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Car just stops, electrical?

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Daniel Kaminsky

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Recently, I had new points, condenser, coil, plugs and spark wires replaced in my BJ8. Now while driving the engine just quits running. I coast to a stop, and it finally will restart as though nothing has happened. Bad coil??? Loose connections?? Also, gas gauge stuck on full.Thanks for any help,Dan
 
First welcome to the BCF.
Regarding your car... Have you checked for fuel problems?
Fuel filter, pump, clogged fuel line, carb float?
 
First as Elliot said, welcome to the forum. I had a similar problem with my old MGB. I replaced the points and condenser (did not replace the coil or plugs/wires) took it for a drive and it just quit on me. Got it home and put the old points and condenser back in and it ran fine. Never did figure out what the problem was, but I suspected the condenser. A couple of questions for you, did your car sputter to a stop or did it just quit like someone turned the ignition off? If it's the first I would suspect fuel related problems, if the second it would likely be ignition related. Good luck.

Griz
 
There's some bad (distributor) rotors floating around; they can cause the engine to quit suddenly, though usually you won't get a restart no matter how long you wait. But, your problem sounds fuel delivery related.
 
Welcome! I've had two "new" condensers fail. Both happened when the engine was warm, and the car was at speed. It was as if a switch had been flipped off. In one case, the engine would then try to start, but wouldn't catch. The other never tried to start again. Each time, the first thing I did was to put the old condenser back in (I always carry the old, but known to be working, distributor "guts" in old cars). Both cars then started right up.

I now never replace a working condenser during a routine tune up. I guess the parts made in the last 25 years aren't as good as the older ones. That would be my first check since that was one of the items you changed. Also, make sure that there isn't a flapping or pinched wire somewhere in the ignition circuit. The points mounting hardware, at the post, can also be trouble if it isn't reassembled correctly.

I've had two coil failures. The first: I noticed a steady, slight degradation in power. Finally, the car started, but barely idled. The second: my brother crushed the coil by over-tightening its clamp! That one just finally quit. A failing coil could also start right up again once it cools.

Usually, as Griz said, fuel problems in non-injected cars will be accompanied by bit of missing and stumbling. In modern injected cars, a pump failure can also seem like a flipped switch.

Good luck. Jim
 
Hi Daniel,

Before you get into the depths of analyzing for a new component failure, I suggest you check that the white wire with black stripe is firmly attached to the battery switch in the boot (trunk). This wire provides some security by grounding the points when the switch is turned off and the trunk is locked. However, if this wire becomes separated from the switch and bounces around, it can occasionally come in contact with nearby metal frame sections (i.e. switch mount, battery mount, bumper mount, etc.) and ground out the points stopping/killing the engine as you've described. Since many forget this potential issue, it is often overlooked when searching for the fault and many have only discovered this simple cause by accident, after renewing many ignition and fuel delivery components.

Good luck,
Ray(64BJ8\
 
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I also suspect the rotor. My BN7 died at a stop sign after a long drive and wouldn't fire at all. After wasting my money on a new Pertronix, I too a friend's advice,bought a couple of the rivetless rotors that have been extolled on this forum and never looked back. Examining the replaced rotor didn't reveal any problem. I think a lot of people have had this experience.
 
A condenser can fail like that. Inside there's a little piece of what used to be paper that serves as an insulator between parts, don't know if modern replacements are still paper but the structure is the same. What can happen is a hole can burn through this insulator and since its free floating inside the hole can move around a bit and sort out internally then I assume the vibration of the engine can cause it to turn a bit restoring function, only for that same vibration to move it back. I always carry a spare with me since along with this it can suddenly quit and there's no spark.
 
Many thanks, guys, for your input. I don't believe it to be a fuel problem, as nothing has been done fuel-wise. It does not sputter, but just stops running as if ignition was turned off. Nothing like this happened before we mucked with the spark stuff. It is also difficult to start, but this could be a choke issue. Have had carbs rebuilt, so I don't know. As a kinda new owner I'm trying to get mechanical issues cleared up, only to, it seems, be creating new ones. I will look into you suggestions, and thanks again.Daniel
 
Daniel:

Just put the old Capacitor back in as suggested by others and I think your electrical problem will go away.

Later get a Pertronics and install it and the dizzy will thank you. No more stopping-:highly_amused:
 
Hi Daniel,

If the car can be started after you have experienced the turn-off, I don't believe it can be the capacitor or points. If the coil is beginning to fail, it may be overheating and this can fail as you described and the car can be restarted after the coil cools down. However, this just the beginning and it will soon fail permanently. If you have ruled out my previous suggestion (unattached whit/black-striped wire at the battery switch grounding the points), I would next go to a coil preparing to fully fail.

Ray(64BJ8P1)
 
If the coil is beginning to fail, it may be overheating and this can fail as you described and the car can be restarted after the coil cools down.

However,
Them capacitors can do the same sneaky thing.:friendly_wink:
 
Isn't this an evergreen topic!? :welcoming: Prolly because it just keeps on happening.

Anyone who's lucky enough to have an old original capacitor should treasure it like a gold coin. The new stuff isn't much good.

Per the black & white wire above: the cutoff switch can go out after the car heats up, a friend's BN2 would stop after a couple of miles of driving until we figured that one out.

Agree with Keoke above - Pertronix with a known good coil and rotor is reliable unless you short it out. I trust the resin-filled Bosch coils Jeff at Advanced Distributors sells.
 
Hi Steve,

When I redid my car during the mid to end of the 1980s, I also took the battery switch apart and found that corrosion had progressed farther then I would have ever expected (being stored for the previous 10 years). After cleaning all switch components and installing a good quantity of Di-electric grease, my switch has worked flawlessly since.

My experience with the bouncing white/black-stripe grounding wire happened in 1971 and identified after a fruitless 2-day search as a result, I am embarrassed to say, of my wife sarcastically asked if I had looked in the boot. Although she had forgotten the incident, my wife found out her sarcasm paid off many years later when I was telling the story to a friend who had been experiencing the same issue.

I agree that there could be a few things that would cause the symptoms described, however, a free grounding wire is probably the easiest to check out and dismiss.

All the best,
Ray (64BJ8P1)
 
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