New question for today

[jlaird]

Points seem to be fine now.

However, I drove up to CVS and car would only idle when I tried to depart. Pulled over in shade and sat maybe 30 min then it would run up other than idle for a min then back to idle only, starts fine.

Had a bud tow me home. Got there and it started and ran fine for a min then back to idle only.

I am thinking coil, although it has a new condencer in it today. This happened about a week ago for a bit as well so kind of ruleing out condencer.

Is this the way a coil can die? Been a long time since I've had a coil go bad and then it just quit.

Have good fuel etc, etc.

I can borrow a 12v coil tomorrow and test but thought maybe someone knew.

Or tell me how to test a coil with a multimeter.

Just went out after an hour or so and all seemed well started and ran ok. What the heck is going on.

 

[JPSmit]

by all means swap and check the coil but it sounds like vacuum Jack - Mine was like that also - and when warm as the manifold was loose and it took the heat to open up the gaps. you might try checking the nuts on the carb and the manifold - another easy test is, when it only idles, restrict the air into the carb with your hand and see what happens.

 

[jlaird]

Will check that first thing in morning.

 

[Deleted member 8987]

When this happens, and it won't go above idle.....is it rough, like a heavy misfire?

If not, really sounds like fuel.

Vapour lock, cap vent, plugged filter.

A vacuum leak would have to be substantial to do that.
Timing would usually make it not idle.

 

[RickB]

If this is brand new after working on the dizzy - I'd go back to the dizzy...

 

[jlaird]

It did it one other time about two weeks ago right after I left the house but cleared its self up, I thought maybe a bit of dirt. Think I was wrong.

 

[jhorton3]

Sounds very much like my coil failure a couple of months back. It did the same thing with a sputter then cleared itself up. Next thing I know I'm pressing the gas coming into a straight and it feels like I've got one cylinder firing. She finally died and wouldn't fire at all. Swap the coil and see if that solves the mystery.

 

[jlaird]

Yep, that is my guess as well. Is a three year old coil from Moss, the good one. Guess it is just the breakes of the game.

Will dump a new one in tomorrow as a test and see how it goes.

Was just looking at Moss online coils, there are a few videos on how to check a coil. Sigh, only works if coil is good or bad, no in between for going bad mostly.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

I have to ask... why would you buy a coil from Moss as opposed to your local autoparts store?

 

[jlaird]

Because it was the same type and color as the orginal coil to the Bugeye.

Oh yea, wireing connections were bolt on rather than the push clip.

 

[Brian_James]

Is this related to your points problem. I had a similar issue with mine years ago where it appeared that the points kept closing up. The bugeye was my daily driver at the time and I would carry a screwdriver to reset the points when it would sputter and quit every couple of hours of driving. It turned out it that the rubbing block was melting, and I determined the problem was the coil. That is, once I replaced the coil I never had the problem again.

I was in high school at the time I had a big argument with my father that it was the coil causing the problem since I had replaced every component of the electrical system. He insisted that coils are working, or not working and that there was no in between. Ha ha, I was actually right that (one) time.

Brian

 

[jlaird]

yea, that's what everyone says. Coils are either working or not working, fooeee.

 

[Guest]

Sounds very much like my coil failure a couple of months back. It did the same thing with a sputter then cleared itself up. Next thing I know I'm pressing the gas coming into a straight and it feels like I've got one cylinder firing. She finally died and wouldn't fire at all. Swap the coil and see if that solves the mystery.

ditto, same thing happened to me.

 

[jlaird]

I could not reproduce my prob today. Soooooo I added two items to my in flight spares, two 36" wires with clamps on the ends. So I can jump the ign switch and or go from battery to coil direct.

Now for a new coil to add to the package along with points, condencer rotor.

Next time it quits I will be prepaired.

 

[jlaird]

Ordered Coil.

Went out for a bit local and it quit again. Pulled over right away. Hot wired the coil to the battery. Nothing. Noted coil was hot hot. Internal short to my way of thinking. After it cooled off I drove home, only a few blocks.

Miss Agatha is now parked waiting coil. Heh.

 

[lesingepsycho]

Definitely too much current SOMEWHERE. Only two possibilities in my opinion: #1Ballast resistor; #2 condensor. Sounds much like the problem I was having before I added an internally ballasted coil. Over-heat the primary side and short out the points. I know from the other thread that you were having points issues that would be consistent with these symptoms. Or could it also be a bad condensor letting too much current through? My $.02, one cent for each option :wink:

JACK

 

[CraigZ]

I had a coil that would do exactly what you're experiencing. Could drive for about ten minutes and the car would quit. Let it cool, it would run again for ten minutes then quit. Coil would get too hot to touch so I guessed something inside of it was going open from thermal expansion. Swapped out the coil, problem solved.

 

[jlaird]

Yup Craiqz, that is exactly my thought. Will find out when new coil arrives.

 

[TexasSprite]

Under normal operation how hot is a coil supposed to get? I have a Lucas Sport Coil on my 59BE (standard points) and it gets pretty hot to the touch. It is not a sear-the-flesh-off-your-hand kind of hot, put noticeably hot. Car seems to run OK.

 

[jlaird]

Good question, this was as hot or hotter than the valve cover.

Maybe someone knows for sure, or can check today after a ride.