Frustrating Problem

xsi3rr4x · May 12, 2011

Hey everyone, I drive a 1969 mustang with a 351w, I had been riding around the last few days and out of no where the motor just shuts off, (my radio and everything stays on). And anyways after pulling over I fired it right back up, and it went about a mile down the road then cut back off, then fired back up but shut off right away, So I thought the problem could be my ignition wiring is grounded somewhere or somthing.

So I get the car back home and I hotwire the car the next day and it fires up and I drive it down the street and it cuts off the same way, but didnt run as long as it did before, I fired it right back up and it ran for about 15 seconds and shut off and I would fire it back up, but it would die back down instantly

I went through, got a new coil, new condenser, new points, and re wired the whole thing to at least get it to work while being hotwired, the problem continued and got to the point to which I couldnt start the car at all, but it would still turn over, just no fire

I went through and replaced the distributer, and I also replaced the distributer cap. The car still wouldnt fire up,
running a test light through everything checks out fine and im getting electricity when im supposed to.

This problem is proving to be very frustrating due to everything checking out to be fine and its just not working.

Do you think it could be a peice of trash in my carborator? ill be checking that out tomorrow, what would be your suggestions?

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated

DukeGnarley · May 12, 2011

are you sure you're getting fuel? Is the filter clogged?

xsi3rr4x · May 12, 2011

I guess ill be checking all that out tomorrow when its daylight, but it was getting fuel for awhile, (I had just put a 4 speed toploader in the car and we took the motor out to put in a new rear main seal) and at first the car made it about a half a day of driving, then it lasted about 12 miles, then 7, then 3, etc etc, til it wont start up, and then the next day we can start it up and it'll go for a few laps around the driveway before shutting down.

woodsnake · May 12, 2011

Sound like the ignition switch itself. Can you "wiggle" the key in it at all? There should be no 'slop' in the switch itself. The same thing was happening to me. Ten bucks, 5 minutes, problem solved.

xsi3rr4x · May 12, 2011

Well I would say it was the ignition switch, but the problem even occurs when I have the car hotwired straight from the battery to the coil

Loup-garou · May 12, 2011

How "original" is this car under the hood (particularly carburetor and intake manifold)? I concur that it sounds like a fuel supply problem (dying pump, clogged in-line filter, blocked screen on fuel pickup in tank, etc.) but I've also seen EGR valves cause similar symptoms.

mustangmutt · May 12, 2011

There is an old saying that goes "If it feels like it's electrical, it's fuel. If it feels like fuel, it's electrical." Have you tried pulling a spark plug wire and testing for spark when it dies?

xsi3rr4x · May 13, 2011

we took out a spark plug and tested it with the wire still hooked up to it and it does spark

xsi3rr4x · May 13, 2011

oh and I have a holly 600cfm carb, and an edelbrock performer RPM aluminum intake

mustangmutt · May 13, 2011

If it's sparking and the engine is not starting, the problem is not ignition. Stalling or no start conditions are almost always fuel or primary ignition problems (an electrical problem between the ignition switch and the low volt side of the coil, the points or module) Misfiring conditions are almost always secondary ignition problems (High voltage side of Coil, Plug wires and plugs). Check to see if fuel is squirting into the carb when you work the throttle. If it is not, or it's weak, check the fuel filter, pump, feed line, any filters someone might have installed in the line before the pump, and the strainer on the pick up in the tank. Check one thing at a time starting at the front of the car and working your way back, not all at once. Also, there are 3 small sections of rubber hose on the line between the tank and the pump. One at the tank, one just behind the drivers side front torque box and of course from the line to the pump. If any of them are old or deteriorated in any way, replace them. I have seen where people have installed a filter in the hose behind the torque box and it is clogged, but goes un-noticed because it's hidden and not original. Good luck and when working with fuel, keep a Fire Extinguisher handy. Erik.

Wicked65 · May 13, 2011

I dont remember what its called, so maybe you already replaced it. Or maybe its not even on the 69 model. On my 65, before i pulled the motor, there was a cylinder with a wire going to it on the front of the dizzy. Again, im sorry i dont know the name of it, but i would be cruising down the road, car would start missing, then miss would get worse and worse till the car would die and not start. 10min parked, it would fire right up and drive.if i wiggled that wire, it seemed like it would change the idea of starting or just turning over. kinda seemed like almost the same issue. figured id throw my hat in. Words do not discribe my hatred for electrical issues or wiring jobs. I hope you find something.

xsi3rr4x · May 13, 2011

well i figured out what it was, I was getting fuel but not a lot of fuel, I think theres a bunch of trash in my gas tank and I need to clean it out, Trash could also be clogging one of my fuel lines as well, guess ill get it cleaned out sometime this week.

mustangmutt · May 14, 2011

gregski · May 14, 2011

Loup-garou said:
...but I've also seen EGR valves cause similar symptoms.

highly unlikely as the EGR recirculates dirty exhaust back into the intake, so it being clogged is actually a blessing, I drove a car with the EGR passage clogged so bad it would not pass SMOG, yet ran beautifully, then I cleaned out all the carbon build up to allow the EGR to function and it passed SMOG but didn't run any better at all

gregski · May 14, 2011

xsi3rr4x said:
well i figured out what it was, I was getting fuel but not a lot of fuel, I think theres a bunch of trash in my gas tank and I need to clean it out, Trash could also be clogging one of my fuel lines as well, guess ill get it cleaned out sometime this week.

glad you figured it out, and thank you very much for posting your solution, often times once the problem is fixed the thread is orphaned and who knows what happened, i recon sometimes the guys are too macho to admit they overlooked something, so thanks again for letting us know, it really does help a lot, please consider a clear inline fuel filter so you can see what the heck in going on in that fuel line, maybe it would have helped, maybe not

PoppyMod · May 14, 2011

xsi3rr4x said:
well i figured out what it was, I was getting fuel but not a lot of fuel, I think theres a bunch of trash in my gas tank and I need to clean it out, Trash could also be clogging one of my fuel lines as well, guess ill get it cleaned out sometime this week.

Hi,
While you're cleaning the fuel system, if you haven't aleady thougt of it, check the fuel screen in at the carb inlet, as well. If you find there is none, you probably should check the fuel bowl(s) too. If the screens are there, you might be good.
Anyway, don't it feel great when you you uncover a stone and find the problem?
Happy Trails!

jerry S · May 15, 2011

xsi3rr4x said:
well i figured out what it was, I was getting fuel but not a lot of fuel, I think theres a bunch of trash in my gas tank and I need to clean it out, Trash could also be clogging one of my fuel lines as well, guess ill get it cleaned out sometime this week.

I was in the middle of replying to your first post when I decided to read through the thread and found your follow up post. I had the same problem and it was caused by a rusty gas tank. Have a look at this thread discussing the issue

skywalker · May 15, 2011

When my new engine was put in, they wouldn't put the car on a dyno, until the fuel tank had been cleaned out and had a preventative coating put on because it was so nasty.

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