Mpls Funk

I should know better. I used to have my own rule that I only drove my car between the months of June and August...what was I thinking when I thought to myself....U know, it's going to be a nice day tomorrow...it's a Friday...I only drove the car ~3 times this summer....why not drive it to work?! So I got out and washed the car close to midnight so I could drive it to work the next morning (neighbors can say what they want...I do much more bizzare things!).

I drive to work and all is ok...I drive home and all is ok. I pull up to the house and my wife and youngest daughter (1 yr) are outside. So, we put my little girl in the passenger seat and do a couple slow loops in our cul-de-sac...she's digging it. Then out runs my 3-yr-old daughter "Daddy, I want a ride!" So we trade and put the 3-yr-old in the passenger seat.

Here comes the problem....

Just before I go to start in the cul-de-sac, the care back-fires, then stalls. And it won't start. I look at the gas gauge and it's very near E....jeez, maybe I actually ran out of gas??? I look in the tank and can easily see gas still in the tank. Well, maybe I've flooded it in trying to start it, so we'll just leave it here for an hour or so and try it later.

An hour or so later I try to start it...nothing....it turns over fine, but doesn't fire. So, with my tail between my legs, my wife and I push the car up into the garage.

Now what? Anyone have any ideas? The key points...it back-fired just before stalling...car turns over fine, but doesn't seem to fire.

I have noticed an "electrical problem" with the car....not sure if it's related. When I have the headlights on, there is significant lack of power. When I'm just idling, the lights dim some, the dash lights dim...the blinkers are REALLY slow. But when I bring the RPM's up, then it's fine. If the lights are not on, no problem.

There is also some electrical leak somewhere....if I leave the car sit, the battery will be dead in a few weeks. When I get in the car, I can hear a VERY faint sound of an alarm going off, but I can't find it anywhere! The previous owner had an after-market alarm in the car and I thought that must be it...so I removed it....still have the problem.

Anyway...sorry to get long-winded....my main concern is what do U all think COULD be wrong with why it won't start? Any help would be greatly appreciated! :confused:

markdtn

Your faint alarm may be the key warning buzzer or mine has a bad horn relay. You didn't say what year, but I have 72 wiring and it is the same relay. Electrical problem you describe does not sound related to me, but you never know.

With a no-start but turns over you just have to start with the basics. Are you getting fuel to the carb? Are you getting spark to the plugs? Is there compression? If you have all 3 at the right time then it should run. I'd guess maybe bad fuel pump, but armchair mechanicing can get you in trouble.

Robert8096

How old is the engine? If she has some miles on her then it could have jumped timing. Rotate the engine to TDC on the compression stroke and remove the distributor cap and see if the rotor is pointing to the number one spark plug position. If it is not then you either have a sheared pin in the distributor gear or a broken or loose timing chain. I have had a few do this just like you describe. Backfire and then nothing.

Good Luck

Mpls Funk

Thanks for the thoughts...

The car is a 1970...350/350. It has ~107k miles on it...but I believe the motor was rebuilt around 80k or so? I don't know the extent of the rebuild.

Do these cars have timing chains? Not belts?

Ok, I'm an idiot...how do I rotate to TDC? (I do know what the distributor/rotor cap is).

Thanks again...

oh yea...on the faint alarm sound, it sounds like a siren (dee-doo dee-doo dee-doo)...not a "traditional" key/lights reminder/buzzer....and, it seems to be going as soon as I open the door?

OHSIXX

I bet it starts in the morning! :skep: