Cutting Out!

Any other symptoms?

Josh

Dennis,

Is that cutting out while the car is moving on flat ground, cutting out while it is moving up hill, cutting out while it is parked in neutral & revving the motor, or all 3.

your curious friend on the PIBB, George

sans the bike

George/JK

The car goes great!
It only happens when it revs above 4000rpm,
otherwise is sounds great and goes great.
I asked a mechanic and he told me that the rev gauge has something to do with it if not working.
Apparently it give some current to the distributor, but im not sure if he's telling me crap!
Regards Dennis

Dennis,

Standard Ford products of the era ran current to the ignition through the tach, not so with the Pantera. Your mechanic is mistaken, but it is an honest mistake, one I would make myself if I didn't know otherwise. The Pantera's tach is connected to the negative terminal of the coil. Power supplied to the coil is connected to the positive terminal.

When the engine cuts out, is the car moving or parked?

George

George
It cuts out when the car is moving!
at about 4000rpm.

Dennis

Dennis, I went through a mystery skip just a few months ago. after changing cap, rotor, wires, fuel filters...None helped...I finally put in a new set of plugs and gapped them kinda wide for my MSD ignition..50-55 thousands. It has been running perfect ever since. If that does not fix, you may be running out of fuel VIA clogged fuel filter. Funny thing about my dist cap...the little ball was missing that touches the rotor, I just knew that was the problem, but it cut up with the new cap too. Give George a chance to chime in. He is really good with these type problems.

You have given me a few things to look into, my mechanic tried to tell me that the coil was getting current through the Tacho, and because it was faulty there was not sufficient current to power the coil.
From what george and you have told me my mechanic is wrong which sounds about right!
He told me to install a CDI unit which also has a rev limiter what do you think.
I'll definately look into your points first
Regards Dennis :Dpitt_tech@optusnet.com.au

Sounds like you're fuel starved. Like LPB says..clogged fuel filter. Or fuel pump on its last leg?

Does the engine catch up after you drop the revs back below 4000?

Josh

JK
Yes it does!
You think the previous owner had installed a rev limiter, but he hasn't.
Changing into any gear is perfect but just hitting that rev range makes it sputter.
Dennis

quote:

Originally posted by Downunder:
JK
Yes it does!
You think the previous owner had installed a rev limiter, but he hasn't.
Changing into any gear is perfect but just hitting that rev range makes it sputter.
Dennis

Dennis,
Fuel would be my first suspect.

Check your the entire fuel lines from tank to carb. I once had a partially clogged fuel line about 3 inches from where it exited the fuel tank. That one had me frustrated for some time..so when I found it I was ecstatic!!

Not sure what type of carb you're running, but Holley's have small filters at the fuel inlet.

Your fuel pump could also be peetering out..

Once you've eliminated fuel as your culprit, then move onto ignition...which is a bit trickier...but not much if you're still running standard points.

Josh

I had something similar.
Motor would splutter and die above 5000.
Worse when the motor was warm.
I could get above 5000 if I got there slowly but if I buried my foot in the carpet it would splutter at 5000 then back fire and cut out.
When I backed off it would be Ok.

Bought a new mallory mechanical fuel pump (which looked pretty much the same as the one already
fitted) - problem solved.

I replaced the distributor cap leads and plugs first - but this made no difference.

The pump was about 50 dollars US.

Derek
I'll check it out tommorow, and probably change the fuel filter as well.
Regards Dennis

With all those Cleveland powered Ford Falcons down there I'm sure you can find a new pump locally if you need one.

I got a Mallory "High Performance" mechanical pump in the UK. But check it before you put it on - the first one I got had a tiny hole in casting of the pump body and it squirted petrol all over the side of the block.

I had this problem at 3500 RPM. I found that the plug wire on #1 cylinder was bad. After replacing the plug wires, it runs like a champ. Check the plugs for color to see if they are fouled. Maybe your problem is the same as mine. My #1 plug was black and wet.

the fuel filter should do it, unless the fuel pump itself is getting old & feeble like me!

if you still have a breaker point type distributor, upgrading to an electronic ignition (no points) would be very wise, for one thing, the advance mechanism in your distributor most likely does not operate smoothly any longer.

for future reference, when a motor cuts out at a certain rpm, but only when the motor is under load, no problem when revving while its parked, suspect inadequate fuel delivery. that old fuel filter likes to be changed once in a while.

your friend on the PIBB, George

Start with the basics: Fuel, Air and Spark. Too little fuel would lead to a backfire or pop. A backfire through the carb is a good tell-tell sign of a lean condition and best to start on the fuel system.

Stumbling is closely related to spark problems. As your revs increase the demand for the spark increases. The problem with ignition systems is where to start? Start with the cheap stuff and work up. Plugs, wires, cap and rotor first. Inspect the make sure all the 12V wires and connections are good and tight.

Well I have gone back to basics, I thought look for the obvious!
Then I saw that the hose had not been connected to the carburetor for the vacuum advance.
The previous owner had put a new DEMON carburetor on but not put the hose on the carburetor manifold.
Unfortunately it's raining and I can't test my theory, am I correct....
Thank you everyone for help your mate from AUS
Dennis

Dennis,

I just had an intermitten stalling problem that was cured by changing the fuel pump.

Michael

Fixed it!
Thanks to everyone's advice, I used order of elimination.
Then as I said I went for the obvious and looked up Demon
Carburetors and found out that the vacuum advanced had not
been connected to the new carburetor correctly.
Took the car out for drive today and all I can say is WOW!
This how it's meant to go.....
Thanks again for your help!
Your mate from AUS
Dennis

That's great!

I wish all our Pantera problems were that simple!

Josh

Cool Dennis. Glad it was an easy fix.

Michael

Waaaaahooooo!

Bitchen!!!!!!

George