Crazy Tach, No Fuel, HELP! Just bought this 71 02!

[HaloArchive]

So, I JUST bought myself a cherry 1971 2002 with 82k original miles. In the past 9 years it has been driven less than 4000 miles. Anyways, I drive to get the car, I get the car, it makes it over 200 miles back towards home but 60 miles from home it breaks down.

... 100 miles from the break down point, I notice the tach was acting funky and reading like 2000RPM higher than what it is actually is at. The car stalled while driving. I looked and it was not getting fuel so ...

on the side of the road at 10pm I am taking apart my fuel lines to check for a clog. There was none. Then I looked in the carb to make sure nothing was wrong in there and there was not. I sat for a while, the cops happened to stop by and set up some flares for me. Luckily I have AAA Elite so, they managed to flatbed it to my house for me which was near the limit of the 100 mile max free tow.

So, now the car sits in my driveway, not able to go anywhere.

Please help me figure out what is wrong.

Cliffs:

- Cars tach started to act funny, I didnt think much of it.

- Kept driving then car died while driving

- Check fuel lines, no block

- Check carb, no problems

- Fueses are not blown

I am so stumped.

Thanks!

[c.d.iesel]

funny tach = look to the igniton points

fuel ? = time for new fuel pump - probably

they only last 26 years +/-

[Guest Anonymous]

you can have fuel in the carb, but none getting to the engine if the jets are clogged. squirt a little into the carb barrel and see if it fires up briefly. As for the tach, points, a loose wire at the distributor, and various other possibilities.

[HaloArchive]

Anything else it could be? I remember hearing a strange noise on deceleration. It was faint but sounded a little like an electrical arc.

[Mike Self]

worn point plate--the rotating plate that holds the points and allows mechanical and vacuum advance. If it's sticking due to wear or the lubricant being gummed up after sitting for 18 years--it'll cause the tach needle to flicker.

My guess is problems with the points--and as CD said, a fuel pump that was on its last legs, and then died.

Both are easy to troubleshoot and fix. A sub-100k 2002 is getting hard to find--way to go.

mike

[c.d.iesel]

the ball is in your court - check the simple stuff like the points, wiring to

the distributor/coil/ballist resistor, is the fuel pump pumping fuel

if you hang the hose to the carb into a bucket while cranking?

compression test?

cooling system pressure test?

color of oil?

color of coolent?

you got to give us some test results...........

we need more input before anyone can really help you.

[HaloArchive]

the ball is in your court - check the simple stuff like the points, wiring to

the distributor/coil/ballist resistor, is the fuel pump pumping fuel

if you hang the hose to the carb into a bucket while cranking?

compression test?

cooling system pressure test?

color of oil?

color of coolent?

you got to give us some test results...........

we need more input before anyone can really help you.

Compression is fine. Cooling system holds pressure. Oil is oil colored. Coolant is green.

I looked through records and I never noticed the fuel pump was replaced. I ordered one. And, I will be replacing the points and plate.

[jscaptura1]

Make sure you replace the condensor along with the points. Another Distributor Cap & Rotor might help also. On my 70 1600, I had problems with the fuel pump & got a suggestion from a buddy that if I am on the road & the fuel pump fails, remove it & the plastic spacer, sand down the spacer some on the road & it may help the pump create a little more pressure. Never had to try it but if I were stuck & could not get the car moving, I would try just about anything! Good Luck!

[auggiemize]

Sounds like when my alternator died while running on the Interstate...ozone/electric smell, car seemed to need more "pedal" to go same speed and not running smoothly, and died when I stopped. Then, the sounds of silence...No click, no nothin'. Thanks, AAA.

I was told, I think (I am not EVEN a mechanic...) that the final sounds of life were the car running off of the battery only...and then no more. Might be worth a test?

Hey, what do I know, I design furniture...good luck.

Dave V. in NC

[Jaycen_PNW2002]

Out of gas?

[HaloArchive]

So, I had time to look into it and ...

From me driving at 80mph for about 200 miles, I heat stressed the arm on the breaker points and it cracked, causing it to not open with the lobe on the distributor.

[c.d.iesel]

...."me driving at 80mph for about 200 miles

I heat stressed the arm on the breaker points

and it cracked, causing it to not open with

the lobe on the distributor" ????

guess again - thats not how the points failed-

but failed points caused the car to stop

[HaloArchive]

...."me driving at 80mph for about 200 miles

I heat stressed the arm on the breaker points

and it cracked, causing it to not open with

the lobe on the distributor" ????

guess again - thats not how the points failed-

but failed points caused the car to stop

????

Im saying the arm that makes the points open and close broke, keeping them closed.

If you have a suggestion other than to this obvious break, please let me know.

[71bmr02]

I you checked the opening of the points against the high point on the dist lobe and the points were not opening, then bingo, you likley solved the mystery. i havn't ever seen points arms crack and break, so it may be they were stressed from some other event. not sure what it would have been, short story, you will still have to replace the points.

I would have intially suspected the condenser. i've bought several old cars and workd on even more where the simple fix to make them run or run reliably was to replace the condenser.

[Simeon]

...."me driving at 80mph for about 200 miles

I heat stressed the arm on the breaker points

and it cracked, causing it to not open with

the lobe on the distributor" ????

guess again - thats not how the points failed-

but failed points caused the car to stop

????

Im saying the arm that makes the points open and close broke, keeping them closed.

If you have a suggestion other than to this obvious break, please let me know.

I don't think he is doubting it was the broken points that stopped the car, more the reason why they broke. Those points are designed to run for more than 2 hours at 80mph so I don't think it was anything you did.

What are the contacts like? Could they have welded together due to a failed condenser prior to being ripped open again by the cam (breaking the arm at the same time)?

Any foreign objects inside the distributor cap?

Any unusual amounts of wear in the bearings?

Its good to establish a root cause to prevent it happening again