Here we go again.......sigh

[RonLiv]

Had to get a tow this morning. No fuel getting to the carburetor, again(I think). The weather looked good, mid 50's so thought I'd take the bird out for a drive. Let it warm up for about 5 minutes or so, pulled it out of the garage and put it in park and got out to put the dog in the car. It stalled. Got back in and it fired right up. I had a good 3/4 tank of gas. I drove it for about an hour or so, mostly highway around 65-70, it was just purring along. On the way back to the garage about a mile from the exit going 70, it just cuts out. I get it over to the side of the road and it fires back up. At the exit, it cuts out again, this time it won't start. Cranks, but won't turn over.

Went through all this same thing before, identical symptoms. Put a new fuel pump in (several actually) and a new push rod, and the car ran fine for a long time. The push rod was worn, so pretty sure that was the problem, at least that time. I didn't put all that many miles on it, maybe a couple thousand since the repair. I have trouble thinking its the same thing. But it sure seems to be acting the same way.

When I got it back to the garage and off the tow truck, doesn't the dang thing fire right back up again, like nothing was the matter. The only thing I can think of is the ignition control box doodad. You guys got me out of this mess the last time, any suggestions on what to look at?

 

[Plybeep68]

You running the Chrysler Ignition ? I'd try a MSD box, I recently bought one , look to be pretty simple to wire up

 

[RonLiv]

You running the Chrysler Ignition ? I'd try a MSD box, I recently bought one , look to be pretty simple to wire up

I am, the blue one. I had the orange one before and it went bad.

 

[Plybeep68]

I had an orange one and it crapped out, so I bought a stock one from the dealership several years ago, still in use today, keep a spare in the trunk just in case , been left stranded too !

 

[lmullica]

How are all the connections in you bulkhead connector?

 

[Russ69Runner]

Had a bad coil on a machine it would crank run then shut down. Replace every thing on that motor new voltage regulator-plug's - plug wires- blast resistor- fuel filter-Points-condenser-rotor cap and rotor. Did not replace the coil had not bought it long before this started and said to my self that is new. It cranked and started and ran like a champ. For a while. Then spit then stalled again. Pulled off that coil and lay it down and my son picked it up and shook it said Dad is this suppose to sound like this. It was made in Mexico. Got a new one and no more problem's. Just to say something simple just have to find it.

 

[RonLiv]

How are all the connections in you bulkhead connector?

good point, I'll check.

 

[RonLiv]

I had an orange one and it crapped out, so I bought a stock one from the dealership several years ago, still in use today, keep a spare in the trunk just in case , been left stranded too !

When I think about it, when at shows a lot of the cars I see have the MSD box. This is probably why.

 

[RonLiv]

Had a bad coil on a machine it would crank run then shut down. Replace every thing on that motor new voltage regulator-plug's - plug wires- blast resistor- fuel filter-Points-condenser-rotor cap and rotor. Did not replace the coil had not bought it long before this started and said to my self that is new. It cranked and started and ran like a champ. For a while. Then spit then stalled again. Pulled off that coil and lay it down and my son picked it up and shook it said Dad is this suppose to sound like this. It was made in Mexico. Got a new one and no more problem's. Just to say something simple just have to find it.

It usually is something simple. I'm going to try a few things, the first being, having a look at the wires, then swapping out the control box. I'm kinda thinking this is the problem.

 

[RonLiv]

Thank you everyone for the input. Lot's of knowledge and experience on this site. I read every post.

 

[Russ69Runner]

Wish you luck and hope it is something simple.

 

[Russ69Runner]

Keep my old ignition switch and just replaced the key tumbler. Now asking my self if I should replace the switch it self also. It is 50 year's old and probably has a lot of ware. These are question's we ask our selves. Electrical problems are bad so much that could be the problem. The best to you and hope you get it figured out soon.

 

[Carl Ray]

Why don't you load test the ignition doo dad? By your description I take it you have the Chrysler Electronic Ignition that has a pick up coil and reluctor ring in the distributor. If you have a soldering iron, electric engraver, or a tattoo gun you can test the complete secondary ignition system. Step 1. Remove coil wire from Dist cap, insert spark plug in coil wire and ground plug. Step 2. Remove dist cap. Step 3. With rest of igntion system connected turn the ignition key on. Step 4. Take the soldering gun other tool and hold it near the pick up coil in the distributor. Step 5 Turn the soldering gun on. The gun works by creating and rapidly collapsing an magnetic field, the collapsing of the field will trigger the pick up coil in your distributor and fire the spark plug. Keep the soldering gun on for a few minutes, if the problem is in the module or pickup you will generally see a failure after a few minutes. Once it fails, double check resistance of distributor pick up, if tests good, module is most likely at fault.

 

[cosgig]

Ballast resistor?

 

[Russ69Runner]

Electrical problems can be night mare. Check the ground strap.

 

[RonLiv]

Ballast resistor?

Given that the car will still run and drive and the stalling occurs almost randomly, could it still be the ballast resistor? I think if this were bad it would start, possibly, but then not run at all. It's almost like the car has it's own mind and runs fine, then just says "OK, I've had enough" and stops. Then 30-minutes later everything is good again. Earlier this spring I went through the whole fuel system, had a vapor lock test done, replaced the fuel pump, and then the fuel pump push rod (which was really worn) and it seemed to solve the problem, at least for a while. I doubt all that has 2,500 miles on it. It ran like a champ all summer albeit it does not particularly like those 90+ degree days and will spit out fluid once shut off and stopped. But when moving it seems fine enough, the stock temp gauge stays between 1/4 and 1/2. I spent some time and looked at the wiring yesterday (from my limited capability mind you) and everything seems to be tight and in place, including grounds (thank you Russ). I looked at Carl Ray's suggestion, which seems a bit above my pay grade. Not sure I'd know what is happening during the process and might burn the building down or electrocute myself or someone else. I did stop over and talk to a real mechanic (which I'm most certainly not) yesterday. He has some idea's on how to test the various theory's and rather than just throwing parts at it and hope it solves the problem, I think I'm going to let him have a go at it.

 

[cosgig]

Given that the car will still run and drive and the stalling occurs almost randomly, could it still be the ballast resistor? I think if this were bad it would start, possibly, but then not run at all. It's almost like the car has it's own mind and runs fine, then just says "OK, I've had enough" and stops. Then 30-minutes later everything is good again. Earlier this spring I went through the whole fuel system, had a vapor lock test done, replaced the fuel pump, and then the fuel pump push rod (which was really worn) and it seemed to solve the problem, at least for a while. I doubt all that has 2,500 miles on it. It ran like a champ all summer albeit it does not particularly like those 90+ degree days and will spit out fluid once shut off and stopped. But when moving it seems fine enough, the stock temp gauge stays between 1/4 and 1/2. I spent some time and looked at the wiring yesterday (from my limited capability mind you) and everything seems to be tight and in place, including grounds (thank you Russ). I looked at Carl Ray's suggestion, which seems a bit above my pay grade. Not sure I'd know what is happening during the process and might burn the building down or electrocute myself or someone else. I did stop over and talk to a real mechanic (which I'm most certainly not) yesterday. He has some idea's on how to test the various theory's and rather than just throwing parts at it and hope it solves the problem, I think I'm going to let him have a go at it.

Ballast resistors are famous for doing just what you describe, driving along nicely then all of a sudden just dying!

 

[RonLiv]

Ballast resistors are famous for doing just what you describe, driving along nicely then all of a sudden just dying!

OK, worth checking out then. Thanks!

 

[1968 man]

I had the same thing happen to me and it was the coil shorting out when the engine ran for a while , let it cool off and boom it started right up. Don't know if you have checked that yet. On the puking water out part I leave my water level about a 1/2 inch below the top and it cools better and no puking. The factory should have put a overflow bottle on all of these things. Just saying, Good luck and hope someone on here can help you figure it out.

 

[Russ69Runner]

The older cars I never filled the Rad. to the top always left about half inch from the filler neck. That is how I was taught.