Left me stranded, started, died again.

[Longhorn Paul]

After a few months of problem free ownership on the way home my 69 started rough idling and then just died. Right in the middle of a busy road. Wouldn't turn over. Nothing. Got under the hood, moved a couple wires, nothing. Called for a tow. Tried again. Got the starter to fire. She coughed to life, got her to the mechanic.

Tigthend a few wires, started & stopped her 4 times. No issues. Left the mechanic... 800 yards down the road she just died - engine just quit. Would not restart. Turned over fine, but wouldn't start. Took the gas cap off (vapor lock?). Didn't help. Tried starter fluid: fire for a second or two and die. Seems like she's starved for fuel.

Suggestions? 396 motor.

[Billla]

Well, those are the places to start - fuel and spark.

[dieselarmy13]

Just trade me your 396 for my perfectly running 350. That should get you goin!

[2nd_wnd]

mine was doing that a couple weeks ago. after looking ti over I found that my fuel line from pump to carb was collapsing when engine got up to temp. Always a good place to start

[Shyguy]

Mine was doing the same thing so I ended up replacing all the rubber fuel line which included the one underneath just below tank.

Also you might check the fuel filter. If it is a Q-jet it is where the fuel line screws into the carb.

Danny

[special-K]

Sounds like it`s out of fuel,dirt in line,collapsed line.,or bad fuel pump.

[Premium72]

check your fuel line. i had some issue with this and it was sumthing with the line. i took the line off at the carb pointed the hose towards the ground turn the engine over for a bit(pumping sum gas out and what ever else). then pourd some fresh gas str8 in the carb and let it run till it died, to insure it was totally cleared out. replaced the line, been good ever since. good luck.

[custom72c20]

that sounds like what happend to me. take the distributor cap off and look inside. mine had a hole in it where the rotor touches the coil. (HEI)

[BurnoutNova]

my 67 did somthing similar to this when i first bought it. it idled great, but going down the road it would act like it was running out of gas. the fuel filter was totally full of crud. replaced it and it runs great now.

[68GMCCustom]

I thought it sounded like a bad positive cable or the power lead coming off the starter?

[BurnoutNova]

Originally Posted by 68GMCCustom

I thought it sounded like a bad positive cable or the power lead coming off the starter?

yeah, with the way it had nothing at all till he tightened some stuff up... it probly has more than one issue (like ALL my vehicles )

[special-K]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Paul

After a few months of problem free ownership on the way home my 69 started rough idling and then just died. Right in the middle of a busy road. *Wouldn`t turn over.Nothing. Got under the hood, moved a couple wires, nothing. Called for a tow. Tried again. Got the starter to fire. She coughed to life, got her to the mechanic.

*Are you saying you turned the key and there`s no click or anything at the starter?That is probably a bad connection or corrosion at the battery/starter cables or connection to the ignition.If the battery had full charge,it was likely the battery connection to the starter.

Tigthend a few wires, started & stopped her 4 times. No issues. Left the mechanic... 800 yards down the road she just died - engine just quit. Would not restart. *Turned over fine,but wouldn`t start. Took the gas cap off (vapor lock?). Didn't help. Tried starter fluid: fire for a second or two and die. Seems like she's starved for fuel.

*So,it was cranking but not firing?If you`re getting fuel all the way to the carb and the filter in the carb is good,it could be a bad accelerator pump.

Suggestions? 396 motor.

It sounds like two seperate issues.

[GruntyPants]

Paul,
I know it sounds standard, but do you have a good ground? Seriously check both battery cables. Those things will oxidize beneath the insulation and be useless even if they look okay. Double check your ground connection to the engine block too, take it off and wire-wheel the bolt and connector to make sure you really are getting a connection. The positive connection on the starter needs to be checked and cleaned as well.

The fuel system checks are just as valid, but if the truck dies then won't turn over at all, it's definitely electrical.

Shawn

[Yukon Jack]

After having my K5 do very similar things I replaced the fuel pump and my problem was solved. I think it was cdowns who recommended pulling the fuel line and see who much fuel it was pumping to see if it was going bad. My post on my issue would be about a month old in the engine subforum.

[Longhorn Paul]

Thanks everyone for all the solid advice and suggestions.

The rig had been upgraded from mechanical to electronic fuel pump and when that was done the fuel lines had been re-routed. Apparently, they were too close to the block? and got hot. That, combined with a replacement gas cap (from napa) that was unvented caused a vapor lock and starved the motor.

Looks like I had a combo problem - vapor lock w/ a loose wire (which wouldn't allow the starter to fire). The appeared connected but they weren't. The day she died on me was the warmest day I'd had her out so it all seems to fit.

Thanks again for the help.

Paul