HELP--wife is starting to enjoy this, flat-towed me in again Options

[anderssj]

The 14 died again--this time I couldn't get it to restart.

Wife flat-towed me home for the second time in the last month or so . . . not only is she getting pretty good driving the tow car, she's started laughing when she pulls up in the parking lot (at least she's not pointing and laughing yet).

The car ran great yesterday AM while it was still reasonably cool--but once it started to warm up (85F+), it started to mis-fire, almost like running out of gas.

It finally died approaching the parking lot on base. Pulled the carb covers and confirmed it was getting gas, but was unable to check spark. Once I got it home, I was able to confirm 12v at the + side of the coil, but that's as far as I got.

FWIW, last time it did this was also on a hot day . . .

Will a coil that's on the way out quit as temps go up?

I'll probably start a full ignition tune-up tomorrow, but would really appreciate any tips on what else to look for.

Thanks in advance,

Steve A-

[Dead Air]

Don't know much but maybe it's vapor lock?
Does it run ok after it has a chance to cool down?
Does it have fresh gas?
My Mazda did the same thing the first six or seven times I had it out until that tank was burned through? (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/confused24.gif)

[anderssj]

Thanks--gas is reasonably fresh, filled within last few weeks. Have never had a problem with vapor lock before, but that doesn't mean it isn't the problem. That's something else to look into tomorrow. Any ideas on where to start with that?

Thanks again!

[scotty b]

Despite what some will say a coil CAN and DOES act up when going bad. Some seem to think it either werks or doesn't. I have personally had one that would be chugging along fine and just quit. After getting out, popping the hood and smacking the coil, the car would start right up and run fine for days or weeks before acting up again. Eventually it got to where it would start "chocking" before it died. I finally replaced it and has been fine for 2 years now. You could also have a fuel pump locking up. Is it still in the back? If so moving it up front away from the heat will correct that problem. Check your plugs for fouling, and particularly right after it dies for flooding.Good luck

[anderssj]

Thanks . . .

Yes, the pump is still in the back--that's another thing on the "to do" list. Like I said, it hasn't caused a problem in the past--but at 33 years old that doesn't mean too much. I did add an additional circuit a few years back; it bypasses the pump relay. I can power up the pump with the engine off--it allows me to hear it pumping fuel back into the tank.

But that also makes me wonder if it could be the relay board (also 33 years old). IIRC, + voltage for pump and coil both come through that board and if there's an "open" on either circuit it would kill the car, correct?

More to look at later today . . .

(also working on wife.gov's car today--a recently replaced alternator failed while son was using her car for prom last PM. Needless to say, all this car stuff is getting me "in solid" with the boss . . . .)

Thanks again

(BTW, that avatar looks familiar . . . .)