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Re: Car won't start, dies, or runs fine (Please help)

To: Joseph Cianciotti <jmc987@earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: Car won't start, dies, or runs fine (Please help)
From: Chris Kotting <ckotting@wideopenwest.com>
Date: 30 May 2003 21:48:16 -0400
Joseph -

In writing my e-mail I assumed negative ground.  Bad assumption I
suppose, but for some reason I was thinking you were set up neg. ground.

For a positive ground car, all the polarities in my e-mail would be
reversed.

Chris K.

On Fri, 2003-05-30 at 20:35, Joseph Cianciotti wrote:
> Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. Went out last night to work 
> on the car and it started up on the first crank. (Isn't that always the 
> way?) Checked everything I could with a running engine. But when it 
> dies again, I want to be prepared. Does any of this change when you've 
> converted to negative ground? Rather not electrocute myself. Thanks in 
> advance,
> 
> Joseph
> 67 Roadster
> 
> On Wednesday, May 28, 2003, at 08:21  AM, ckotting@wideopenwest.com 
> wrote:
> 
> > Joseph -
> >
> > It sounds like a coil to me, but here's a simple check.
> > Next time it dies or won't start, unhook the negative lead
> > from the coil and hook a test lamp between it and + (you can
> > use any fuesebox terminal that has power with the key on).
> >
> > Crank it over.
> >
> > If the test lamp flashes, the problem is at the coil end of
> > things.  If the test lamp either stays on all the time or
> > stays off all the time, the problem is in the distributor
> > (points, condenser, or internal leads).
> >
> > If the test lamp blinks, move the + lead from the source you
> > were using to the + terminal on the coil (which you have
> > thus far left alone).  Crank it over again.  If the test
> > lamp blinks, it's probably the coil.  If the test lamp stays
> > dark, the coil isn't getting power from the ignition switch.
> >  Start tracing back to see if it's a break in the wiring or
> > a bum ignition switch.
> >
> > Hope that helps...
> >
> > Chris K.
> >
> > Date: Tue, 27 May 2003 21:33:16 -0400
> > From: Joseph Cianciotti <jmc987@earthlink.net>
> > Subject: Car won't start, dies, or runs fine (Please help)
> >
> > Some days my car starts and runs fine.
> >
> > Some days it starts and then dies suddenly, like someone
> > just pulled
> > the plug. And then won't restart.
> >
> > And some days the car won't start at all. The fuel pump
> > clicks away,
> > fuel fills the (clear) filter, the engine cranks, but just
> > refuses to
> > start. There's the smell of gasoline from the exhaust. So
> > fuel's
> > getting in there, it's just not burning.
> >
> > I pulled and reattached the leads to the coil. Then it
> > started. It
> > started again the next morning. But wouldn't start in the
> > afternoon. So
> > I checked the lead from the coil to the distributor, and
> > there didn't
> > appear to be a spark.  My guess is the coil is on its way
> > out. (Do they
> > go bad?) Any other ideas before I start replacing things?
> >
> > I've got a Petronix electronic ignition, fairly new leads
> > and plugs,
> > and the distributor cap and rotor look good (no cracks or
> > evidence of
> > arcing).
> >
> > Please help. My wife's is getting tired of having to share a
> > car.
> > Thanks in advance,
> >
> > Joseph
> > 67 MGB Roadster
> >
-- 
Chris Kotting <ckotting@wideopenwest.com>

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