[grivera]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

I'm thinking along the same lines as George...What would trouble me is that some times you're not getting the starter to turn. That would have nothing to do with ignition or fuel. You either have two separate problems or one thing that is common to ignition and starter voltage.
So, the starter problem was just a couple of times...or fairly regular?
Checking for spark should be 1st thing on the list.

Out of about 10-12 times trying to start it, about 3 times there was nothing. However, these were more periods where I tried to start it so actual turning of the key in those cases was more. In other words when it decided to not even click, it would do it until I gave up and tried later to start it and suddenly it would crank.

[TAQuest]

Originally Posted by grivera

Out of about 10-12 times trying to start it, about 3 times there was nothing. However, these were more periods where I tried to start it so actual turning of the key in those cases was more. In other words when it decided to not even click, it would do it until I gave up and tried later to start it and suddenly it would crank.

That really sounds like the ignition switch is going bad. Or possibly the starter has a dead spot.

[grivera]

Any idea if a faulty ignition switch can cause a car to stall? In my case, the car was already running and suddenly stalled. It cranked immediately after but would not start.

[TAQuest]

Originally Posted by grivera

Any idea if a faulty ignition switch can cause a car to stall? In my case, the car was already running and suddenly stalled. It cranked immediately after but would not start.

It definitely can cause the engine to stall.

However, it's just as likely you have two different things going on at once.

Now on the switch in a 69 Firebird. There are some small screws holding it in place. If the screws come loose the rod that extends to energize the starter will not quite make the connection. This happens gradually and does what you described. I would check the switch and make sure it is mounted firmly.

[george kujanski]

On a "A" body the fusible link is wrapped up in the engine harness that lays on top of the driver's side valve cover. It's really a longer piece of smaller gauge wire folded on itself a few times. The power thru the firewall goes thru this link. The purpose is if there is a lot of current due to a fault downstream, the link acts as a fuse to break the circuit.

Over time it may have gotten weak from previous faults and may now be intermittent.

George

[grivera]

Thanks for the tips fellas

[grivera]

By myself- all I could check is spark and battery voltage. Used a in line work tester in #1 plug wire- no spark when cranking. Battery has 12.6 volts. With key in “run” position, 12 volts at pos coil terminal.

Removed dizzy cap and rotor- nothing jumps out at me.

[Schurkey]

HEI diagnosis second half of article:

https://www.chevelles.com/techref/ftecref5.html

[STEELCITYFIREBIRD]

I'm highly confident you likely have two separate problems, and the starter problem may not be a problem at all. (If you have power to the coil and dizzy!) It may be unhappy with the extended cranking. If you find that you have no power to the coil, the ignition switch could then be suspect.

I'm not sure where the coil gets its power from on one of these setups, assuming the same feed as the module.


Check for spark at the coil next to eliminate the cap, rotor and wires..
Spark present at coil, your problem is in the cap,rotor, or wires.
Still no spark.
Check for power to the coil, key on (check both sides in case the polarity was inadvertently installed reversed)

No spark at coil, but power present.
If you have NO power to the coil, find out why .(..or provide temporary power supply)
If you have power to coil , move your test light to the ground side of the coil, it should flash when cranking.

If it doesn't flash, the module, ignition coil, wiring between the dizzy and coil, pickup coil are the next suspects...in that order,( as long as the dizzy is turning!)

If you have power to the coil, and provide a ground to the other side the coil should fire when you switch the ground. Coil works but may have taken out module.
https://www.davessmallbodyheis.com/s...il-filled-coil

I highly suspect a module....and a coil, if you have power to the coil key on.



Shoot me a PM and I'll give you my cell # if you want me to walk you thru the diagnosis.
HTH,( and makes sense...it's late and been a long day!)

[STEELCITYFIREBIRD]

ANd I now see you have power to the coil.
....ANd I'm off to bed

[Greg Reid]

Originally Posted by grivera

With key in “run” position, 12 volts at pos coil terminal.

Removed dizzy cap and rotor- nothing jumps out at me.

Check that same voltage when cranking the engine. You have a separate source for 'run' and 'start' . If it's missing, you have found the source of trouble and the reason no spark when cranking.

[grivera]

Thanks- need time and another set of eyes so I can do more testing!

[steve25]

Should it turn out that you have good spark and the motor cranks good as needed, then maybe did get a bad load of fuel!

In that case pull off the Carb, drain it out then bolt it back and fill the fuel bowl up thru the vent tube with good gas until the accelerator pump moves a shot of fuel into the Manifold.

Do not hook up the fuel line for this test but cap it off and then see if and how the motor fires up.

[East]

My 1969 Firebird was shutting off intermittently during drives and I could not figure out why. I could turn the key and it would crank but sometimes it would not start.

When it was safely at home, it would start and it would be hard to figure it out because it was running.

One evening I decided to drive it to get gas and it began to show signs it was going to die before I had made it to gas station. I tried to get it back home the few miles I was away and it died. The engine cranked fast enough to start but no go.

We pushed it as far as we could but me and my friend are smokers and way out of shape. We felt as though we were pushing a semi up hill. I walked home and got the van and I pushed the Firebird the rest of the way home with the van.

Once it was in the garage, I had my friend crank it and I grabbed the harness, close to the fuse block and it fired up. I started to juggle the harness and it sometimes would misfire.

Not sure if this will point you to anything. I never did anything after that and it doesn't cut off anymore. I don't drive it unless I'm taking it to get smog tested, and I'm lazy these days. I will eventually get back to it when I have absolutely nothing that I have on the honey- do list.

Good luck with your search.

[East]

I meant that I grabbed a hold of, pulled, and jiggled/moved it around. And then I messed up the subject line;Engine compartment main harness.

The harness was replaced many years ago. There may be something loose or worn enough to ground.

My father had a Chevy Celebrity that he had wired up a switch to so he could start it. One day we had a look at it and we ended up working with the fuse block. We got to that point because in the process of moving around the harness, my father turned the key and engine started. We separated the inside
half with the outside half, seated all of the wires and put it back together. He was then able to start the car with the key.

It's kind of strange but I never related the two problems; I just now remembered my father's car and that same problem. They occurred several years apart.

Good luck with your search for the problem.

-----Kevin

[389]

Run a piece of #12 or 14 from the battery positive to the coil + and see if it starts..

Pull all the plugs and dry them off..

When trying to start a flooded motor hold the gas pedal to the floor..

I'd put the stock single points ignition back in and leave it there.. There is nothing wrong with the points system except the bad press it gets from people selling ignitions or people who don't understand how ignitions work.. Its simplicity makes it superior with the exception being a mag..

[grivera]

Thanks all- hope to work on it Saturday with my daughter if she doesn’t have to work.
Steelcity- will send PM

["QUICK-SILVER"]

Had to put a rotor button in my old cheby van this week. None of the tell tale signs of leaking on bottom... but it sure wouldn't send any spark out to the plugs.

Clay

[grivera]

Worked on it a bit today:

Test light bright when connected to - and + side of coil with key in run and start (crank). Static, battery has 12.6 V, as does power wire to coil when disconnected from coil. When connected, it’s the same 12.6 . When cranking, coil has 10.7 V; however, - side of coil does not blink when cranking.

[STEELCITYFIREBIRD]

Disconnect and reconnect the ground side of the coil, it should spark the coil.
If not coil is bad.

If it does spark, the module or pickup is bad.

Try that and report....or call me.

10.6V is a good reading for voltage drop from starter draw.