car is bucking under acceleration...any ideas? Options

[era vulgaris]

My car has developed an extremely annoying bucking under acceleration. It started about a week ago, and at first it would only happen while accelerating out of a fast turn. But now it does it all the time while accelerating. It's like the car is oscillating between half power and full power, making it lurch-slow-lurch-slow-lurch-slow. It's like you're riding a bucking bronco or something. The only cure seems to be to get off the throttle completely, upshift, then slowly accelerate.

Anyone have any idea where I should start looking first?

[r_towle]

I would suggest a few things.
A new fuel tank sock on the return line at the fuel tank...
Check all your fuel lines.
Check all your wiring, make sure all the fuel injection wiring is properly connected and not loose...it happens.

Do new points, new plugs, and new wires, rotor and distributor cap.
Remove the advance plates and clean then inside the distributor...40 year old grease is like glue now...

Remove the if trigger points and blow out all the crap from the bottom of the distributor.

Full tune up
Set valves
Set dwell
Set timing
Check fuel pressure.

Now you would have eliminated a large number of variables...it's just a good place to start.

[era vulgaris]

I would suggest a few things.
A new fuel tank sock on the return line at the fuel tank...
Check all your fuel lines.
Check all your wiring, make sure all the fuel injection wiring is properly connected and not loose...it happens.

Do new points, new plugs, and new wires, rotor and distributor cap.
Remove the advance plates and clean then inside the distributor...40 year old grease is like glue now...

Remove the if trigger points and blow out all the crap from the bottom of the distributor.

Full tune up
Set valves
Set dwell
Set timing
Check fuel pressure.

Now you would have eliminated a large number of variables...it's just a good place to start.

Plugs, wires, cap, rotor are all only a few months old. I've put in a new pertronix elec ignition and flame thrower coil also.
FI wiring has been gone through and all contact points cleaned.
Valve adjustment, timing, and dwell has been done in the last couple months.
All FI hoses are only a few months old, and routed correctly.
Injectors are all recently rebuilt - all bought here from a couple different forum members.
All 4 elbow hoses are new. The rest of the fuel hoses are relatively new (I didn't install them, but they're definitely not OE.)

I plan on having the fuel tank cleaned and a new sock installed by a local air-cooled shop here in town.

Is there a good guide somewhere to pulling and cleaning the dizzy? This is really the only other thing I haven't done.

[BeatNavy]

Is there a good guide somewhere to pulling and cleaning the dizzy? This is really the only other thing I haven't done.

I say again (from page 1 of this thread), you may want to read this thread in its entirety, including the part about servicing the dizzy. It may help, it may not, but I found it useful for cleaning the dizzy.

In terms of pulling it: most people have to loosen up the timing barrel nut (or whatever you call that 10 mm thing that secures the dizzy in position for timing) and rotate the dizzy counterclockwise. Then you can get a 13 mm socket down there to remove the nut securing the dizzy in place. Once you get that nut out you can pull the dizzy straight out (after disconnecting wires, vacuum lines, etc). Depending on the type/shape of the O-ring seal, it may require some modest amount of force to pull out. Place something like a rag inside the hole so dirt that's hanging out there doesn't fall into the well. I have seen some people say they can get that 13 mm nut off without rotating the dizzy (and messing up the timing), but I was not able to.

When you put it back in after cleaning, notice that the gear is offset so the dizzy will only go back in one way. If you replace the O-ring, keep in mind it might be tighter to get it back in and may require some force.

Also, getting that 13 mm nut back on during reinstall requires dexterous fingers. May want to have your magnet ready to retrieve the nut a couple of times.

[era vulgaris]

I say again (from page 1 of this thread), you may want to read this thread in its entirety, including the part about servicing the dizzy. It may help, it may not, but I found it useful for cleaning the dizzy.

Oh damn! Sorry about that. I got so wrapped up in the fuel system I forgot you'd linked to that thread.

Looks like that's just the info I need.

Is it necessary to replace the o-ring?

[BeatNavy]

I say again (from page 1 of this thread), you may want to read this thread in its entirety, including the part about servicing the dizzy. It may help, it may not, but I found it useful for cleaning the dizzy.

Oh damn! Sorry about that. I got so wrapped up in the fuel system I forgot you'd linked to that thread.

Looks like that's just the info I need.

Is it necessary to replace the o-ring?

No worries. No, if the O-ring is in good shape, it's not really necessary. It's just that it's cheap and easy to replace. One of those "feel good" maintenance items. I actually put my old one back on because the new one I purchased didn't seem to fit right and was making it very difficult to get the dizzy back in place.