Engine Stops after 30-40 mins

[roadnsky]

An interesting side note...
If you do read the entire thread, note that the main theme is hot and failing coils.
Especially in POSTS #3 and #14

Seems the forum was trying to figure out the Rule of 2011 back then too!

[JXP]

Here is another thought.
This is a quote from Don...

"There is at least one other item that behaves in this manner (fails from heat and cures itself when it cools), which is a faulty connection in the primary ignition circuit (some electricians call these faulty connections cold joints, I suspect because they only work when they're cold).

Please skip this paragraph if this is more than you wanted to know, but I am told by normally reliable experts that an electrical circuit sees a weak connection on the verge of failure as a localized zone of high resistance which translates into a small amount of heat build-up.
As the heat builds up, the expansion created by the heat eventually causes the connection to open up (minuscule though this heat and expansion is, remember that a connection in this condition is on the virtual edge of failing anyway, even without the heat and expansion).

To keep things simple, before chasing the entire primary circuit which runs from the large battery terminal on the starter solenoid, through the ignition switch and back to the positive terminal of the coil, you could simply connect a jumper wire from the large battery terminal on the starter solenoid to the positive terminal of the coil.
If the engine never shuts down as long as that jumper wire is installed, you will have confirmed that the primary ignition circuit is a cold joint in it someplace.

If the shutdowns continue with the jumper wire installed, you can check the remaining short section of the primary circuit which is between the negative terminal of the coil and the points.
Sometimes the conductor in this short wire develops a cold joint where it passes under the distributor cap or at the terminal of the coil or at the points themselves."

IMPORTANT NOTE: Installing the jumper wire between the starter solenoid and the coil is the very same thing as turning on the ignition switch, so you cannot leave that wire installed except when running the engine or you willburn out the coil or kill the batteries.


You can read the entire post and thread here...

Thanks I will give it a go.

How do I do this - what gauge of wire and do I wrap it around the bolt on the solenoid and + on the coil. Then do I turn on battery one and pull out the ignition swtich press the starter button as normal and see how long it runs for - then when it doesn’t stop .... stop it by turning off the battery remove the jump wire ?

[JXP]

Ignition switch

My ignition switch is also playing up sometimes I pull it out and press the starter button and the engine doesn’t start, then I push the ignition switch back in and pull it out again and press the starter button and it starts the engine, I will replace it, is there a post on how to do it?

[roadnsky]

How do I do this - what gauge of wire and do I wrap it around the bolt on the solenoid and + on the coil. Then do I turn on battery one and pull out the ignition swtich press the starter button as normal and see how long it runs for - then when it doesn’t stop .... stop it by turning off the battery remove the jump wire ?

JXP-
Sorry to leave you hanging there. (Work got in the way yesterday )

Connect a jumper wire (12-14 gauge) between the large battery terminal on the starter solenoid and the positive terminal (+) of the coil.
Alligator clips make this easiest. (Remember this is temporary)
Connecting this wire is the same as turning on the ignition switch and it will by-pass any problem that may exist in the "starting circuit", including the ignition switch itself.

DON'T leave the jumper wire installed very long unless the engine is running or you'll pretty likely burn out the coil.
It's the same as having the ignition switch left ON

...stop it by turning off the battery?

Please NO. Never turn off your battery switch with the engine running.
Not good for the Alternator.
(There are many posts here on the forum about this. We can dive into that later)
Just remove the jumper if you want to turn off the engine.

GUYS - Jump in here with advice if I'm missing something.

[roadnsky]

Engine run in gear for 30 mins sputtering and I tried the choke as per manual. It didn’t change with a bit of choke.

JXP-
Hold the phone...
I apologize but I may be taking you down the wrong rabbit hole.
I just re-read your earlier posts and the engine sputtering symptoms actually point away from an ignition issue.

Now, you may still want to replace that wiring and switch but let's do only one issue at a time.

JXP, you stated the plug had a black residue. This leads me to think you are just to rich and after a while (updraft carb!) the engine just floods out. Once it sits the excess fuel evaporates out of the engine and repeat.

Check all 4 plugs and if they are black or sooty check to see that the choke is fully open. If an open choke is confirmed you have a carb problem. Your blue spark and dirty plugs lead me to this.

As Dave and Neil said earlier, this is likely a carb or fuel issue.
Please follow Dave's advice (Post #9) especially verifying your choke is opening and closing and then report back.

Again, sorry for leading you astray there.

ADMIN BILL - I'll leave the previous posts so JXP still has the instructions and the string in the thread makes sense in the future.
Unless, of course, you feel otherwise. -j

[thatch]

Jerry, No need to apologize. Actually, adding a direct route wire from a good source (battery) to the coil, is an easy thing to do and it will get the ignition switch and wiring out of the equation. The one thing that I would add, is that if there is a resistor in the coil circuit, that's where the +12 volts should be connected. The delux version of this added wire would have a toggle switch in line.
Tom

[JXP]

Update on my progress as of 13 Jul

When I changed the coil, the problem changed. The engine is longer sputtering at all.
It ran in gear for an amazingly 2 hours and 36 mins, then it stopped abruptly - as if I had push my ignition switch in.

Today the 13 jul I installed a new ignition switch, I am going to try and run the engine again to see if I can run it longer without getting and abrupt stop. I will report back on my results. Could just say thank you to all my contributors I am a newbie beginner and I appreciate all of your support. Thks Jen

[Sam]

JXP - you have a point set up with a later model engine [delco distributor] - I think your current gap setting at "top dead center" would be noteworthy, also brand and model of coil ie resistance. There could be a "dwell" issue here relative to coil overheating and shutting down. Wrong coil could also cause the same heating problem. I would eliminate these two issues then change the condenser