Ghost in this sucker
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Cross-Country
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
Ghost in this sucker
Here's the issues, an intermittent issue. Sometimes the truck will not start, hot or cold. Turns over fine, has 5.5 lbs fuel pressure. You might try to start it 8 times and nothing then boom fires right up. Sometimes it will die while driving, not a stumble like fuel. It just shuts off. Usually it will restart.
It's so intermittent I cant detect if it's spark, I checked it on one occasion it had no spark at the plug. Replaced the plug, tried it again and it started right up.
I suspected the coil and replaced it. Ran good for one day, it has new regulator, new battery.
I stumped guys and don't know what I'm overlooking.
It does however have a "Chinese" knock off electronic distributor from the previous owner.
It's so intermittent I cant detect if it's spark, I checked it on one occasion it had no spark at the plug. Replaced the plug, tried it again and it started right up.
I suspected the coil and replaced it. Ran good for one day, it has new regulator, new battery.
I stumped guys and don't know what I'm overlooking.
It does however have a "Chinese" knock off electronic distributor from the previous owner.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,626
Likes: 78
From: NE Texas
Had a similar issue with a Crane 700 ignition, turned out to be a heat related intermittent open circuit in the control box. Drove me out of my mind. In my case, when hot suddenly a 6 cylinder turned into a 4 cylinder, or no cylinder. Replaced it with a Pertronix and never had the problem again. Check that distributor?
Hotshot
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 14,333
Likes: 247
From: Stanley, VA
Is this for the '73 in your profile?
My first suspicion would be the "Chinese" ignition.
What type of ignition are you dealing with? Any name or information on it?
A '73 originally had points and condenser.
My first suspicion would be the "Chinese" ignition.
What type of ignition are you dealing with? Any name or information on it?
A '73 originally had points and condenser.
MSEE
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,386
Likes: 35
From: Austin, TX
You've indicated that at some point during the failure condition, there was no spark. It's hard to tell you where to troubleshoot further without knowing what kind of ignition system you're working with. However, it's likely isolated there.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 3,417
Likes: 32
A lot of times it's not so much the ignition switch itself, but the wiring and connector behind it. Previous owners love to tap into those key on hot wires with those horrible 3 way splices causing an intermittent short in your ignition.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,357
Likes: 3
From: S. Mississippi
I've also had a couple Duraspark boxes do this to me. Most of the time it was a hot failure, after I was already driving the truck. Occasionally though, they would fail I guess just from age.
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