toddcripe Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 Well, thought I'd drive over to the Z club meeting in Atlanta last night, first time driving more than a mile at a time in the 260 with small block chevy, edelbrock carb, 700R4, MSD ignition-coil-distributor, and holley fuel pump I just got on the road. Made it about 7 miles then it stalled out on freeway. Pulled over, stopped. Cranked right back up but died again about 1 minute later. Coasted to an off ramp. This time it wouldn't crank, acted like a dead battery but voltage showed a solid 12 volts on gauge. AAA to the rescue, car started up and we drove it onto the tow truck, but see thru fuel filter was empty. Got home, put a gallon of gas in car. Tried to crank it and it again acted like a dead battery. Went inside, had a couple drinks, came back out and car started up just fine and I parked it in garage. So, I have intermittent problems that could be fuel, fuel filter, electrical, starter or all of the above. Any thoughts from gurus out there on wherer to start and how to replicate the issue without having a tow truck follow me everywhere I go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike kZ Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 I had a similar problem when I was returning from a SEZ event, I stalled out on the freeway too. It would crank back up for a few minutes, then die again a few miles later. I bypassed my fuel filter, and it ran fine. Turns out that the crap gas we get now leaves water in the tank, and when it sucked through my filter it swelled up and I lost flow. Not sure if that's your problem, but it was for me. http://www.fuel-testers.com/ethanol_engine_precautions.html Check out tip # 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emeraldlion Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 Don't hate me for suggesting something so simple but is the exhaust close to fuel lines in any place? We ran into vapor lock problems with my brother's mustang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddcripe Posted April 8, 2011 Author Share Posted April 8, 2011 I'm going to replace the fuel filter that's between tank and fuel pump today and validate the element in the see through filter in engine compartment is unobstructed. Will check fuel lines, I did have the rear half of the dual exhausts modified to accomodate the 700R4 that took the place of the TH350 that was originally in car. That would be pretty annoying if that is what it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emeraldlion Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 We put clothes pins on the fuel lines in the area the exhaust was close about 3 inches apart for a foot. Worked great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddcripe Posted April 9, 2011 Author Share Posted April 9, 2011 Replaced fuel filter by tank with a see through one. Old one didn't seem too clogged you could blow through it. Replaced see through 5/16" filter in engine compartment with a see through 3/8" one. Traced fuel line and it doesn't come within 3 inches of exhaust anywhere. But, it was almost touching the engine block as it came into the engine compartment, so I'm hoping that explains the fuel issue. Don't think there's anything else to change out. Electrical connections at remote battery seem fine as do junctions for 12V+ going up to battery. One was a little loose, but shouldn't have been enough to cause issues. Starter looks okay, exhaust runs within 2 inches of it but I don't think that's close enough to heat it up past the functional point, but who knows. Using a remote solenoid, so there's not a heat issue with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddcripe Posted April 11, 2011 Author Share Posted April 11, 2011 Tested starter and remote solenoid, no apparent issues. Measured voltage at battery and it indicated a bad alternator. Put a spare alternator known to be good on and it wasn't sending a charge back to battery either. Hmmm. All wiring appeared to be fine, but upon closer inspection, the connector had pulled loose from the main alternator to battery wire, but you couldn't see the separation because of the heat-shrink sleeve covering it up. Fixed connector, replacement alternator tested fine. Put old alternator back on, it still tested bad so I had two problems: wiring and bad alternator. Glad that didn't happen to me on a long trip, I would have never have been able to figure out what was going on without having access to a multi-meter and a spare alternator. Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike kZ Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 Cool, glad you found it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddcripe Posted April 11, 2011 Author Share Posted April 11, 2011 Me too. I'll take a spin in the next couple days to make sure the fuel delivery issue is gone, then I'm ready to rock and roll. Let me know when your headed to the next event, maybe we can play tag on the way there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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