engine and drivetrain Starting And Running Issues

[patircks02]

I was trying to enjoy a Sunday drive last week. As we were going 60 downhill on the highway with windows wide open and music playing, a curious thing happened. I noticed that my tach was at zero. Crap. I turned the ignition, and the car turned over but wouldn't start. Mind you I was still rolling along at 50+, and my car wouldn't start. Luckily, there weren't too many people on the road and I pulled over.

 

Opening the hood, nothing was outwardly wrong (unlike last time I needed to pull over, when one of my alternator bolts sheared off at 1am). Nothing looked loose or anything. The car still wouldn't start. So I did the sensible thing (the SO was there) and called AAA.

 

Fast forward to today, I tried a couple things. I was concerned about the fuel pump, but it squirted fuel when I crank the engine. I changed the filter anyway. I looked at the ignition side, which is about a year old (I replaced the condenser, points, cap, rotor, wires, and spark plugs). I'm running a blue coil. I take off the HT lead running from the coil to the dizzy cap and hold it to the engine as my friend cranks the engine. It doesn't spark immediately. Then I notice after a few times that it does spark exactly once but only when I tell my friend to let off the starter. When it does spark, it sparks nicely.

 

Any thoughts on this? I looked around the forums and noticed, like an idiot, that maybe I didn't bypass the ballast resister when I installed the blue coil. I'm not even sure what the ballast resister looks like because the PO did so many modifications to this car that I'm constantly finding things that aren't stock. Could that be it, or do I have other issues? Loose wire somewhere? I have new dizzy parts coming in the mail this week, so I'll replace things one at a time until something works.

 

Other things: It's a '76 2002. I have an approx 1 yr old m3 starter motor that appears to be working. A battery that is theoretically strong. Every time I crank it, the engine turns over well.

Edited August 26, 2013 by patircks02

[Simeon]

If you were doing 50mph + and the engine stalled and wouldn't restart in gear (I assume you didn't just dump the clutch and coast to a halt) then it is a good chance it is electrical.

Turn the ignition on, remove your coil wire again, take off the distributor and crack open the points (assuming that they are clsed) - do you see a spark?

If not get a volt meter or test lamp and check for a voltage at the coil. Get someone to crank the engine, does the voltage change?

[c.d.iesel]

LOOK AT THE POINTs AND YOUR METHOD OF adjusting the gap again

 

look at the wiring to the distriburor - connections and condition of wire and terminals

[jireland2002]

Are you getting power to the coil when cranking?  I bet not.  When you crank the starter the power comes from a different wire to bypass the resister.  Broken wire or loose conector probably at the starter.

Jeff