Hot Rod Forum banner

engine shutting down at random.

5K views 17 replies 6 participants last post by  cloned1973 
#1 · (Edited)
Hello everyone
I need some help, I'll try to keep this painless as possible. I bought my 67 chevell a year ago, someone put a 350 in it, when I do not know. According to my records this car did not move much in the past tweleve years, not much at all. It runs 100 percent, I've been driving it for a month.
Ok now for the problem. Just recently out of the blue the motor stalls, no puttering, no hesitating, I mean click done like a light switch, It starts backup perfect when I turn the key everytime. started once every hour or so on the way home, now non stop in the driveway. Maybe every min, or next time three min, then five. No ryme to reason. I touched everywire under the sun to cause it to stall, no luck mind of its own. I just removed the old distrubitor and installed new one, no luck. Thats where im at. Sorry so long I just wanted to paint a clear picture. Oh the coil wire, I since ran a new one from fuse box, and it stalled again. I then ordered a new ignition switch, currently removed till new one comes in.
 
#3 ·
When the engine dies, refuses to re-start ... is there any spark?

Is this is a contact point distributor? (or electronic)

If so, check the points for gap, pitting, and color.
If the points are blue ... it's because they are getting too much voltage.
Check the coil and see if it says "Use with external resistor" (or internal resistance)
 
#4 ·
I just installed a Brand new distrubitor thinking that was the problem, I did that to take the guess work out of it all.
Well it has a holly 600 on it, but im guessing its a voltage problem. Today I found when the HEI is being fed from the battery it does not stall. Only when I use the wire after the fuse box does it have the problem.
 
#5 ·
So somewhere you are loosing power and if it does it just sitting it is probably something heating up rather than a loose connection that may get bounced while driving. I would check the ignition switch and the wiring to it to start with, also the junction block on the fire wall. The tend to corrode. If it was a points ignition before and you installed an HEI you need to eliminate the resistor wire as the HEI requires full battery voltage.
 
#7 ·
Dime to a donut...... when they put in the new 350 they just hacked a wire to the run position on the ing switch....... which is most likely loose/bad etc...... Pull the switch and see if you have what I've described......... That's exactly what was wrong with my 67, I ran a new wire, not thru the fire wall connector, put in a proper splice and it fixed mine.
 
#8 ·
They had a new wire ( I say new but I mean a wire with plastic insulation) going to the coil, that was about two feet long. That was tied in to the old resistor wire, that old wire looked like cloth, or some other material than the normal plastic. What I do not under stand is the same wire going to the coil someone put in a splice that goes to the starter. I'm not sure if that is normal.
In another words it goes from bulkhead to resistor wire, spliced in is the newer coil wire, but before the newer wire it goes to the coil it does another splice, that branch goes to the starter, a thick wire. I'm getting confused just writing this.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Here's how a NON-HEI should be.....

Hot wire from the run side of the ing switch, into a resistance wire or a ballast resistor to the pos side of the coil.

A wire from the "I" terminal on the starter soleniod to the pos terminal of the coil.

When the key in in the start position...... the coil recieves a full 12v from the starter soleniod, which helps it to start....... after you let go of the key and the switch stops in the Run position, the coil recieves 9 ish volts from the resistance wire and allows the coil to fuction normally....... if the coil recieved a full 12v all the time it would burn up in short order..... 2-3 hours max.
 
#10 ·
If you are running an HEI, you don't need the resistance wire or the wire from the starter "I" terminal. So...... I would run a new wire from the HEI thru the fire wall (no splice, no bulk head connector) to the run/start position on the ing switch. Eliminate all the old wires and your troubles.
 
#11 ·
EOD Guy said:
If you are running an HEI, you don't need the resistance wire or the wire from the starter "I" terminal. So...... I would run a new wire from the HEI thru the fire wall (no splice, no bulk head connector) to the run/start position on the ing switch. Eliminate all the old wires and your troubles.
Yup ... EOD has explained the function and purpose of resistance wire and cranking bypass quite well here.

I'm not totally in favor of running an entirely new wire directly to the switch, though. I'd still like to maintain as much of the OE wiring as much as possible if it were mine.

Yes, you will have to eliminate the resistance wire portion, replacing it with standard 16 guage copper wire ... soldered and heat-shrinked. You'll know you have it right when you check the voltage at the coil connector with a multimeter and find a full 12V.

If you do decide to run this wire directly to the ignition switch, I'd suggest that you at least run it in such a way that it's not just some random-colored wire hanging out there in the breeze. :nono:

Try to keep it the same color (if possible) as the original, and to include it in your engine wiring harness ... wrapped in either asphalt or convoluted wire loom.




NAPA Echlin # KS-6533 for non-tilt (was there even a tilt option?)

If there is a connector that plugs into the switch, be sure to either splice/solder/shrink OR to remove and replace the terminal.
 
#12 ·
I suggest a new wire ..... because alot of folks don't know how to terminate very well.

If you are fair at crimping and don't mind the work...... NAPA sells the type 56 terminals that are used in the fusebox connector. Lowes sells a very good crimping tool, it's not the proper one, but with a little practice it crimps the 56 terminals very well.

After a complete re-wire on my Camaro, I became very apt at crimping the 56's when adding pass-thru wires for all the system upgrades..... ie... elec fans, horn relay, wipers etc....
 
#13 · (Edited)
EOD Guy said:
I suggest a new wire ..... because alot of folks don't know how to terminate very well.

If you are fair at crimping and don't mind the work...... NAPA sells the type 56 terminals that are used in the fusebox connector. Lowes sells a very good crimping tool, it's not the proper one, but with a little practice it crimps the 56 terminals very well.

After a complete re-wire on my Camaro, I became very apt at crimping the 56's when adding pass-thru wires for all the system upgrades..... ie... elec fans, horn relay, wipers etc....

NAPA 725147 GM-56 series female


S & G Tool-Aid #18900

or better yet ...


#18920 5-pc set

Every mechanic and/or hotrodder should have a set, IMHO. :thumbup:
 
#14 ·
Question, Im looking at my electrical wires while Im waiting for my ignition switch. It seems like the starter wire from the battery may be grounding out on the header. I removed the wire and saw a bare spot on the wire (it was resting on the header) and what looks like the remnants of a arc on the header. Can that cause the motor so suddenly stall out?
Also Is it normal to have Three wires going to starter?
1, Starter wire from battery 2, A wire that is attatched to the old resistor wire
3, What looks like a little larger purple wire from the bulkhead.

Thanks
 
#15 · (Edited)
The pur wire is the 12v input to the starter soleniod "S" terminal which functions the soleniod to make the starter turn etc...

There was a lt yellow from the "I" terminal on the soleniod to the pos post on the coil

There was a black wire/cable from the battery to the starter.....now they are red and is the pwr source for the starter.

The resistor wire should be a wht wire that's spliced into a orange/pur to the pos post on the coil

If you're running an HEI you don't need the wht-pur/org or the yellow wires
 
#18 ·
Nice update so far, New ignition switch has been installed. The grounds from the firewall were blowing in the breeze, that has been rectified. And so far I drove 30 miles with no shutting down.
Thanks everyone.
I have a fuel question so I'm going to check if there is a fuel forum.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top