Won't stay running
 

Parked my car two weeks ago and it was running fine. Went yesterday to fire it up and it fired right up...for about 5 seconds then died. That is all it does fires right but cant get it to stay running. .....it is getting gas to carb (HIF44) and there is spark to the plugs.
Here is what I have done: replaced elec fuel pump/filter, reset points and replaced condenser, took carb apart and cleaned/blew it out (jet was not sticking) and replaced coil with one I had that I know is good.
I'm thinking it may be the ignition switch (switch on steering column)...why? Because that is about all that is left that and maybe a rotor that I'll try and replace today (has an Aldon yellow dizzie that is less than 2 years old).
And, it has plenty of fresh fuel in the tank.

Any suggestions or ideas for running some basic tests?

Thanks

I am no expert by any stretch of the imagination, however, if your classic is SPI or MPI I would check the vacuum lines. Hey become brittle or the connectors crack for the same reason.

Thanks. No vacuum lines (lump not injected has carb) except to the brake booster which I plugged to see if that was the problem...it wasn't.

always helps to provide a basic description of the components in question like year, engine size, basic mods . . . .

Won't continue to run at "fast idle"?

Where is your timing?

When you are sure everything is right and the program still does not work, something you are sure of, is wrong . . .

If you are sure you have spark I'd check the timing since you messed around with the dizzy. Then I'd look at the fuel supply. Also, once when I took the carb apart and put back - the car ran like crud. I took it apart again and found nothing amiss but when I reassembled everything ran fine . . . .

I don't think it sounds like the ig switch but easy to test, just put a volt meter on the + side of the coil. You should see a steady 12 volts going in. If not you are on the right track as there is an electrical problem. You can even run a jumper from the battery (or the hot side of the starter sol'noid) to the coil and eliminate the in car wires. Once started, with such a jumper the car should continue to run if the problem is in the electricals feeding the ignition.

Next time I recommend you work on one system - ensure the car runs - then work on the next system. It limits the problem areas to investigate ..

When was the last time you changed the fuel filter?

psssst: don't hold your breath for a reply, the thread is from July 2011 . besides which he says: Here is what I have done: replaced elec fuel pump/filter

alto I'll repeat a comment I've made elsewhere to the OP

it helps others if you close the loop and share what the issue turned out to be.

Ironically, I have started having the same problem on my SPI. I don't know if the gas is bad around here or what, but, both are acting poorly at idle and there is an odd odor.

do they run better if you boost the idle? (on a carb'd Mini the first 1/2" <approx'> of the choke pull just engages 'fast idle', it only chokes after that . . . dunno about SPi)

are you running gas with eth', or eth' free?

I think I accidentally put in ethanol "enhanced" premium. I have new filters and am going to install them and drain the fuel.

that's MORE than 10% ethanol?

I run the 10% stuff all the time - adding an ethanol stabilizer. Went this route when learned my source of eth' free fuel was selling 92 octane that wasn't . . . OC does not like anything lower than 92 and let me know quickly that he didn't like the eth' free I bought.

Will stop and get the stabilizer in the morning and add it right away. Hopefully that is all that is needed. I'll let you know. Thanks.

Since it is an SPi, if it runs fine but won't idle, it is almost certainly one of the vacuum hoses or nipples that come from the backside of the intake manifold and go to the fuel trap, or from the fuel trap to the bottom of the ECU. Those connections have to be tight and there can be no issues with the hoses or it won't idle, but usually runs fine otherwise.

Hope that helps!

No that won't help your actual problem . . I guess I digressed too far ... the point I had was about low octane causing problems. My car wouldn't idle on low octane 'eth free' fuel ... lower octane than stated on the pump, so I went back to top tier fuel and use an additive. The add' I use does not boost octane, just deals with the bad effects of eth' (or so the advertising says . . .)

The post about checking vac' lines is a very good suggestion ... I too had an idle prob' that turned out to be a vac' leak. Plugged one orifice and things were MUCH better.

alto the curious thing in your situation as I understand it is you are seeing similar performance in TWO SPi cars . . . .????

****************

on the side

Randy hacked the site? or is an early insider?

post here says he has millions of posts when his name comes up

searching his posts yields less than 10

foul . . .

wow!

Posts: 4,294,967,295

He must be busy on here! :)