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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ Sitting on the side of the road

Posted by: 80cap Aug 8 2017, 08:34 PM

:
The car was running fine the it was like I shut off the key.
Took it out with the wife and it pooped out.
Old cars!

Posted by: mepstein Aug 8 2017, 08:37 PM

Mine did the same thing last year. Bad relay board in the engine compartment. Swapped a new - used on to n and it started right up. Don't ask how long it took to figure out.

Posted by: 80cap Aug 8 2017, 11:06 PM

Just got home At 01:00AM. The little yellow frustration is snug in the barn. I will
tear into the beast tomorrow. Enough for one night.

Posted by: saigon71 Aug 9 2017, 05:50 AM

Sorry to hear. It's happened to a lot of us.

Carbs or FI?

Posted by: jkb944t Aug 9 2017, 05:56 AM

That stinks, especially when the wife is with you! Hopefully something simple.

Jeff B

Posted by: cuddyk Aug 9 2017, 07:31 AM

Hence the flatbed thread. Congrats! You've now graduated to the next level of 914 ownership. Extra pain points for your wife being in the car.

Add your pic...

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=175444&hl=

The way you've described it, sounds like an electrical issue. The same thing happened to me and it ended up being a dying coil which would get hot and quit. I'm sure the brain trust here will help you get back on the road soon. You'll have to work on your wife's confidence yourself. Jewelry helps.

Posted by: 76-914 Aug 9 2017, 07:34 AM

If you weren't in a state of rage and happened to take a pic, post it in the "flatbed thread". Glad you two (3) made it home safe. It happens with old cars. Some of us are on a first name basis with the tow truck driver. I was lucky enough to break down as I pulled into my driveway a few years back.

Posted by: 7TPorsh Aug 9 2017, 09:05 AM

This exact thing happened to me early on. It was the wires under the passenger seat and center console. Sat in the passenger seat and grounded out....

Posted by: theer Aug 9 2017, 09:34 AM

Same thing happened to me.. including my wife in the car. I was able to figure it out, and avoid the tow.. this time.

I have carbs, so for me the problem was the live auxiliary air valve power wire (not used with carbs) shorted to the block and blew the fuel pump fuse.

Hope it's something easy to fix. Good luck.

Posted by: ndfrigi Aug 9 2017, 10:08 AM

It happened to me last year after Cars and Coffee, drove more than 25 miles back home and running smoothly like 85 mph on freeway. And less than a mile away from home, at stop light, engine shot down. Issue, pertronix ignition failed.

Posted by: 80cap Aug 9 2017, 01:30 PM

Did some trouble shooting today. I have 12 volts to the coil, Ohm checks out on the blue coil,no spark. My guess is the ignition module. I have a spare distributer so I'll thy that next.
Ps. I did not think to take a picture of the roll back.

Posted by: cuddyk Aug 9 2017, 02:17 PM

are you running pertronix or some sort of electronic ignition? If so, that's probably it. They tend to fail instantly...rather than gradually over time.

There are ways to test pertronix in the car before you start pulling things apart. Go to their website and search for the procedure. Or follow this...

https://itstillruns.com/do-test-pertronix-ignition-7993715.html

Posted by: GeorgeRud Aug 9 2017, 09:14 PM

I've owned my 914-6 since 1977, and have been fortunate to only have to have one flatbed tow in all those years. I'd say that's been pretty good reliability!

Posted by: RickS Aug 9 2017, 09:57 PM

The Monday before last my starter gave up the ghost 6 miles from home. Tried to push start it, but no luck. Flat bedded 1/4 mile to Redmond European in Redmond here it joined 4 other teeners. Was good to go with a high torque light weight version the next morning.

The good news is that the week before I was 250 miles away in Oregon for 3 days and it never missed a beat.

Posted by: snakemain Aug 10 2017, 02:00 PM

I was there Sunday. About 40 miles into a fantastic drive when it quit while doing 70 on I-40. Coasted off and there was a little smoke coming from the battery pos terminal. Switched to a good battery, but no spark. Towed home and troubleshooting now to see if it's the coil or the ignition that's fried.

Posted by: stugray Aug 10 2017, 02:10 PM

Sorry about the car, they do have gremlins now & then.

This thread made me think about something: I am 50 years old, and have broken down DOZENS of times in my life....

I Have NEVER called a tow truck. I have either fixed it at the side of the road, called a friend to come help me, or towed it with my own vehicles.
I guess I just refuse to admit defeat.

Posted by: 80cap Aug 12 2017, 06:56 AM

I had time this morning to swap out the new Pertronix distributor with my spare and it started right up. I guess I got a bad one. Sending it back Monday.

Posted by: 76-914 Aug 12 2017, 07:10 AM

Keep a spare set in the glove box. I've never had a unit go bad but I do keep a spare set onboard. CAVU

Posted by: Unobtanium-inc Aug 12 2017, 09:55 AM

A good rule of thumb for anyone in the car hobby, if you're going to drive a 40 year old car, carry a AAA+ card. It's actually rather free-ing as a card, you don't worry about breaking down because you have 200 miles free to get back home.