Carburetor overheats

XPSCLUB13

MEMBER
1972 FORD PINTO
1.6L
4 CYL
2WD
MANUAL
86,000 MILES

My car overheats after about a mile of driving. It has a coolant activated spring on the carburetor that holds the choke plate. When the car heats up. It holds the choke plate all the way open (overheated) and then gives the engine too much air. And it cannot run.

fixed the radiator and flushed it recently. Radiator is good as far as I know. It gets hot when it is overheated, including both hoses, outlet and inlet (both hoses new).

New water pump, new thermostat and I tested it. Opens at the specified 185 degrees precisely.

All other coolant hoes are new.

Really my next thought is that my head gasket is blown. I replaced my head gasket a little less than a year go but since then I have been working on so many other things on this car I never thought it could go bad.

Also, I read once that the cylinder head bolts for these old cars are not meant to be reused. Does anybody know about this? Just asking because if I replace the head gasket again I want to make sure to get new bolts if I need to. Also, does anybody know where I could find new head bolts for this car?

1 Reply

ASEMASTER6371

MECHANIC
52,797 POSTS

Good afternoon.

The hoses heat the choke so it opens and allows air into the carburetor. It is working correctly.

Yes, the head bolts must be replaced. They are torque to yield bolts. When you remove the head again, and it sounds like you will be with your symptoms, have the head tested for being warped or cracked. When you get the head set to re assemble, add head bolts to the list. They are available.

Roy