Ok, I have a '66 Skylark with a '74 Buick 350 2bbl. Sometimes when I go to start the car it will crank, ignite and when I let go of the key, it dies. And once in a while when I'm driving it will briefly cut out or die. I have had the car for more than year and it started this about a month ago. I did not do anything to the engine or electrical system other than oil changes for almost a year. When it started I replaced the plugs since it had been a while, that didn't help. I checked all the connections at the coil and alternator, they are clean and have good contact. So I replaced the ignition switch, it was worn and had a bad battery connection but that didn't fix it. I have had this problem when the engine is hot and cold. I will try starting it a few times then look around under the hood checking wires and try again. Eventually it will seem to want to start for no reason. Most of the time I go out and it starts up right away. The car runs great, it idles smooth, no smoke..... So what the heck? My last idea is to replace the start solenoid. I'm going to take the solenoid out of my Uncles Bronco that has been in my driveway for years and see if the symptoms persist. If this sounds familiar to anyone, please share your thoughts. Thanks, Dylan.
Idea #1. I would run a jumper wire from Batt to coil just temporary with a toggle switch, try direct spark for a while, and you can rule out the coil, Ive had coils do the same thing, and then you might check the starter. Good luck Wil
I'm Getting good spark. It will fire up but when I release the key it dies. If I hold the key it will stay running, grinding away at the starter drive. The coil is a little less than a year old. I replaced the points and old coil with a Pertronix electronic ignition.
DUMB idea. Points are 1000x more reliable than that electronic crap. Every piece of modern electronic ignition I've tried has failed me at some point with the amount of miles I rack up. I'm back to regular points and coil and I NEVER have issues now. Big deal if you have to replace a set of points every 10,000 miles. Takes 5 minutes. I put around 30,000 miles on my last set before they caused the engine to run a little rough.
I had a '69 LeMans a few years ago that did what you're describing. It was that ground wire that attaches to the neg. side of the battery. On most models this wire is bolted to the inside of the fender near the battery. Make sure it's connected and the connection is tight and corrosion-free. Also, another "phantom" source of ignition gremlins can be the lack of a braided ground strap at the back of the engine (usually runs from the pass. side head to firewall). Check for both of these types of grounds. If either (or both) are missing, it may be the cause of your problem.
if u had a ballast resistor on your firewall, like a '65 nova ss that i had, then i would say it was defective.
My negative grounds to the block, pos. and neg. are clean and tight. I will check for the ground strap, I don't think there is one. I removed the ballast resistor when I changed the ignition. I know Pertronix may not be the best but I've never had a problem with their ignitions before. I had Pertronix electronic ignition in a 66 Valiant for over five years and it never gave me trouble.
I had something similar happen to my Buick. The ignition switch in the dash had gotten looser over time. I replaced the ignition switch and the problem went away. -Josh
I doubt that you removed the ballast resistor as there isn't one from the factory on GM point dist cars. GM used a ballast resistance wire. You have a good spark when cranking because the voltage does not flow through the resistor wire when cranking. I had a bad resistor wire act exactly as you describe and replaced it with a Chrysler balast resistor, end of problem. Do as Dosko says, if that solves the problem then you know it's a bad wire. I was assuming that you had points, if you have HEI the above does not apply, ha ha. Dylan, please disregard this post, as I see that you replaced the ballast wire with a new wire. I must have been asleep or??? when I wrote this reply, ha,ha. It definately could be your solenoid or ignition switch or maybe the wiring connector on the firewall.
I did have points. When I put in the Pertronix I removed the ballast resistor wire and replaced it with 14ga stranded wire. I believe I may have found the problem. I noticed that one of my vacuum ports was uncapped. I am positive that it was capped before since I rebuilt the carb myself. I don't know how I could have lost it but I put a new cap on the port. It starts everytime now. Keep your fingers crossed. Thanks everyone for your input it was great help.
Geee.. Can you really back that up with real data. If points were that great, why was every auto manufacturer looking for another solution?? Oh great, the dwell is off again:spank: Points are great for triggering an ignition box.. I have a Crane lobe sensing and a Pertronix lobe sensing and have zero problems.. Even running 8 lbs of boost on a stock ignition with the Pertronix LS..
Well, your post contains no more "real data" than mine did. From what I've collected the first electronic systems still had failures. I'd rather fix a points system than electronic any day. With a great amount of aftermarket parts being Chinesium, I would say you are on borrowed time. Not a question of IF it will fail, it's When.
These stupid arguments are one of the reasons I just quit posting anything on here. Everytime you try to give good info you get these ridiculous comments on why it is no good. I have one of the oldest 350 Buick engines that have been professionally rebuilt (1994) and all I can say is that everything has been great. From the TA parts to the rear end I have been down the 1/4 mile over 500 times on this motor I have driven it on the street, raced it on the street and Have ran Nitrous on the car for about 5 years now. The electronic set up is a MSD set up and the only problem I have ever had with this set up is I have replaced the coil twice. How many points did I put in the car in the old days before my electronic ignition before 1994? I have owned the car since 1977. I had to replace the points every year or the car would not run good.. the points would always pit and then the dwell would always have to be changed and then the timing would have to be changed. Who wants to go thru that alll the time. It is too bad I didn't take the Singleplane intake from Sean when he first offered it too me 3 years ago but I had just gotten laid off then and I just did not have the money for it. This whole intake fiasco and the bad comments that followed I think has taken TA out of ever thinking of making any Heads or a Intake for the 350. especially when you get comments like, "See no one will buy my intake nobody wants it" Maybe if these cars with the special built parts would get their butts to the track and PROVE them maybe everyone would be more interested in BUYING them. I just had trouble with my Mallory 140 giving up on me. I had no operation and it was blowing the fuse. Did I rip it off and call it junk and went back to the stock fuel pump? NO, I took it apart and found out it had a bunch of dust and brushes dirt in there and that was creating electrical problem. I cleaned out the dirt and dust from the brushes put it back together and it worked perfectly. Now that I have said this crap just watch all the bad comments I get on this...and prove my opening statement. :moonu: One BAD apple CAN spoil the whole bunch!:eek2:
YeeHaa, Any Mechanic minded person gets a little testie from time to time, but what we are running into here is Old school VS New. Both are fine, Electronics great, Points great. If even one of us says his Electronics ride will blow away any Points ride or visa versa we know it's plain BS. I like my points, especially when I make one, Dershka Dershka Dershka Dirsh Morf Morf Morf. In other words I dont give a Damn, they both work. Come on Guys Have a Great day Wil:idea2:
I guess it's just a matter of opinion. I have nothing against points but if the technology exists, I prefer simplicity. On a lighter note, the car seems to be working fine now. I'm confident that it was the vacuum leak giving me the trouble.
Wow: Now I gotta respond one more time b4 this thread is gone. I gotta know "please", how can a vacuum leak cause the intermittent problem you described in the beginning ?? Just askin Wil:idea2:
The only advantage to points, other than they are cheap, is that they don't usually fail completely with out warning and if they do state to fail you can usually at least get them to work well enough to limp home.
Yes please explain how a tiny vacuum leak will cause the condition you described, honestly, I dont think you fixed it
You're right Jay, but they rarely fail. If a car was to be my daily driver I would also pick electronic ignition over points for convienience.
