<VV> Car stops running after 20 miles

[Larry Forman]

Adding an in-engine bay fuel pump pressure gauge would absolutely tell 
what might be happening with the fuel pressure when it fails. They are 
not very expensive and are perfect for isolating these strange 
symptoms.  Another possibility, even if remote, might be a shorting wire 
associated with the ignition system.  It might be that when slowing down 
things shift around and a frayed wire suddenly shorts.   I doubt this is 
the issue, but once I was working on a Corvair with intermittent running 
issues and suddenly saw a light from an arcing and shorting 12 volt line 
around the engine compartment.   I felt around (carefully) and felt 
where it was warm and then removed the wiring to find where it was 
frayed.   The other possible electrical issue might be associated with 
the ignition points plate, but that one is fairly well known.   No 
mention was made of if it has an ignitor or standard ignition system.

My money is on the plugged fuel sock and insufficient fuel pressure, but 
you could keep isolating and eliminating various elements until there is 
nothing left but the cause.    You could run a resistor wire from the 12 
volt outlet socket to the ignition coil eliminating that and still 
allowing ease of unplugging it to stop the engine when needed and still 
while sitting in the driver's seat.    You could also attach a dwell 
meter to the ignition line and be able to read it from the driver's 
seat.   Likely it will just stop as the engine does, but any 
intermittents or possible issues might be seen before the engine dies.

I have found that fuel starvation issues usually provide a brief warning 
versus an electrical short or open which might not provide any advanced 
warning unless it continues being somewhat intermittent.

Good luck as these are real PITAs.

Larry

On 12/7/2015 4:25 PM, Daniel Monasterio González via VirtualVairs wrote:
> Hello Smitty,
>
>     No idea about the brakes but, I had have same engine troubble, some 30
> years ago, at starting a 400 miles trip. Suspected on clogged tank sock
> so, dissconected the inlet pipe at the fuel pump and blew hard, back to
> the tank, till I heard air bubbling in the fuel tank. No problem on the
> whole trip. However, back home and with enough time, took off the fuel
> sending unit and cleaned the sock (it was pretty dirty). Of course,
> cleaned the tank too.
>
> Daniel
>
>
> On 07/12/15 16:18, "Smitty via VirtualVairs" <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
> wrote:
>
>> Smitty Says;   The club has worked on a members engine (64-110) a couple
>> of times and had no luck so far.  Owner drives the car 20 miles or so on
>> interstate 60-70 mph, and then dies when he gets on side roads.  All
>> electrical checks have come up with nothing.  Carbs are excellent.  Coil
>> has been changed and all other components are new or have been changed.
>> Gas cap is vented.  Fuel pressure is good and available at the carbs when
>> checked  I know the obvious stopped up sock or fuel lines should be
>> checked but it hasn¹t been possible to do that yet.  Just asking in case
>> somebody comes up with a solution we haven¹t thought of yet.
>> Owner is clueless when it comes to on the scene troubleshooting so we are
>> stuck with troubleshooting long after the fact.
>>         Part two;  car has absolutely crappy brakes.  I mean plumb
>> dangerous to take out on the street.  I believe you could open the door
>> and drag your foot and stop sooner.  The brake system is in excellent
>> condition.  New shoes, hoses, cylinders and turned drums with shoes arced
>> to them.  Drums have been removed and verified that both pistons are
>> stroking at each wheel.  The only anomaly is that it has a new Clarks
>> double master cylinder installed.  Both sides have been bled and are air
>> free.  Is this typical with their conversion?  Stopping is like as though
>> the drums were slathered with grease.  High, hard pedal and feels like
>> stepping on a rock.  Takes extreme force to get any retardation of speed
>> at all.
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