[DeTomaso] Dead In The Water

[asajay at asajay.com]

Okay,

Carb and stock ignition.
Probably not a fuel problem, if it was, it would go lean and you'd get  
some sputtering most likely.  When it dies, if you hop around and  
check the accelerator pump and it squirts fuel, we can definitely rule  
out fuel problem.

Ignition.  Points are very reliable when adjusted correctly.  Because  
it's running fine, then dies, I think the points are probably adjusted  
right.  Yes, it sounds like you are losing voltage to something  
possibly.  The trouble now is going to be catching it in the failure  
mode.

It could be a loose wire or even corrosion on a terminal.  Check the  
terminals on the coil and inside the cap on the points.

It could be a bad coil, or more precisely a coil -going- bad.  This  
happens, try a spare.

Check all the vacuum hoses to the distributor.  If they are routed  
wrong, it could be pulling the advance in the wrong direction at the  
wrong time causing the failure.  I think this is the most remote  
possibility, but one you should double check.

Loose coil Primary wire?

Bad Ignition switch, terminating the voltage to the system at the most  
opportune moment.  I'm almost betting on this one.

There you go..... let us know what you find.

:)
Asa Jay



Quoting Art Stephens <artstephens at verizon.net>:

>     The carb is what I believe to be the original or a rebuilt?  Plenty
> of fuel in the tank,  doesn't feel like a fuel problem to me,  (I've
> been wrong before).  :-))  Is there an ignition module with the stock
> ignition?  Cap and rotor are only a few months old.
>
> Thanks,
> Art
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: <asajay at asajay.com>
> To: <detomaso at realbig.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, May 12, 2009 11:25 AM
> Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Dead In The Water
>
>
>> Carb or EFI?
>> No fuel?
>> Ignition module?
>> Cap/rotor?
>>
>> Need more data.
>>
>> Asa Jay
>>
>>
>> Quoting Art Stephens <artstephens at verizon.net>:
>>
>>>     I fired up the car this morning and everything was normal with
>>> the engine idling until it just quit running.  I thought that was
>>> odd so I fired it up again and a few seconds later it quit again.  I
>>> fired it up again and it was ran normally. I then took it for a
>>> drive and I didn't get a block away before it quit while I was
>>> driving along in first or second gear.  I left it in gear as I
>>> rolled along and it re-lit for a few seconds only to quit again.  I
>>> fired it up and drove back home with no more trouble.  The way it
>>> died,  I'm sure it is electrical.  There was no coughing or
>>> sputtering,  it would just stop deader than a beaver hat and then
>>> re-light.  I wiggled the wires I could reach with the engine running
>>> and could not make it die.  I'm headed out to pull the engine cover
>>> in the cab so that I can access the front of the distributor and
>>> try  to figure out what is wrong. Any suggestions?
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Art
>>>
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>>
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