Stalling 68 Bus for no apparent reason. Help

My 68 Bus always starts right up, runs smooth all the time (normaly) but has been stalling on and off over the past several months. The van will just suddenly stall as if the ignition was turned off and leaving it in gear to try and coast/jump start it will not restart the engine. But if I turn the ignition off and then start it normally, it starts up as if nothing were wrong. Lately this has been happening several times a day! UGH! I replaced the coil 2 days ago and this did not fix the problem. It seems to be an electrical problem but I know not from where. I have tried wiggling wires at the headlight switch, coil, distributor, battery and alternator without stalling symptoms. I have a 2 year old Alternator installed with internal regulator, Pertronix Igniter and the rest is stock. I think this problem may have started after I installed the pertronix but not right away. Sometimes the problem would go away for a few months but now is pretty bad. Anyone have similar problems with Pertronix? Any other ideas?

P.S. Lights and other electrics do not lose power when this happens.

TIA, Brett

Reply to
Brett
Loading thread data ...

Could be the electrical part of the ignition switch or the Pertronix itself. Try rigging up a test light at the + on the coil that you can view while driving.

See if it goes out when it stalls. You could do the same to the switch, hook it onto the circuit that feeds the ignition.

-ANT

Stop that. To reply change my ISP to @hotmail.com

Reply to
ANT

Sounds familiar! Hook up a timing light to see when / if the spark fails. It helps to have one of those han-held vacuum pumps for this test - hook the pump up to the vacuum advance housing and pump away. Do it several times. If you don't have the pump, figure out how work that linkage with a screwdriver or something. What I'm getting at is the possibility that the wire coming out of the pertronix unit is flexing as the breaker plate moves and all the flexing takes place right where it exits the unit. The wires strands inside break but the insulation still looks good.

If it was a later model I'd say you might have a double relay failing.

If you can rig your timing light so that you can see it in the mirror by using duct tape or whatever means, you'll be able to see if it is indeed ignition related.

- Busahaulic

Pertronix itself.

can view while

to the switch, hook

time (normaly) but

months. The van will

and leaving it in

engine. But if

starts up as if

several times a day!

the problem. It

where. I have

distributor, battery

year old Alternator

the rest is

installed the

would go away for a

problems with

this happens.

Reply to
Busahaulic

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.