› Forums › Car Problems & Maintenance › Mercury › Why does my 1963 Mercury 390 backfire only at idle?
May 13, 2025 at 7:27 pm
#1387
Todd
At idle only I suspect camshaft timing, valve or guide issue or a problem in the carburetor idle circuit.
As stated identify if it’s back firing into the intake, or is it popping in the exhaust.
A quick test for valve timing or valve sealing issues is to perform a check of the intake vacuum.
If it’s jumping around, then compression is getting into the intake. Low vacuum look for intake leaks.
Compression a d leakage tests are a good idea to rule out or confirm mechanical issues.