatic transmission that has a torque converter clutch in it will sometimes have a failure inside and the clutch locks solid. It is like the torque converter is locked up the whole time. This will stall an engine immediately because the transmission is supposed to slip at idle.

 

[threewood]

Could also be timing related. Post up what engine combo you have, cam specs if you have them.

 

[0DegreeEngineer]

What RPMs do you have at idle before going into gear?

 

[boboh1]

OK. More information is 1969 Dodge Superbee with 383 and automatic transmission. All stock. The carburetor is Carter AVS which has been rebuilt. I have the RPMs at warm idle set at 650. Thanks for the help.

 

[WileE]

What are your vacuum gauge readings ?

 

[boboh1]

I haven’t checked for that. I’ll have to look and see if I even have a gauge in the garage

 

[Orig69]

When it's not in gear 650 rpm is too low.

 

[Don Frelier]

When it's not in gear 650 rpm is too low. X

650 rpm is the factory specification.

 

[boboh1]

I did set the idle to the factory spec of 650. Should I bump it up a bit?
I did find my vacuum gauge so will test that after work.

 

[Don Frelier]

You shouldn't need to.
If you're still running points check the gap or dwell.
If it's too low then the timing gets retarded and can cause the symptom you describe.

Sure you have the mixture screws set properly?

 

[boboh1]

I have Pertronix electronic ignition installed. I set the top single left handed thread single carburetor screw to 1-3/4 turns out. Still trying to figure out those two lower mixture screws that are embedded way the heck into the carb base. Hope the rebuild guys set it.

 

[Billccm]

Lots of YouTube videos on timing and idle mixture settings using a vacuum gauge. Idle mixture may need to rich up some.

 

[threewood]

Timing? See what it is and post back. You could always add a bit more which bumps up your idle.

 

[boboh1]

It is approximately 12 degrees BTDC. I am wondering about those two deep recessed adjuster mixture screws at the base of the carburetor.

 

[Billccm]

 

[boboh1]

Awesome. Thanks for the video. Sure wish the screws on the Carter were that easy to get to.

 

[66 Sat]

More info on  when this became an issue would be useful too e.g. it ran fine for 20 years but since I had the carb rebuilt it won't idle in gear.
Was it a gradual deterioration of idle quality until this point or did it happen overnight etc.

 

[Don Frelier]

Awesome. Thanks for the video. Sure wish the screws on the Carter were that easy to get to.

An edelbrock is a copy of a carter?