Engine dies

[markbob]

Hey all,

My 69 Coronet 318 2 bbl car recently started acting up.

On a drive the other day, the car started to sputter and died at a traffic light.
I restarted it, but it died a few more times.....
I have had the pertronix electronic ignition in there for over a year.....the ballast resistor has been bypassed, and I upgraded to a flamethrower coil.

When the installation was new, the car ran great. Every now and then, when the car was in gear, at idle, it would behave like this but never died.
I am kinda stumped......I believe it's a voltage thing, since it is happening when at idle in gear.
Idle in park or neutral and the car idles fine

I cleaned the carb really good.

I increased the idle screw a turn and a half. I was able to drive it to the storage place, but the car was still not idling smoothly but didn't die.

Any thoughts?
Am gonna dig into this when I get home.

 

[bkleenfltx]

I'm sure there are more talented guys than me. However if you cleaned the carb and you have all the upgrades mentioned I place my bet on the carb. to me a turn and a half is a LOT.....if the car was already in tune. I'm gonna suggest you go back to base and one and a half out on each screw and and work a 1/4 to a 1/2 at a time each side. the stumble and die are within these adjustments not your electronic upgrades.

 

[440roadrunner]

I tend to agree, carb. By 'screw' are you talking about speed, or mixture? If you had to "turn up" the speed more, this would suggest it is running lean, a leak? Or something plugged in the carb idle circuit? Or the mixture might be too rich, would tend to "bog down" and more idle speed would tend to compensate.

On carbs OTHER than the crap mid - late 70's smoggers, the idle mixture should give a definate "peak" when adjusting.

 

[markbob]

Hi Guys

I adjusted the idle screw.... Bumping the speed a bit.

I am going to start with voltage to the coil and such since the car is behaving
as if there is not enough voltage to the ignition sys.
If that is all good, I will have to check carb
Any guidance on that?
Thx

Mark

 

[miller]

Carb has 'circuits' built into, via drilled ports. There is an idle speed circuit. The idle speed has a range, once over that range, carb goes out of idle circuit.

Mixture 'must' be adjusted, while in idle circuit. Go by your RPMs, set the idle speed right, then adjust mixture. If needed, re-set idle speed, re-check mixture. They both work together.

 

[markbob]

Boys

Thx for replies......

I got out the voltmeter today and checked voltage to coil.....

Engine had idle stepped up to keep the car from stalling out. I reduced engine rpm and checked voltage at coil at idle in P. Voltage was 13+
I put car in D.....when rpm slowed the voltage dropped to under 12.... Engine died.
This happened a total of 3 times.
I scratched my head and decided to set the idle properly.
With idle set at 650 rpm' s and checked coil voltage in P....it was 13+
I put car in D twice, and the voltage again dropped below 12 but the engine continued to run......I added lights on and tried Reverse......engine continued to run

Go figure

 

[markbob]

Hey all,

had alternator checked....it was not producing electricity at low rpm's....

gonna have that fixed and will advise...

thanks for all the replies...

Mark

 

[markbob]

Update

I installed alternator after it had been repaired
The tech changed the guts and put a smaller pulley on it
He advised that it was putting out voltage at 400 rpm.


I ran the car with an analog voltage regulator......the alternator gauge needle is pretty steady, doesn't show a discharge at idle in gear.....and runs well.....

But at times, the engine starts to sputter as before. Not as much as before, but it still did it once or twice.

I am going to perform a check on the pertronix system, and if I can't get resolution.... It's back to points for me.

 

[bm02tj]

OE looking electronic regulators are available and with electronic ignition you should have one
also check or add ground straps to body

 

[Yatzee]

Don't discount the simple things in your frustration with this situation. Perhaps you have water in the fuel, a semi-plugged fuel filter or air being sucked in the fuel line. Pump will need verifying as well. It would be nice when this happened if you could remove the air horn from the carb and see what level the fuel is at in the bowls. A quart sample of fuel taken before the carb and allowed to sit will tell you if you are getting water in the gas.