She Missed Me

[Valhallo]

Way back at the beginning of summer I had gone up to the University of Utah to talk about their music program. I am hoping to get a certification in music production/sound engineering. One of the councilors had told me that they would have a sound engineering program within the year, so I figured I'd get general ed credits until then. 3 weeks ago I started getting the Stang' ready for storage - mothballing and rat trapping - then moved into the dorms at the University that same day. Once classes started on campus the guy who was putting this sound engineering program together finally had time to chat. He told me I had been misinformed, and he didn't really know how long it would be until the program was running - it depended on interest meaning it could be a whole lot longer than a year. I'm not waiting around that long.

Now I'm back from my short-lived college adventures. First thing I did was uncover the mustang and get all of that anti-critter equipment out. Got the keys to go for a drive to kill the disappointment of no college this semester and she wouldn't start! 3 weeks away and she throws a tantrum about it. :dodgy:

I can't imagine why it won't run when nothing on it has been touched since it last ran. For today I have some other things that need doing. For now all I know is that it will turn over with the throttle wide, but with any less throttle and it dies. Even running with wide throttle it barely stays running.

Bummer.

 

[hyena429]

music production/sound engineering~~~ my cousin in our band is taking that same deal..But his is a online cource....they sent him a new apple laptop and everything...lol......Sounds like maybe your fuel filter plugged up..or fuel pump loosing it...What i could check first...Make a burp tank "if you dont got one"....Unhook your gas line...Hook up a little burp tank with a direct fuel line going to your carb...Gravity feed it and see how it runs...If it runs like a champ...Then you know its a fuel filter or fuel line or some crap in your tank.......But still actng up..Then you know its something in your carb....I made a simple good working burp tank out of a radator fluid jug...works great..I use it on alot of rigs...lol

 

[Valhallo]

music production/sound engineering~~~ my cousin in our band is taking that same deal..But his is a online cource....they sent him a new apple laptop and everything...lol......Sounds like maybe your fuel filter plugged up..or fuel pump loosing it...What i could check first...Make a burp tank "if you dont got one"....Unhook your gas line...Hook up a little burp tank with a direct fuel line going to your carb...Gravity feed it and see how it runs...If it runs like a champ...Then you know its a fuel filter or fuel line or some crap in your tank.......But still actng up..Then you know its something in your carb....I made a simple good working burp tank out of a radator fluid jug...works great..I use it on alot of rigs...lol

I'd dig a nice laptop - more of a microsoft guy though.

As for the burp tank, I actually just made one a couple of days ago for my bike. Sweet! I'll give it a go.

 

[Valhallo]

Well the problem was the condenser. The new one lasted me a solid 2 hours of driving time before the motor started missing again. I replaced it and sure enough the engine runs fine. I'm pretty sure that I shouldn't need a new condenser every fill-up though, cuz I can't find it at the gas station. I did some electrical testing (with my very limited knowledge on electronics) and found that with the old condenser installed my idling voltage is 6.5. With the new condenser installed I get a solid 8 volts.

The condenser isn't just going completely kaput. It slowly burns out. At first I lose all power randomly every couple of minutes until it gets to the point where it won't idle. Is the wrong coil installed and it's burning out my condenser? I'd get a new one, but I wouldn't know it if Oreilly gave me the wrong one.

 

[c9zx]

Have you replaced multiple condensers in the distributor or just one? Is the small un-isulated ground strap connected on the breaker plate in the distributor?

 

[Valhallo]

I've replaced 2. The first one lasted a couple months of driving, this one lasted 6-7 days. I'll have to check the ground strap in the morning. The car is covered during the storm tonight.

 

[Valhallo]

Alright, are you referring to the black wire? I know you said un-insulated, but I couldn't find one on top. Or should I be looking for something underneath?

 

[c9zx]

Alright, are you referring to the black wire? I know you said un-insulated, but I couldn't find one on top. Or should I be looking for something underneath?

No that is it. The three originals I own have the ground wire un-insulated, it doesn't make a difference. Is the second condenser from the same or different vendor? Chuck

 

[Valhallo]

This one and the last were both MasterPro. I'm not sure what the first was. I haven't been driving it around because I'm not sure if my faulty ignition system could damage anything more expensive than a condenser, so I don't know if if this one will/is failing. Normally I would figure that something is just grounding, but like I said earlier the condenser degrades over time. With my limited electrical knowledge, logic tells me that means that something is running too hot? :huh: If its not going to damage anything else than i'll drive it around and hope that it was just the condenser.

What is the condenser anyways? Is it a resisitor?

 

[c9zx]

This one and the last were both MasterPro. I'm not sure what the first was. I haven't been driving it around because I'm not sure if my faulty ignition system could damage anything more expensive than a condenser, so I don't know if if this one will/is failing. Normally I would figure that something is just grounding, but like I said earlier the condenser degrades over time. With my limited electrical knowledge, logic tells me that means that something is running too hot? :huh: If its not going to damage anything else than i'll drive it around and hope that it was just the condenser.

What is the condenser anyways? Is it a resisitor?

It is a capacitor. It very basic terms it prevents excessive arcing of the points slowing the "burn rate" of the points and prevents break down of the internal insulation of the coil.

I looked up the stock specs for the coil. Primary resistance should be 1.4-1.54 ohms. This is measured between the two small posts label + and -. Secondary resistance should be 7.6K-8.8K ohms. This is measured from the large center post to the + or the - posts. The current draw through the coil should be 4.5A with key on engine off (KOEO) and 2.4A with key on engine running (KOER). If you have a way to measure capacitance it should be .21-.25 micro farads.

Most of the time the failure mode for capacitors is they become "leaky" making them closer to a short than an open. Cheap condensers are like cheap everything else. If the coil checks good, I'd put in a Motorcraft or Echlin condenser and track the voltage you been measuring. Chuck

 

[Valhallo]

Thanks man. I really appreciate it. Lol, this little adventure has given me the insight to go learn some basics about electronics in automotive. I'm going to go hit the library as soon as I get the chance and check out a couple of books and hopefully become more literate in these matters.