chuckltd

My 75 Thunderbird just dies while driving and immediately restarts, no waiting involved. Previously, it would plug fuel filters in 100 miles. I've replaced the fuel pump since the diaphragm was breaking down and plugging the filter. Cleaned out the pump to carb line and installed a clear filter ahead of the pump to make sure where the crud was coming from. It's still clear. I've also switched ignition modules with the same results. From a cold start, I can drive around 10-12 miles before the first cut-out. I can usually restart it before coming to a stop. After that, it happens every couple miles or so. Any ideas?

chuckltd

I'm going to try the Thunderslug again tonight. If it makes it to work, I'll change the carb filter again there. It occurred to me that while I changed it to make it the last mile home to change the pump, it may have sucked in something big during that mile.

Paul Kane

You need to determine whether this is a general fuel problem or an general ignition problem.

Fuel: You can try lightly blowing the fuel line with compressed air back toward the fuel tank, fuel cap off and until someone else hears air bubbles in the tank.

Ignition: Any way you can carefully route a strobe light (such as a timing light) or volt meter from your coil lead so you can verify whether you still have spark at the point when the engine dies? Or just hook the car up to an automotive oscilloscope at a shop, if necessary.

Paul

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chuckltd

When the pump was going bad, the filters would have a fibrous material clogging them. The one I pulled yesterday was only about 25% blocked, but with small shiny metallic particles. Going to use it for work the rest of the weekend and try to nail this. I've also gone back to the original ign module since the spare seemed worse. I'm hoping it's just continued fallout from the pump.

chuckltd

I think I've got it! 20+ miles and it hasn't died. It appears I had a "double-whammy". It seems that I had a bad ground connection in addition to the fuel trouble. I must've disturbed the ground cable somehow, causing it to give a monentary cut-out.