electrical problem

[cardude]

I have gone bonkers because of my car. To make a painfully long story short I have replaced everything with exception of coil and wiring. After putting in a single wire alt it idled and ran great until I got to work, then it stopped idling again. To recap the problem, car would not idle it would bogg out and die, but running above 2K it would run relatively smoothly. after changing almost everything (carb, fuel pump, filters, plugs wires, distrib, !!)

question is could something be blowing my voltage regulators and if so what could it possibly be?? or could it be a coil that will cause the problem??

 

[xoxbxfx]

Arent the single wire alternators internally regulated? Could be a fuel problem... Id put in one of those cheap glass filters to see if it's getting dirty. My car did the same thing a long time ago and it was becasue all the sediment would get sucked into the filter at idle but at a high idle it would be fine. You could literally see the sediment in the suck into the filter and let loose.

 

[cardude]

okay will give the low down of what has happened.

* had bad gas, flushed the tank, new filters (one clear one can filter, clear filter looks clean and no particles)- still ran rough
* grabbed a different carb - still rough (tried carb on other car, purred like a kitty)
* replaced fuel pump - still rough
* new cap, rotor, wires, plugs, crane XI points replacement - still rough
* replaced old alt and volt reg with 140A powermaster single wire - Ran perfectly until I got to work (about 2 hours of staring and jumping up and down with Joy, and about 15 miles of driving) - runs rough again... gahhh

only thing I have not touched is the coil and ignition switch.

so given that I am back after all of this, I plan to get a coil but could something be forking up my voltage regulators?? any thoughts on what and where / how to check?? I am really at the end of my rope with this car...

 

[mustangmike6996]

well i read over this really quick but it sounds like you dont know what system is acting up. first off you must determine the system that is faulty BEFORE replacing parts. is it possible you hit your distributer while changing the alternator. check timing. check battery voltage key off vehicle off. check the battery voltage at idle and at 2000 rpm. your looking at 13.5-14.5v if its close most likely not the cause. if the ignition system and charging system is ok check the fuel system. if i were you id check the components you upgraded first (assuming that you only had the issue AFTER you upgraded the alt.)

let us know about the charging system. if you go as far as to maybe even take it a independent repair shop (firestone/sears) and have the alternator output checked.

 

[woodsnake]

Cracked vacuum line any where? What is your idle speed? How old is the timing gear set? How much engine vacuum do you have?

 

[cardude]

thanks for the input, I will definately get the voltage tested. Most pieces I had on hand so it was not as much going out and buying stuff as it was swapping stuff for the new stuff I had to put on the engine.

we tested vacuum line on and off that did not seem to be a problem because the timing curve seemed to respond to vacuum, also did the spray around the intake/carb with wd-40 trick and no appearent surge or fall in RPM.

There is less than 1000 miles on a full rebuild and the engine ran great for the first 990 miles. I borrowed neighbors coil (off a known good running engine) and am going to try that today after work. also going to find someone with a volt meter to test the voltage.

for idle speed the car will not idle, anything under 1000 - 1200 RPM and the car just stumbles and dies like it ran out of gas, but I have good fuel pressure and the carb is working as it should...

 

[xoxbxfx]

Id check the timing