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  • 1965 - 1973 Classic Mustangs -General/Talk-
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Engine just dies, for no reason.

  • Thread starter Thread starter crushnut
  • Start date Start date Dec 31, 2003
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HistoricMustang

Active Member
Apr 11, 2003
2,359
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Confederate States of America
Jan 1, 2004
#21
  • Jan 1, 2004
  • #21
Check you engine grounds.

I added a second one to my ride. One off the intake to the firewall and the second from front of engine block to frame rail.

A bad ground will cause all kinds of weird stuff to happen.

HistoricMustang
www.historicmustang.com
 

crushnut

New Member
Apr 27, 2003
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Oregon
Jan 1, 2004
#22
  • Jan 1, 2004
  • #22
HistoricMustang said:
Check you engine grounds.

I added a second one to my ride. One off the intake to the firewall and the second from front of engine block to frame rail.

A bad ground will cause all kinds of weird stuff to happen.
Click to expand...


That may just be it , thanks.
 

foghorn67

I'll save you the time and choke myself
Founding Member
Jan 10, 2002
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Orange County, CA
Jan 1, 2004
#23
  • Jan 1, 2004
  • #23
Go through the wiring and work your way down until you find something.

Don't go replacing parts and hoping one of them will fix your problem.

But, my car did something similiar twice. Once it was the fuel pump, the other was the coil.
 

crushnut

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Apr 27, 2003
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Jan 1, 2004
#24
  • Jan 1, 2004
  • #24
foghorn67 said:
Go through the wiring and work your way down until you find something
Click to expand...

I wish i could, but it isn't really the best weather to be doing that right now.
 

BigDaddyCee

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Jan 1, 2000
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#25
  • Jan 1, 2004
  • #25
Next time it happens pull your number one plug then plug it back into the plug wire, hold the metal part of the plug in contact with the block for grounding purposes. You should hold the boot with a good pair of proven insulated pliers just too be safe. Then have someone crank the engine to see if you have spark going to the engine. If no spark then you know it is in the ignition system. Good luck.
 
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68 daily driver

Founding Member
Feb 26, 2002
83
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Northern Calif.
Jan 1, 2004
#26
  • Jan 1, 2004
  • #26
engine dying

BigDaddyCee said:
Next time it happens pull your number one plug then plug it back into the plug wire, hold the metal part of the plug in contact with the block for grounding purposes. You should hold the boot with a good pair of proven insulated pliers just too be safe. Then have someone crank the engine to see if you have spark going to the engine. If no spark then you know it is in the ignition system. Good luck.
Click to expand...

I had this problem very recently. the car would just die while driving. After stopping, it would start back up and fuel problem was ruled out. I have the pertronix ingition and the problem showed up after installing a after market tack. It turned out that the ignition pink resister wire, the pink wire coming out of the ignition switch, had gone bad and due to too much resistance, I was only getting about 4-5 volts to the coil. the tack was draining enough volts to cause the car to die. I corrected the problem by cutting out the pink wire and running a full 12 volts from the ignition switch to the coil. I had to install a Pertronix framethower coil that has a built in 1.5 ohm resistor due to bypassing the resistor wire. If you bypass the Pink resistor wire and run standard points, you will need to install a ceramic 1.5 ohm resistor that you can mount on the firewall. Summit racing has this part. If you do not install the pertronix resistor coil, you will fry your pertronix. The points will fry if you do not install another 1.5 ohm resistor 68 dailydriver
 
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68 daily driver

Founding Member
Feb 26, 2002
83
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Northern Calif.
Jan 1, 2004
#27
  • Jan 1, 2004
  • #27
engine dies

crushnut said:
The last couple days when driving my car it just decides to die on me. This has never happened for, so it has me thinking it has something to do with the snow and rapid change in temp. outside in the last few days. Does this seem a likely cause, if not what else could it be. This has happened twice on me, the first time it was starting off from a stop sign and it just died, and the second time it was slowing down while coming up to a stop sign. The first time i tried to start it back up and it didnt want to, it eventually started back up after about a 1/2 hour, and the second time it started back up within less than a minute.

Any ideas on what may be causing this to happen

Thanks
Click to expand...

I had the same problem with my 68. I had installed the Pertronix ignition and later installed a aftermarket tach. The vehicle started dying while driving, after stopping, it would start back up. after alot of work, was able to trace the problem to the Pink resistor wire that connects to the ignition switch and goes to the coil. The Pink resistor wire had fouled and was causing the coil to only receive about 5-4 volts. The tach drained enought voltage to cause the coil to fail in providing enought spark to the Pertronix ignitor in the dist. cap.
I cut out the pink resistor wire, ran a 12 volt wire direct from the ignition to the coil. I had to install a Pertronix coil, because it has a built in 1.5 ohm resistor, and that cured the problem. Remember if you go this route, use the Pertronix coil with the Pertronix ignitor or you will fry the ignitor. If you go back to points, you will have to install a 1.5 ohm resistor and run the ignition wire to it then to the coil.
68 dailydriver
 
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