“Who killed the power?” - Intermittent dead condition

[SP3]

Info on coil

MAS 40011 High Power 40,000 Volt 1.5 ohm Oil filled Coil https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Y2G5CG8/re ... 5EbK3X30Y0

Coil in picture in previous post is not one purchased. Tested both old and new coils to see if car would start.

[notoptoy]

Do you know if that is a 12V coil, or a stock roadster coil? If a 12V coil, you are only driving it at 8 Volts, as the ballast resistor (The white bar on the firewall) brings down the voltage so you may be under driving the coil. If you remove the ballast resistor (Jumper, or bypass) you will get 12V to the coil, but you may burn out points quickly. It sounds like your spark plug wires are suspect, either try again with a known good set or wait for your new ones to arrive. 7 or 8 MM wires are fine, go with your preference for color etc., either are going to be more than sufficient and far higher capacity than stock.
Update, I see that that is a 12V for EI applications, while set up for adding the Pertronix, it is likely not the right choice for stock points application - it should still work, but I would consider supplying it the full 12V and bypass the jumper.

[SP3]

Thanks for reply. Thought I would “cheat” when deciding to purchase and buy a coil that would work now and when switching to Pertronix setup. Plus thought the high 40k voltage would give more performance allowing wider spark plug gap etc.

So if I run it without the ballast, then will be chasing continuous poor running or inoperable condition with the burnt points? Not sure how long before occurs but will most likely happen at inopportune time.

[unklpat]

I would not be worried about the ignition system until you fix the voltage system.
"Cars will lose electrical power and everything dies - no lights, ignition switch or anything else. After 15-20 minutes power restores, can start car, lights etc. I drive off and maybe make it 10-15 minutes and then car dies, everything off again. Condition repeats. "
I have an intermittent ignition switch that sometimes sends no power to coil only when starting the car, but everything else works. I have had a battery post come out/off of a side terminal battery, with no prior warning signs, other than no power one day. Heat is your friend when diagnosing issues like these, if temp related, check the complete path from battery forward, including the battery.
The problem is in the voltage supply, low charging rate or not, the entire path from battery to fuse block should be checked, every point of connection. This is only my opinion, and you know what they say..... Pat

[Curtis]

Here is the proper layout for a stock 66-67.5 car. It does not have the ignition bypass to start it with 12 volts and then the 8 volts or so through the ballast resistor. Runs at the reduced voltage all the time. The brake wires are not there for 67.5.

66-67 coil layout.jpg

[SP3]

Is this “extra” condenser device supposed to be in the circuit? In picture mounted above coil on firewall with blue wire, attaching to positive terminal on coil.

And is no resistance in the coil wire correct or should there be?

[notoptoy]

That condenser is for controlling radio static, should be doing no harm, but can be removed if you like.

[mraitch]

Does the 'new' coil have an internal ballast resistor?? If so, AFAIK you can bypass the ballast resistor. Might have an impact - but then I am completely clueless on how the coil/ballast works anyway!.

[Linda]

The noise suppressor is so you don’t get static on your AM radio hahaha
Linda

[redroadster]

Sounds like my gas line blockage problem....
Test fuel flow from tank ( HF suction gun w/canistrr) then to carbs
Carb slides/needles Good?
Not cooking the eng.? good heat out of radiator ?
Oh yeah my bad. My net speed at 20kbps at times

Load test batt. Volts when dead , just 2nd ignition?
Voltage drop tests all concerned circuits
I would solder wire to connector.
Reduntant ground on dist. Body Temp
Ign switch swap. or just conn pos to battery Tweak conn.

[unklpat]

From the original post. "Cars will lose electrical power and everything dies - no lights, ignition switch or anything else. After 15-20 minutes power restores, can start car, lights etc. I drive off and maybe make it 10-15 minutes and then car dies, everything off again. Condition repeats. " I don't know how to highlight his original text, or I would. Nothing else matters when you have no power to your car. Pat

[ppeters914]

I don't know how to highlight his original text, or I would. Pat

Pat: There's an icon on the editing toolbar (usually just to the right of the Font Menu dropdown box with a lowercase "ab" and yellow marker. Select the text you want to highlight, then click that toolbar button.

From the original post. "Cars will lose electrical power and everything dies - no lights, ignition switch or anything else. After 15-20 minutes power restores, can start car, lights etc. I drive off and maybe make it 10-15 minutes and then car dies, everything off again. Condition repeats."

Nothing else matters when you have no power to your car. Pat

Agree 100-percent. Messing with all the ignition components before solving the initial issue may have only added further issues.

Did you ever check all the connections using Curtis' diagram?

[SP3]

Update to clarify on progress. Checked and cleaned connections - Dremel where accessible, CRC contact cleaner and added light dielectric grease. The connection plug off starter (below rear carb) was not as tight as it could be in my option. Came apart real easy. I cleaned it thoroughly and went one step beyond and added zip tie to keep connector good and secure. Probably overkill.

All grounds were cleaned, paint removed under contact and fastener threads for securing were chased with tap. Added a missing ground to frame for Voltage regulator in engine bay - 4 gauge cable. Replaced Voltage regulator also.

After this, car made 35 minute drive without cutting off. The only issue was misfire condition which required use of full choke to maintain highway speed of 70 mph on that 35 minute ride home. Restarted once home and fired right up. Miss still present.

This is when I went to replacing the ignition components as research on prior posts indicated may be failing coil that would cause intermittent cutting off and miss-fire condition. Ordered and installed the following new:

Points
Condenser
the 40,000 volt coil that’s in question as proper for points setup
Ballast resistor
Rotor button (but Amazon sent one that doesn’t fit, so using existing when brass end scuffed to clean off age)

Have not been able to start car since, thus attaching wiring pictures to confirm correct, which look to follow schematic provided. Can smell fuel after patting gas pedal and choke engaged when trying to start- so have air and fuel.

The ignition wires that came on car had a different coil wire than rest and as mentioned reads no resistance on meter.
Ordered new set of NGK 7mm wires and supposedly OEM replacement coil.

Will check to see if points arc when open with ignition switch on and if new plug wires arc with screw driver in boot when grounded on valve cover.

Points set at 0.020 inch and spark plugs gapped at 0.029 in.

I noticed when first driving car (beginning of observance of issue) there was an intermittent miss on highway, here and there. It seemed to get progressively more frequent to where is now where have to grab some choke when stumble occurs at very frequent intervals.

Presently motor spins over fine, no issue with alternator or battery but can’t confirm voltage increase with RPM increase by meter until can get running again.

Sorry for data dump or redundancies but as this is 2 pages now, wanted keep history up front. Thank you for feedback/assistance.

[SP3]

Forgot to add. Replaced fuel filter. Older was clogged. Cleaned float bowls of sediment and found one brass float leaking. Replaced with plastic float. Plan on replacing the other brass float that is not leaking, for then having matching set of plastic floats.

[redroadster]

Sure its not flooding out ?not using platinum or irridium plugs right ? Got some water in the tank ? Arcing some where ,cap, coil. Surface
Turning on all elect accessories no diff. ?
Kd spark tester a valuable tool 17 $
Best to use a dwell meter to set points. Centrific advance free?
why are you talking about primary side of ign if/with complete power loss.
if not a connection at the terminal it is a batt. sulfated/broken conn. swap in good / test battery