'74 2L Starts Then Dies, Never a convenient time... Options

[GregAmy]

Nice beautiful New England Day, heading off to the Manchester CT car show and...car won't start. Cranks, a few cylinders fire, then it dies. I cycle the key and hear the pump running and then stop (as before) and same thing: spits then dies.

I tried cycling the key a few times, with the mindset of building more pressure, and it spits a few more cylinders then dies. Even got it to rev a little bit with a half-dozen key cycles, but always dies.

Only other symptoms is that I noticed the last time I drove it earlier in the week it was dying when I put in the clutch. Was not consistent, only did ti a few times, but that was unusual behavior.

Stock 2L fuel injection, but with cold start and idle air bypass systems disabled; been running fine like this for the several years I've had it.

Checked all the relays, each works with the heater blower. Swapping them makes no difference (which I expected, given the pump cycles with the key). My guess is that however the pump is supposed to continue to run after releasing the key, it's not getting the power it needs (just a guess, I've not gotten under there with a voltmeter to verify). The wiring diagrams are not clear (to me) how that power is applied to the fuel pump relay.

Any way to quickly salvage my afternoon trip to the car show, or am I using my beautiful afternoon to swap the street car onto the lift for extended diagnosis?

40-yr-old electrics, gotta love 'em.

- GA

[Mike D.]

Fuel injector Trigger points in the distributor...?

[GregAmy]

There is always Chris Foley around the corner from you before you give up. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Hah! Nope, not giving up. I have a good relationship with those guys (Chris fabbed the race car for the prior owner and built the engine that's in it now) so I'll figger it out. Chip, chip, chipping away.

Fuel injector Trigger points in the distributor...?

I've ordered the reman Cardone distributor from Advance. Counter Guy swears that if it's in the computer then he can get it (I'm doubtful) so we'll see.

I've temp-wired a switch in the engine compartment to ground the CSV for now and verified that the CSV shoots a nice pattern with key crank. We'll see if that makes any difference on cold starts.

In the market for a good used thermoswitch.

[Mike D.]

There is always Chris Foley around the corner from you before you give up. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Hah! Nope, not giving up. I have a good relationship with those guys (Chris fabbed the race car for the prior owner and built the engine that's in it now) so I'll figger it out. Chip, chip, chipping away.

Fuel injector Trigger points in the distributor...?

I've ordered the reman Cardone distributor from Advance. Counter Guy swears that if it's in the computer then he can get it (I'm doubtful) so we'll see.

I've temp-wired a switch in the engine compartment to ground the CSV for now and verified that the CSV shoots a nice pattern with key crank. We'll see if that makes any difference on cold starts.

In the market for a good used thermoswitch.

Dist. trigger points don't fire the CSV/injector.
you can pull the distributor, remove/clean/check trigger points and re-instal on the stock dist. in the meantime. Or check for continuity while someone is cranking (disconnect coil while handling dist. in car)