Car dies

replace your fuel filter and i bet it fixes your problem.hope this helps, mike mayberry

Such unexplained dying with self-healing a few minutes later usually turns out to be an electrical problem associated with heat or vibration. Places to look are the 38-yr-old ignition switch, the 4-screw plastic connector near the ignition switch, the coil and any other electrical connections involved in getting power to the the ignition from battery to coil- even a loose or corroded stock fuse in OEM fuse boxes. FWIW, a Duraspark distributor runs fine with a stock Ford TFE coil that deletes the problems in using oil-filled coils such as the 'Blaster' you now have. And to eliminate yet another potential problem area, the Duraspark & its above coil runs fine without the MSD box.

I had the same problem and it turned out to be a short in the MSD box. You can take the box out and test it at a speed shop or any auto parts store that Carries MSD for free. Hope that helps.

Bosswrench,
Prior to these problems, I had the original fuse box replaced with a modern state of the art fuse box, complete with relays and extra slots for further use. I've racked my brain, and still the problem persists. What should I do ? ? ? We've checked, rechecked, etc all electrical connections with the distributor to coil to box, etc.

I had a simular problem with my 89 5.0 Mustang. It turned out to be the Ignition control module that mounts in the Distributor. Either replace it or pull it out and add more heat sink compund to the back of it.

Just my 2 cents worth.

George

I had the same issue twice with my Pantera. Once it was the coil shorting out and the other was IIRC the electrical connector over the steering column.

quote:

Originally posted by Carlsbad Car Guy:
I had the same problem and it turned out to be a short in the MSD box. You can take the box out and test it at a speed shop or any auto parts store that Carries MSD for free. Hope that helps.

That was my problem and solution. The MSD box was replaced and I have been motoring happy ever since.

...My first thought was A Bad Coil or 'Brain'. Try a couple other coils to test. If a New Coil helps; don't mount the new Coil to the Engine! It gets hot enough just doing it's job! Mount it to the firewall. I've even mounted them to the decklid hinge bolt! Keep them cool! An aluminum heat sink would be in order. Just thinking 'outloud'...

Thanks for all of your input but after trying and retesting all of your suggestions to help me, I'm still dead in the water. Does anyone have any other constructive suggestions for me ? Maybe a fresh set of eyes or thoughts from out of the box? ? ? Please think hard and give me your input.

I had the same problem in one of my F150's. I traced it down to the stator in the distributor. In order to replace the stator, I would have had to press the distributor apart. I was too lazy to do the repair, so I bought a new distributor. I figured after 110K miles it probably needed more help than just the stator.

George Shanna posted that he had the same problem.

John

First, this sudden dying, is it no power immediately or is it less power, sputtering and then dying. If it's the first I think it's ignition related, if it's the latter I'd say fuel related. But to settle that, pull a plug when it dies, is the plug wet with fuel or dry?

Here are some suggestions

Ignition related: Remove all you can and go back to basics. Install a borrowed points distributor and coil. If it then works fine, install all your electronic components one at a time to find the culprit. I know it's easier said than done... On my Longchamp I gave up fixing a idle quality issue I had with a Mallory distributor, new coil and ignition box combo. I put on an old Accel points distributor and it has worked perfectly since

Fuel related:
If it dies when you require much fuel (going fast or uphill) then I'd say fuel filter or maybe even a clogging in the tank itself? Or it could be this one, don't know if it's possible on your type of engine, but if the rod from the cam to the fuel pump gets to be "too big" when hot, it stays in the down position and you have no fuel pressure.

Well here's my 2 cents!

I chased a problem of this sort on mine, I had a Dura spark set up at the time, I had been hearing alot about failures with the MSD Ignitions, so what to do? I went with a Mallory Unilite to go back to a simple set up, this cured the problem but that system is slowly deterioating, way to soon for a new system.
I had looked for parts for the Dura spark system back then and had not found much.
I firmly believe that all this after market stuff is junk!
So what to do?
Well last night at Cruisin Grand in Escondido there was a MSD rep in a booth there and I asked him about this problem and during the discussion we may have come up with a solution.
With the MSD electronic's or any other brand, you use a points distributer. the points act as the contact breaker for the ignition instead of the commonly used electronic's breaker. After your install, you install a jumper in the event your modern day electronic box goes belly up you can hit a switch and run on the points/coil to get you on your way.
Sounds like a good idea to a big problem but it needs to be sorted out & I also need to find someone who has the points distributer for performance applications.

Just another thought.

Mark

Have you put a known, good coil in your system?

An internal heat-related short will leave no visual clues on the outside.

quote:

you install a jumper in the event your modern day electronic box goes belly up you can hit a switch and run on the points/coil to get you on your way.

Depending upon what coil you have and how much you have increased the spark plug gap, the coil may have a harder time firing the spark plugs, but it will get you home.

I'm still running the original single point distributor, original coil, and original coil wire. In the late 70's, I added a Delta Mark Ten CD ignition and it's never missed a beat. Yeah, I know, I'm running on borrowed time with the coil and wire.

John

Hi
I had the same problem with my Bronco, would run for days and then suddenly dies for no reason, I was so fustrated that I was ready to pull the engine, I had removed the complete ignition (mallory unilite) to have it checked out by a mallory expert then he says try changing the ballast resistor first because it will short out when hot and test okay when cold which I had already done, installed and changed the ballast resistor 10 years ago and still running. Similar problem with my original 71 pantera but the previous owner for some reason had a resistor wire between ballast resistor and the distributor, changed the wire and problems disappeared.........hope this helps..my experience

Howard..4726

I have had this happen to two Ford Duraspark dizzy's, both vehicles would just die after getting hot then not start until completely cold, and finally they would not start. Turned out to be the dizzy's stator, after replacing the stator all was good.
Jeff

I am going to guess you have checked all of the electronic components and changed the fuel filter...

Well here is my story and I am stickin to it.

I got my car (Factory Stock)because the guy who owned it gave up on it after he let it sit for 5 years. He had it 15 years. This is what it did. Fires right up cold drive 20 Min... and it dies... try to re-start and just a click... wait 1 hour and fires right up... drive 20 min and it dies.

First the Battery was Small and the terminals were oxidized.
Second The Fuel Tank had so much crap in it. After it pluged it would backwash itself clean enough to run 20 min more. A new fuel filter would plug in 20-30 more min.
The Gas Tank Rust after swishing around would get sucked into the fuel filter which would clog the flow of fuel to the carb... shut down the engine and the battery had no kick to turn it over. I confirmed the junk in the tank by once the engine was cold I filled the carb with gas took off the fuel line and checked the flow in a clear plastic container. Ugly gas came out oh and it was new gas.

So a New 1100 CCA Battery bought and all connections cleaned. Drain the fuel tank with the bottom plug I stuck my finger in the opening and felt 1/2 inch of muck... So... Gut the Fuel tank and boil it was the start of #6656 ten years ago for me.

(Today, It is getting repainted it is being restored it is in primer last week block sanding this week and I am going to MSD 6al but I want to keep the points just in case)

Now you have read my story try this get a spark tester (in line viewing window type)put it were you can see it and a can of air to freeze stuff.

Run the car with no Air Cleaner on it.. in the driveway.. and watch and wait... when it dies does the spark go away or do you have no squirt of fuel in the carb.

Pray for the Spark or else you pull the engine to get the gas tank out and make friends with a guy in a radiator shop .

If it is Spark most likely it has to do with heat so hit each of the components one at a time and try to restart it. Which ever starts it again is the problem. Good luck

Joe,
What I have found out so far is that I didn't always have a full '12' volts to the MSD box. Sometimes it would drop below 12 volts, just slightly to about 11.7-11.9 and then the car would die. I now have a dedicated 'hot' line from the battery via a relay to the box and I've driven the car 90 miles without incident.
Only problem now is that I drained and resupplied the coolant and now the car is running 30-40 degrees water. I suspect an air bubble in the system (probably in the block). How does one get the air bubble out of the system ? ? ?

quote:

How does one get the air bubble out of the system ? ? ?

Use the air bleed(s) at the upper part of the radiator.

The way that I do it is to fill the system at the swirl tank, then bleed any air at the radiator bleeder. Top off the swirl tank as needed, usually about half way between the inlet pipe (upper pipe) and the bottom of the filler neck. Replace the swirl tank cap. Make sure that the overflow tank is half to two thirds full. Then run the engine for 10 or 15 minutes and shut it off. Let the engine cool for about half an hour (or longer) and slowly remove the swirl tank cap. Bleed at the radiator again, and top off the swirl tank. Check the overflow tank and add coolant (if necessary) so that it is about half full. When doing the above, leave the heater valve in the open position so that you get any air out of the heater hoses and core.

This works for me and I never have a problem.

BTW, is your temp sender mounted in the swirl tank or the block? If it is in the swirl tank and the coolant level in that tank is low, you will get incorrect readings on the temp gauge. The sender should be located (or relocated) in the engine block.

John

Where exactly is the heater valve located ? ? ?
Thanks.

quote:

Where exactly is the heater valve located ? ? ?

The actual heater valve is located behind the driver's side kick panel (it's connected to a piece of heater hose). What I was referring to is the sliding lever on the dash that says "heat". This turns on the actual heater valve (behind the kick panel) via a cable.

John

Thanks John, I'll give it a go tomorrow ! ! !

Glad you got the electrical fixed now for the water bubble...
Here is how I did mine... Open the car windows, put the car in nuetral and block the front wheels, jack the rear of the car up as high as you can get it safely. Next fill the coolant/water fill tank up... Start the car and let it run until the thermostat opens add coolant slowly until it is full and cap it quick... shut the car down I had to repeat this 2 times to get all the air out of my system.