54 Plymouth Won"t Run

[Mick Blake]

Driving on highway engine misses a few times than start running rough and stops. It would start but rough, had to tow home. There is a new coil and condnsor on it , and there is fuel from the pump to carb. Any ideas. Thanks

[Cebreros]

Distributor Cap > Check the contact points on the cap and rotor.

Examine the condition of the spark plug electrodes.

If it is running lean right after starting it you might want to check the fuel system and carburetor as well. 

Just throwing ideas out there. 

[Don Coatney]

As has been mentioned several times there are 3 things required for an engine to run. Compression, fuel, and spark delivered at the correct time. What are you missing?

[plymjim]

The pigtail wire in the distributor maybe?

Amazing how a part that small can stop your

car. Insulation goes bad, bare wire can be hard

to see. Just an idea. Best of luck.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Driving on highway engine misses a few times than start running rough and stops. It would start but rough, had to tow home. There is a new coil and condnsor on it , and there is fuel from the pump to carb. Any ideas. Thanks

 

you mentioned that at the time you had fuel....good to know that you made this check...what was the condition of the spark...present and of sufficient voltage to fire...or was it just a faint red/yellowish spark?  Now this leads directly to the next question....Are you still running stock ignition and 6 volt....and if 6 volt, did you in replacing the coil, put on a model that has the internal resistor (GM) application?  As the coil get warms it will slowly add the resistance in there and on 6 volt, you do not want to cut your applied voltage...what is the part number for the coil you bought?

[John Reddie]

The pigtail wire in the distributor maybe?

Amazing how a part that small can stop your

car. Insulation goes bad, bare wire can be hard

to see. Just an idea. Best of luck.

Yes, by all means, check this wire. I had that problem once and the car would start and idle but died when I stepped on the accelerator. When the breaker plate moved, the worn wire would contact the distributor housing causing a dead short circuit. Best of luck.

John R 

[Mick Blake]

Adams, It is a 6 volt internal resistor standard part number UC 14. could this be the problem? Thanks

[Plymouthy Adams]

I just went and checked your UC 14 part number..it is listed as Bluestreak for 6 volt and EXTERNAL resistor if used with 12 volts...

 

I know of no internal resistor 6 volt coil...BUT if it were a 12 volt GM application with internal resistor the symptoms you describe would be in line with its operational parameters..

 

 

you can measure across the primary wire and read the impedance...approx. 1.7 ohms is 6 volt/external coil use...3.2 ohms approx. will be 12 volt internal coil (when measured cold)

Edited August 20, 2016 by Plymouthy Adams

[grady hawkins]

I have had a similar problem that turned out to be water in the gas !

[John Reddie]

I have had a similar problem that turned out to be water in the gas !

Grady, good point. I didn't think of that. Mike, if your fuel pump has a glass bowl, check to see if water is visible. Water is heavier than gasoline and settles to the bottom. If no glass bowl, I would disconnect the fuel line at the carb and get a small glass jar. Have somebody turn the engine over while you hold the jar. Allow the pump to squirt enough gasoline into the jar so you can see if any globules of water show up. Back in the '70s when we had the supposed "gas shortage", water in the fuel happened sometimes because stations were pumping their tanks down pretty low. Good luck.

John R

[Sharps40]

I reckon OP knows he needs compression fuel and spark.......so lets try to help out instead of almost always asking silly questions for literary effect or simple post count padding....

 

OP....Consider putting the old coil and/or condenser back on if it ran good before ya swapped in the new stuff.  Test ride.  Given todays quality ya may well have a coil/condenser that's crappin out hot.  Many of the new stuff is like that.

 

Any time you put new stuff in (especially if the car ran okay with the old stuff) and it goes bad, check the new stuff for the fault first, then other items/systems in a logical order.

Edited August 20, 2016 by Sharps40

[Plymouthy Adams]

often may folks get tunnel vision on troubleshooting and forget the other parts of the equation...a reminder is very often just what is needed...was not long ago this was the admitted truth when mentioned...don't see any harm with any more than those that polly parrot someone's prior post...

[Don Coatney]

I reckon OP knows he needs compression fuel and spark.......so lets try to help out instead of almost always asking silly questions for literary effect or simple post count padding....

 

OP....Consider putting the old coil and/or condenser back on if it ran good before ya swapped in the new stuff.  Test ride.  Given todays quality ya may well have a coil/condenser that's crappin out hot.  Many of the new stuff is like that.

 

Any time you put new stuff in (especially if the car ran okay with the old stuff) and it goes bad, check the new stuff for the fault first, then other items/systems in a logical order.

Great Idea doing a logical troubleshooting procedure. Not sure how much more logical it gets than checking for compression, checking for fuel, and checking for spark delivered at the correct time. You might check with dad first but if you do not like my postings simply add me to your ignore list as I have now done with you.

[Sharps40]

Best and most pointed advisement you've typed yet!

[pflaming]

My engine shut down in a similar manner. The problem was in the ignition switch. Not easy to find. Good luck.