I need your guys' support please.

[Imperial Kustom]

Most of you have seen the pink (I still don't know the factory name for the color) '63 GMC I drive. Recently it has been declining in the running department. It all started when the Air Zenith compressor took a dump. Then the Viair took a dump. After that the electrical to the compressor caught the truck on fire three times in one week. Then the motor developed an intermittent miss under load and then started missing more frequently. Last week it dropped a cylinder, caught fire pretty bad (fourth one!) and now it hits on all eight but loses cylinders at idle. It runs so rough that it won't idle period. The mill has less than 20,000 miles on it too! Some buddies had to wrestle the gas can away from me this weekend as I was going to simply torch the thing up and watch it burn. That would be a shame though as this truck doesn't even have 47,000 miles on it. Wanna help lift my spirits here?

[**grumpy**]

Haha. Dont know where to start...
Just walk away. It will be easier once you've taken a step back.

That helped huh??

[Imperial Kustom]

It's my daily driver though.

[joe231]

I feel your pain and frustration....but it will get better....How is that for some motivational speaking?


stare into my avatar and the world will be right again..........

[Alan's Classic]

Since you can't step away from it cuz it's your daily driver, go buy another truck and choose the lesser of the 2 evils to be the daily driver. Then fix the one you don't drive. just my .02

[bubba327]

If you have fires it sounds like electrical issues. Maybe old or undersized gauge wiring to compressor or other added loads? Does the battery stay charged? Is the alternator large enough? Check fusing. Fuses properly sized should open the fault before a fire occurs. Low voltage or alternator problems could cause weak spark at idle. Like Grumpy said --step back and think first --Sleep on it
It will be simple once you find the problem -- good luck

[bubba327]

How is the vacuum? any melted/ leaking hoses?

[jason65]

What motor is it? When sparkplugs get fuel soaked they will act like what you are saying. How did #4 catch fire? You talkin about plug wire? Need more info. Is it running ritch? Old distributer? Fuel in motor oil?

[jbgroby]

I wish I could say something enlighting like the other guys, but they have covered the bases already.

However, maybe it's so low to the ground that the earths magnetic force is affecting the coil emmisions and the comm's systems is overloaded?

[jonzcustomshop]

I know the feeling... I thought I smoked the cam in my 65, I was trying to figure out where and how to get another motor or chang the cam....
then a friend listened to it and mentioned that it was just a broken spring on the fuel pump
you can just air up your bags to ride hieght and leave them can't you?
the sbc might be smoked.. but luckily they are one of the cheapest of any engine choice you could have.
might be easy enough to put a cheap runner in it if you can source one.
***you have probably thought of this.. but carry a fire extinguisher!***

[protrash64]

I think its time for a wiring harness upgrade. You oughta be able to thrash it in there in about 2 hours judging by how fast you got the truck done. Sounds like you have something drawing alot of juice and damaged wiring. Are your compressors running off a relay? What alternator are you running? I'd also check the starter circuit out; I had a complete meltdown destroy my starter and battery one time.

[Imperial Kustom]

I got off work a little early today, went to the DMV, and registered my '97 Sonoma. Daily driver problem solved. I also pulled a new ignition module out of my stash-o-parts, so we'll see what happens. As for the first three fires, all were caused by a faulty switch to the compressor, which has an inline 40 amp fuse and a relay. The fourth was because the starter is taking a dump. I went to crank the truck over and the starter drew WAY too much on the system and smoked all the underhood wiring. New starter will be here tonight. I put a new harness in and yes, it did take about two hours! The miss has me boggled. At first it was only under load in third and fourth. Had me thinkin the advance mechanism in the distributor might be toast. IT WAS SCREWED!!!! Rebuilding did not help though. Now the miss likes to swap cylinders. Number one and six. Telltale signs of a vacuum leak, so I will test for that too. If none of this works, I will also check the valve action. I already had to replace one set of heads and pushrods in this motor due to bad gas varnishing and sticking the valves. I am the guy who never gives up. I will conquer this B!*ch!!!

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by Imperial Kustom

......As for the first three fires, all were caused by a faulty switch to the compressor, which has an inline 40 amp fuse and a relay. ......

If your wiring is catching fire, your fuse is mis-sized for the wire gauge. It's that simple, the fuse should be matched to the wire size. Apparently, whatever size of wire you are running is not rated to carry 40 amps. You need either a bigger wire or a smaller fuse.

[protrash64]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

If your wiring is catching fire, your fuse is mis-sized for the wire gauge. It's that simple, the fuse should be matched to the wire size. Apparently, whatever size of wire you are running is not rated to carry 40 amps. You need either a bigger wire or a smaller fuse.

For 40a circuit you should use a #8g wire at least...Id bump it to #6 if you only have one compressor and a large tank.

[Imperial Kustom]

oh. The alternator is 65 amp.

[Imperial Kustom]

yeah. the fuse is between the compressors and the switch, Terrible place, I know. But I did figure out my miss. Apparently the power lead to the HEI wasn't carrying a full 12 volts. Rewired it and I'm good to go! Just waiting on the starter and blanket now and all systems should be go and I should be back in reliabilityville!!!! Thanks guys for all your support and input during my emo moment. That's why I love this site!

[Dadsredwagon]

it may be a pain now, but i love the feeling when I drive by some one in a nice NEW ride and get the thumbs up!!! way too many good times will come for you hang in there

[bubba327]

On coil/points distributors there was a resister wire in the harness which dropped the voltage down to save the points. The starter had a set of contacts which closed and sent full voltage to the coil only while the starter is engaged. Moral of the story-If you install a HEI-- find and remove the resister wire and replace it. Glad you are progressing-- Imperial Kustom We have not met yet but I passed you the other day on Chinden. Truck looked good.It was not on fire at the time!!!

[Imperial Kustom]

Thanks guys! Up 'til now, this truck has been super reliable, and the '62 was as well before I pulled it off the road. The compressor cable is indeed 6 gauge wire! It's a fat mother faker!!! Hopefully the new starter with a heat blanket will solve my woes as far as that goes and I can go back to worry free cruising, which I do a LOT! This stupid thing gets better than 400 miles to a tank, so I drive the wheels off it! Thanks for the compliment Bubba! Can't wait to meet ya in person one-o-these days. And feel free to call me Cameron.

[naynay]

just post up some pics from it's hay day and let us all stare at them

[Imperial Kustom]

Its already in its heyday. She's back up and runnin like a champ as she always does!

[joe231]

where are the pics then???

[kdrodworks316]

Joe, askin for pix, never!

[joe231]

[Imperial Kustom]

Theyve been posted on here before, but I know you guys still need your fix!! It's got a front bumper on it now too...