Engine stops when lights on.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 141
Likes: 14
Engine stops when lights on.
Occasionally, when driving my 64, 327/300 at night with the lights on/up, the engine will just stop. Can restart it, and the engine runs fine. Only happens with the lights on.
I'm thinking it's a vacuum issue. Anyone have or had the same issue and figured out the problem?
I'm thinking it's a vacuum issue. Anyone have or had the same issue and figured out the problem?
Drifting
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 1,808
Likes: 28
From: CA central coast
I don't know why you'd suspect vacuum when you seem to be saying the lights might have something to do with it? Assuming you have a mechanical fuel pump, if the engine just dies suddenly, no coughing or sputtering, it almost has to be an ignition circuit issue. A bad battery could possibly be a cause, but I think once the engine is running, the alternator is supplying the engine and the battery (I may be mistaken, but I think you can disconnect the battery once the engine is running and the alternator will keep the ignition circuit going... the ignition switch is in that circuit though, so a bad firewall connector could be a cause, as could other connectors in the circuit, possibly even the headlight switch itself).
Do the headlights stay on when the engine quits?
Do the headlights stay on when the engine quits?
Last edited by waynec; Jun 10, 2010 at 11:13 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 58,061
Likes: 7,146
Army
Next time it happens and you get it restarted with the lights on....I'd blip the high beams and blow the horn at the same time (two of the highest current draws) and if the engine dies you definitely have an electrical issue....possibly a bad cell in the battery. That can be the dickens to find unless you are troubleshooting at the exact instant it shows the intermittent problem. Some tell me there is a main junction on the C2 firewall that is subject to corrosion and perhaps that's the problem.
More likely the alternator or regulator as others have mentioned though.
More likely the alternator or regulator as others have mentioned though.
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; Jun 11, 2010 at 08:10 AM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 141
Likes: 14
Thanks guys for taking the time to respond. Good suggestions I'll follow-up on. Recently replaced the regulator and rebuilt the alternator, so maybe a cell in the battery and will closely inspect firewall main junction. Usually keep the battery on a tender.
