Originally Posted by ultraranger

For whatever it's worth, a couple of weeks back, my truck started cutting out really bad on my way to work. It acted just like a fuel problem. End of the work day, I stumbled the truck back towards home when it died at the intersection of a stop light, 8 blocks from home. I had to drag the truck to the house. (Urrrrrhhhhh!!!!)

I let the truck (and myself) completely cool off. I eliminated it being fuel related when I put my timing light on and just observed its flashes. As long as the engine was cold, the timing light had a steady rhythm. Once the engine reached operating temperature though, the flashes became irattic. After a couple of more minutes, the light was off more than it was on and then the engine died.

I had put brand new points and condenser on just 4 or 5 months earlier (parts from O'Reilly's). The points and condenser have a lifetime warranty so, they replaced them with new ones for free. I also bought a second set of points and condenser.

I put the new condenser on and the engine fired right up. With the timing light hooked up, I just watched the flashes. The engine got up to operating temperature and the engine didn't cut out. I wrapped on the accelerator several times and the engine revved freely with no stumbling, missing or cutting out.

I took that condenser off (since I knew it was good) and put it in the glove box, along with the new set of points. I put the extra condenser on I had bought and tested it out. It worked fine too (at least for now) and it's still on there.

I could shake the bad condenser and hear the guts of it flopping around inside the housing. It was shorting out to the case.

Condenser Failure in Conventional Ignition Systems

Originally Posted by CougarJohn

Clearly you know what you are doing. You have ruled out distributor and timing chain wobble from your posts.
The parts guys are on it, methinks. Get quality stuff inside the distributor per Jeff, tune, and recheck with the timing light. The wobble must go away. Clearly, your problem is now ignition.
I think you are close to done.

Report back.

Semper Fi

Originally Posted by Alex from GA

For $70 at amazon for the Pertronix unit that will cure all your problems forever; it would be worth it on the couch for me.

Originally Posted by TeachNlive4ever

Phenix, Don't listen to these guys. Look your bride in the eye and tell her, This WILL fix it! (now don't smirk) Honey, we'll take it out in trade when the part comes in, unless you don't work on credit and I'm forced to do the trade now!


No couch in your future

Originally Posted by ultraranger

For whatever it's worth, a couple of weeks back, my truck started cutting out really bad on my way to work. It acted just like a fuel problem. End of the work day, I stumbled the truck back towards home when it died at the intersection of a stop light, 8 blocks from home. I had to drag the truck to the house. (Urrrrrhhhhh!!!!)

I let the truck (and myself) completely cool off. I eliminated it being fuel related when I put my timing light on and just observed its flashes. As long as the engine was cold, the timing light had a steady rhythm. Once the engine reached operating temperature though, the flashes became irattic. After a couple of more minutes, the light was off more than it was on and then the engine died.

I had put brand new points and condenser on just 4 or 5 months earlier (parts from O'Reilly's). The points and condenser have a lifetime warranty so, they replaced them with new ones for free. I also bought a second set of points and condenser.

I put the new condenser on and the engine fired right up. With the timing light hooked up, I just watched the flashes. The engine got up to operating temperature and the engine didn't cut out. I wrapped on the accelerator several times and the engine revved freely with no stumbling, missing or cutting out.

I took that condenser off (since I knew it was good) and put it in the glove box, along with the new set of points. I put the extra condenser on I had bought and tested it out. It worked fine too (at least for now) and it's still on there.

I could shake the bad condenser and hear the guts of it flopping around inside the housing. It was shorting out to the case.

Condenser Failure in Conventional Ignition Systems