stalling problem with 79.

[spiderrey]

Someone local has a 79, I have no access to the car. It has been stalling every now and then. it just shuts down. he dropped it off at a shop near where it stalled out the last time. They told him that it was a bad ignition switch. he bought one and they installed it. it still stalls out and is in the same shop. Now they tell him its the distributor. He is trying to locate one. I dont think they have a clue. I told him that when I had similar issues it turned out to be a fuel line sucking air. He says his car has an electric pump at the rear so if that was the case he should have a fuel leak. Any ideas out there?

[76was124]

I would start with understanding if is stalling from no spark, or no fuel?

When it stalls, does it start up right away?

If it doesn't, You may want to start by checking for spark. Remove a spark plug and with the spark plug wire connected, rest the plug tip on a metal part of the engine and turn the key to crank the engine. You should see it spark. Repeat for other spark plugs (one at time removed).

You could also loosen the gas cap in case the tank is under a heavy vacuum causing fuel starvation.

[spiderrey]

You would think his mechanic already did this. Oh well , I wish him luck. Just hope he dosent keep buying parts that he dosent need.

[Daniel]

ignition coils can play some games sometimes before dieing happened to me on my 79, also the fuel line still
can leak on and off with a hair line crack due to temp changes pickup could also be faulty. Coil ($45) and or
pickup ($30) if they are older changing them out isn't a bad ideal anyways.

[bradartigue]

Sounds like a bad idle solenoid. A mechanic, or what passes for a mechanic these days, would likely misdiagnose as a failed ignition switch, because they don't know what a carburetor is, or how to test for voltage with a multimeter. Show the mechanic where the hood is, and under that find the +12V line to the carburetor. Test for power with the ignition on. Plug it but do not start the motor. The solenoid should audibly click.

From there you do typical diagnostic procedures, but replacing the distributor is st-st-stuupid. It isn't the distributor. It could be the pickup, the cap, the rotor, the wires, the plugs, the coil, or the control module, but it isn't the distributor itself. It's just a dumb old mechanical device that spins. This mechanic sounds like he enjoys replacing $450 parts instead of fixing them with $25 parts.

You find these morons from time to time and you don't bring your car to them.