Ignition issues, condenser?

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ruckman101
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Ignition issues, condenser?

Post by ruckman101 » Wed Jun 03, 2015 10:13 pm

Starting and running. The ignition will cut out.

Cold starts don't seem to be the issue. But running errands with stopping and restarting, problems. Cheryle was down for an hour or more. I got there and everything I looked at was fine. Point gap, connections at my ignition switch, fuses. I've been suspecting the switch, but the wires were tight, and wiggling, jiggling didn't do much. But then it decided to work. For six blocks, then lost ignition on the turn into the parking lot of the next stop. I play with the switch again, and it comes back. For a couple miles, then went out coming up on a stoplight. Cheryl was done, and we swapped rides, putting me in Bertha with her following. And the ignition was hot again, started up and continued. No issues for fifteen miles, then on the last 3 miles up the hill and into the garage, the ignition cut out three times, but briefly, then came back on.

My Father-in-Law give the switch a VOM test and declared it not the issue.

Wadda folks think?



neal
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Amskeptic
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Re: Ignition issues, condenser?

Post by Amskeptic » Thu Jun 04, 2015 6:26 am

ruckman101 wrote:Starting and running. The ignition will cut out.
Wadda folks think?
neal
Look for shorts and open circuits. Check very very carefully the condition of the wiring from the coil to the distributor for any breaks in the insulation, check that the points wire doesn't short out as the advance unit arcs, check the plastic plug on the side of the distributor where the green wire goes through (that wire can fray down to two strands)
AND
check the reverse light inline fuse for shorting against the clip on the fan housing, check for the idle cut-off or choke wire shorting against the generator/alternator. These all can kill the engine intermittantly.
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ruckman101
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Re: Ignition issues, condenser?

Post by ruckman101 » Thu Jun 04, 2015 8:30 am

Thanks for those focus points Colin.


neal
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hippiewannabe
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Re: Ignition issues, condenser?

Post by hippiewannabe » Thu Jun 04, 2015 8:02 pm

ruckman101 wrote: My Father-in-Law give the switch a VOM test and declared it not the issue.

Wadda folks think?
Since the issue is intermittent, one successful test does not rule out the switch; we already know it's working at least some of the time. Next time it fails and stays failed, try hot-wiring the coil; if it then runs, it strongly points to the switch.
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ruckman101
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Re: Ignition issues, condenser?

Post by ruckman101 » Sat Jun 06, 2015 4:42 pm

Alright, so it sounds like my father-in-law didn't put the VOM meter on my switch, but rather hot wired the leads to the switch, then declared the switch fine (?). Everything suggested I check I did and found nothing glaringly compromised, even turning on the ignition and jiggling the wire to the choke, and then the inline fuse line, the ignition was on steady.

So I took the switch out and put my VOM meter on it. It seemed inconsistent, giving me closed readings here and there 70.0 instead of the low resistance of 1.0 which was the lowest. I poured a tad bit of rubbing alcohol on the shaft of the switch (it's a push/pull, not a toggle) and worked it hoping to clean contacts, and did get consistent low readings, so will put it back in the bus and buy a couple alligator clips that crimp onto a wire for emergency should it truly be the switch going out. I guess I'll need one of those clips to be insulated.

And I'll toss a spare condenser into the tool bag.


neal
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