Rocketbrian

Over the last couple of years, my 71 SX has had the nasty habit of just dying, as if someone turned the key off. I had it out today for the first time (28 degrees Celsius, 82 F) and while idling it gave a big miss and recovered. I then went for a drive and while slowing down for a stop sign, it just died. It immediately started, and away I went. It did this last fall as well. I have swapped out coils last year but no difference. It has standard ignition. I was thinking, loose or cracked wires at the starter or maybe the ignition switch is going bad or the wires loose. I ordered a Delco D1405B switch for a tilt wheel column and it should be in tomorrow. Any ideas other than the two I mentioned? Intermittent problems are a curse. How does an ignition switch act when it is beginning to fail? Thanks.

oldcutlass

Hmmmmmm, it could be anything related to the ignition and possibly charging system. It will not be anything related to the starter or fuel, as it cranked right back up. I would check all connections from the distributor back to the switch. Make sure your points, condensor, and coil wiring are clean and tight, not frayed. pull the coil wire from the coil and cap, to look for corrosion and make sure its in there tight. Unplug your bulkhead connector and check the contacts there. Check you engine block ground straps. Look at the fuses and see if there is any corrosion in there.

Did you get any flash on your dash lights or gauges drop to indicate a loss of voltage?

We all hate the intermittant gremlins!!! Good Luck!

don71

From your post I gather you think its electrically related. What other reasons make you think that?

I ask because I think its fuel related..er lack of. Makes me think its fuel pump or perhaps a dirty sock/debris in fuel pick up maybe even cracked rubber fuel lines sucking air.

Don't have any idea if it could be ignition switch related or how they fail . Keep looking it over, its probably something very simple.

oldcutlass

If it were fuel related, it would not of just cranked right up as the carb would be empty and he would have to crank and crank to get fuel back up there. Now possibly some junk in the carb, that might come loose when the car lost vacuum is possible. I would still think its electrical.

I did not rule out the ignition switch, but generally you can wiggle it or jar the column and get that to fail. So thats why I suggested to work from the distributor back.

MDchanic

Check the wire from the coil to the points. It could be crushed or rubbing inside the distributor. Also, you could have something misplaced on top of the intake manifold, and could have a piece of linkage or similar occasionally touching the (-) terminal of the coil.

- Eric

Rocketbrian

Thanks guys. I think I'll check all wiring and connectors, sort of a process of elimination. Great to get the car out again.

ThePackRat

+ 1 on this.

If the wire inside the distributor is questionable, the natural in/out movement of the vacuum advance doing its thing ..... could be causing the intermittent issue.

MDchanic

... And note that this is a special wire - it has unusually fine strands and is unusually flexible, so it can move back and forth with the vacuum advance without breaking and without restricting movement.
If the part inside the distributor is toast, you can cut it off, use the good part, and solder on some more "regular" wire to the end that goes to the coil.

- Eric

oldave55

I say go with PackRat's and MDchanic's recommendations. I have had this problem on two older breaker-points cars. The first was in a 72 cutlass and was quite a mystery before changing the points power wire. after that, problem free.