Carburetor issue?

[Rod R Youssefi]

I started my 356C after a couple weeks of it sitting in the garage. It started up fine, drove down the street, then after waiting at a stoplight, I went to accelerate and the car began herky-jerky driving. It almost seemed like there was something cutting off the gas supply to the engine every other second. The car began sputtering and I had to rev it up to try and make it back home but the herky-jerky driving persisted all the way home. My mechanical background is limited but I thought this may be related to the carb needing service/tune up/cleaning etc. Any thoughts? Oh also it backfired once as I was trying to make it home which never happens typically.

[Martin Benade]

Sounds electrical. One carb acting up might have still ran better than what you describe.

[John Brooks]

I agree with Martin. 90% of carb problems are electrical. Look at the capacitor.

[Rod R Youssefi]

Great thanks guys I’ll check it out

[Dick Weiss]

Rod,

How much gas is in the tank and did you turn the petcock to the ON position, or Reserve?
Was the engine running OK the last time you drove it?

Dick

[Mike Wilson]

Do a methodical check of both fuel and electrical systems.

Mike

[Jon Schmid]

If you have a newer Turkish made Bosch condenser, replace it. It's a total crapshoot regarding what is being sold now. As Mike Wilson would say, don't ask me how I know...

[Mark Roth]

Could be a loose spark plug wire. Check both ends of all wires. Had one loose at the distributor with same symptoms.

[Paul Ahnell]

Replace the capacitor. Concur with all such remarks above. As Jon said, don't ask me how I know.

[Rod R Youssefi]

It ended up being the condenser. Thanks again for all the help. For my information, is the condenser the same whether the vehicle is a 6 V system or 12 V system?

[Martin Benade]

It is the same. and generally one from any other car also will work, electrically speaking.

[Edwin Ek]

Where do you get good Bosch condensers?

[Jon Schmid]

Where do you get good Bosch condensers?

Apparently the same place you can get hen's teeth. My condenser crapped out so fast that the guy who had installed it as part of a tune up felt so guilty he gave me his last German made Bosch unit. It's in the glove box so I'm ready if (more like when) it happens again.

[John Jenkins]

Zims has good condensers for 356. Forget Bosch.