84 Caprice, intermittent stalling/starting

start.

I once rebuilt a MGA that did something like that. It was a loose wire

in the distributor. I'm betting your problem is a loose wire someplace. Good luck....Ernie

Visit Topic URL to contact author (reg. req'd). Report abuse:

84Woody wrote: 1984 Caprice Classic Estate wagon, 5.0L. < .... engine quits dead at random times...>

____________________________________________

Could be an intermittent failure of the ignition module.

We had to replace modules on 5 vehicles in 20 years. We lived in Las Vegas, where the heat is hard on transistors.

Good luck.

Wendy & John. ____________________________________________

"84Woody" wrote: > I own a 1984 Caprice Classic Estate wagon, 5.0L. I have > replaced the timing chain, EGR, PCV, rebuilt the carb twice > then replaced it, fuel pump, fuel filter, removed the air > conditioning unit, new plugs, distributor, replaced intake > manifold gasket, rad, thermostat, muffler, others I'm sure. > Anyway, a few dollars spent to bring the old woody up to a > very nice condition with only 85 thousand miles on it. The > motor has never run better, sounds great. > > Here's the problem. I drove around the other day, about 30 > miles, I drove home to drop something off and left the car > running. A few steps from the car it stalls, no sputtering, > just stops. I get it started fairly easy but rather than drive > too far I do a short errand, in the store for 15 minutes and > very difficult for it to start. On the way home it just quits, > no sputtering, just quits, then it will not start. I left it > on the side of the road, walked home. I came back to the car > an hour and a half later and it ran like a top for the rest of > the day. > > There is no vacuum in the gas tank, there is fuel coming from > the gas tank to the fuel filter. This problem is so > frustrating, any suggestions?

I installed a new distributor last summer, so I don?t see any loose wires. I did replace the ignition module. Initial startup was good. That evening I wanted to try a test drive, but it took 5 mins to get the car started. I drove up the highway and within 5 mins a received a sputtering and could see that I was losing vacuum from my gauges. I continued on, in the slow lane though, and a few more mins I lost vacuum again with the sputtering. I got off the highway and the second stop sign the car just died. It took 5 mins to start. This all happened 10 mins from home. It now seemed to run really well so I just drove around the city for 45 mins without incident until I headed home, I came to a stop sign and the car just died again. No sputtering, it just quit. So it appears that there may still be a fuel and electrical problem. I swear, there is a ghost in this car.

I've had a similar problem like this with my 78 Caddy years ago....

Carry a spare coil and transfer them when it dies, see if that is the culprit.

I'm referring to the main hei coil inside of the cap.

H> > I own a 1984 Caprice Classic Estate wagon, 5.0L. I have

On old cars, I like running an inline fuel filter near the gas tank, and checking for dirt build up. Use the Alkyd plastic cap and rotor, the milky plastic styrene caps and rotors sometimes act up, usually die for good, not come back from the dead.

"451CTDS" wrote: > ody" wrote: > &nbsp;&nbsp;>> > I own a 1984 Caprice Classic Estate wagon, > 5.0L. I have > &nbsp;&nbsp;>> > replaced the timing chain, EGR, PCV, rebuilt > the carb twice > &nbsp;&nbsp;>> > then replaced it, fuel pump, fuel filter, > removed the air > &nbsp;&nbsp;>> > conditioning unit, new plugs, distributor, > replaced intake > &nbsp;&nbsp;>> > manifold gasket, rad, thermostat, muffler, > others I'm sure. > &nbsp;&nbsp;>> > Anyway, a few dollars spent to bring the old > woody up to a > &nbsp;&nbsp;>> > very nice condition with only 85 thousand > miles on it. The > &nbsp;&nbsp;>> > motor has never run better, sounds great. > &nbsp;&nbsp;>> >

Sound like a wire or something lose or something electronic?

I gathered you check for gas before the fuel filter when it happened

then do the old sparkplug check when it happens or try priming the

carb with some fresh gas to make sure

Carry a sparkplug wrench / or checker with you and check to make

sure you have spark when it happens. I have a similiar problem

but I isolated it to the tank or the fuel tank switch.

"84Woody" wrote: > I own a 1984 Caprice Classic Estate wagon, 5.0L. I have > replaced the timing chain, EGR, PCV, rebuilt the carb twice > then replaced it, fuel pump, fuel filter, removed the air > conditioning unit, new plugs, distributor, replaced intake > manifold gasket, rad, thermostat, muffler, others I'm sure. > Anyway, a few dollars spent to bring the old woody up to a > very nice condition with only 85 thousand miles on it. The > motor has never run better, sounds great. > > Here's the problem. I drove around the other day, about 30 > miles, I drove home to drop something off and left the car > running. A few steps from the car it stalls, no sputtering, > just stops. I get it started fairly easy but rather than drive > too far I do a short errand, in the store for 15 minutes and > very difficult for it to start. On the way home it just quits, > no sputtering, just quits, then it will not start. I left it > on the side of the road, walked home. I came back to the car > an hour and a half later and it ran like a top for the rest of > the day. > > There is no vacuum in the gas tank, there is fuel coming from > the gas tank to the fuel filter. This problem is so > frustrating, any suggestions?

:D Finally... the problem is solved. It was the red ignition wire that connects to the outside of the distributor cap. Unreal. Now the Woody is running like a top. Thanks everyone for helping pin-point the problem.