Really though, for water in my gas tank I use a product called Heet.
Diagnosing bad gas???
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,255
Likes: 0
From: Manalapan FL
Diagnosing bad gas???
Car was running fine after I recently changed over to Lectric Limited electronic points.
Yesterday (at MIDNIGHT!), car starts running rough as if it was missing on 2 or 3 cyls. Then starts missing on 4 ~ 6 cyls. Then....total failure. I've got spark at the coil (haven't tested @ the plugs yet). Appears to be getting fuel. No disconnected/broken wires. Engine cranks and sounds like it's trying to fire, but it won't "catch".
The only thing I did different was fill up the tank and add Octane Boost. Car ran fine immediately after fill up, but within 5 mi. it died.
If the electronic points failed, it would have happened all at once, no? I'm wondering if I got some bad gas. How do I test for this without draining the tank and starting over? Starting fluid?
What are the symptoms of a slipped timing chain? Quickest way to determine this?
Thanks in advance,
D. Ocean
Miami, FLA
Yesterday (at MIDNIGHT!), car starts running rough as if it was missing on 2 or 3 cyls. Then starts missing on 4 ~ 6 cyls. Then....total failure. I've got spark at the coil (haven't tested @ the plugs yet). Appears to be getting fuel. No disconnected/broken wires. Engine cranks and sounds like it's trying to fire, but it won't "catch".
The only thing I did different was fill up the tank and add Octane Boost. Car ran fine immediately after fill up, but within 5 mi. it died.
If the electronic points failed, it would have happened all at once, no? I'm wondering if I got some bad gas. How do I test for this without draining the tank and starting over? Starting fluid?
What are the symptoms of a slipped timing chain? Quickest way to determine this?
Thanks in advance,
D. Ocean
Miami, FLA
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,198
Likes: 2
From: Eastern Connecticut
Sounds like bad gas to me. Fortunately for you, bad gas often just has water in it. Disconnect the line at the carb and see what squirts out when you crank it. Put a rubber hose into a coffee can. I got a tank of watery gas once. Fortunately, water settles to the bottom and 73 (and 74?) gas tanks have the outlet at the bottom. I just disconnected the hose at the tank and drained the water into a 3-lb coffee can. I added a few bottles of dry gas (the good stuff with methanol) and a new fuel filter at the tank, and it was fine. Joe
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,255
Likes: 0
From: Manalapan FL
Originally Posted by munday
my vette has had the same gas for over a year, I wonder how it is.
D. Ocean
Miami, FLA
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,508
Likes: 0
From: Wisconsin
Originally Posted by munday
my vette has had the same gas for over a year, I wonder how it is.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,255
Likes: 0
From: Manalapan FL
Update:
Tested for spark at the plugs today = little to none. Very weak, intermittent spark. Tested spark at coil = Nice, healthy fat spark coming from coil.
Found a loose wire on the Lectric Limted module. Tightened that and car tried to start but eventually the battery died.
Now wondering if the module isn't getting enough power to produce spark. Bad alternator? After the battery is charged, I'll test alternator output.
Very strange...
D. Ocean
Miami, FLA
Tested for spark at the plugs today = little to none. Very weak, intermittent spark. Tested spark at coil = Nice, healthy fat spark coming from coil.
Found a loose wire on the Lectric Limted module. Tightened that and car tried to start but eventually the battery died.
Now wondering if the module isn't getting enough power to produce spark. Bad alternator? After the battery is charged, I'll test alternator output.
Very strange...
D. Ocean
Miami, FLA
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,255
Likes: 0
From: Manalapan FL
Well...charged the battery, changed the plugs/wires (was planning on doing that anyway) and the sucker fired right up. Turned it off and now it won't do nuthin. No clicking of the solenoid, nothing. Power is good (horn, elec. fan, etc.), but no apparent connection to the starter motor.
Sounds like I'm going to have to diagnose an electrical problem.
Hmm...from bad gas to bad electronic ignition to electrical issues. I'm glad I'm not a mechanic...
D. Ocean
Miami, FLA
Sounds like I'm going to have to diagnose an electrical problem.
Hmm...from bad gas to bad electronic ignition to electrical issues. I'm glad I'm not a mechanic...
D. Ocean
Miami, FLA
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 5,635
Likes: 4
From: Orlando Floriduh
You are aware that 74 is a one year only... seatbelt interlock system that won't let you start the engine until the seat belt is fastened and done in the correct order. ie. you cannot fasten the belt and then sit on it. There is a way to bypass this system but I don't remember how. The interlock system can be a real PIA when it screws up.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,255
Likes: 0
From: Manalapan FL
Originally Posted by Larry B.
You are aware that 74 is a one year only... seatbelt interlock system that won't let you start the engine until the seat belt is fastened and done in the correct order. ie. you cannot fasten the belt and then sit on it. There is a way to bypass this system but I don't remember how. The interlock system can be a real PIA when it screws up.
I'm going to concentrate on the starter circuit. I believe the fusible link is toast or intermittent.
D. Ocean
Miami, FLA
bad, connecticut, diagnoising, diagnose, diagnosing, gas, gasoline, heet, miami, test, testing, water
