Who can solve this first?
 

I was warming up my '79 SC and backing it out of the garage to let it idle on the street for a moment.

When I went to back it out of my spot on the street, I went to engage reverse and the synchros hesitated for a moment. Okay they did grind a bit. I'm in need of some house cleaning in there.
Anyway, the car stalled during that second of hesitation in the tranny and now it won't start.

I have electrical. I can hear my fuel pump. There is plenty of oil. There is gas in the car.

What do you guys think?

You don't say where you are located, but since you wanted to get your car warmed up, I am assuming it is somewhere cold, or at least cool. In that case it's possible your cold control pressure is too high (WUR, you have an air leak, or your mixture is too lean. It's also possible your AAR is functioning improperly. You could also have ignition wire issues. Of course, there are other possibilities, but these are common areas to check. If you can give us more info, like how the engine started, was it running smoothly, etc.Have you checked your spark?

BTW the factory does not recommend warming up the engine. I have heard it causes undue wear on the camshaft. It also wastes gas, causes emissions and is illegal in some places. It also makes it easy for thieves to steal your car, and, if it were running while not being monitored by you, could result in some problem occuring that you were not aware of until too late.

i think it is a case of missing spark

I'm in Colorado and it's reasonably warm today. This thing needed to be warmed up a bit as it had been sitting for at least 10 days undriven. We've had snow on the ground for 30+ days this season.
I drive it in all ranges of temperature and have not had this come up before.
I have not checked for spark, but have new wires and a new MSD as of just over a year ago. I'd hoped that would not be the issue.
The engine did seam to be running smoothly and I only left if on my street for two minutes before I went out to leave. Seemed to be running the way it usually does after sitting. Very few opps to get it out in the last 60 days.
How would I check my cold control pressure?
Thanks for any additional thoughts you have.

If it is spark, what are the troubleshooting steps there? As it won't turn at all, how would I check? As I mentioned above, it's been quite a while since I dealt with electrical issues. I've been spoiled.

+1 on the warmup advice. It's not advised. These motors were designed to run in the cold. It should be started and driven, keeping the rpms under 3500 until up to temp. This gets the oil moving better than idling in the driveway.

Get a spare plug, remove an easily accessible plug wire, put the spare plug in the wire and use some means besides your hand to hold it against the engine (intake, case, etc). Hve someone crank the engine and look and listen for a spark.



Oh and what does the fact he wasted some gas by warming it up have to do with his car not running?


Edit; Yes I can read. How di I miss the no turn over part. Does your clutch work or feel wierd?

Thank you Zoanas, for the images over the years.

Ahem. Okay, it's not your warm up regulator. Even if the WUR thought it was 100 degrees outside, your cold start injector would spray for a second or two, and the car would start. Or try.

It won't turn at all? Please clarify. Sometimes when folks say it "won't turn over" they mean the starter is working fine and the engine is spinning, but won't start. If your starter is not running, then it's either broken or it's not getting sufficent juice from the starter switch. Actually, the starter switch juice runs through the 14-pin connector at the engine compartment fuse box. Fat yellow wire. Check the connection there at that plug.

If the starter is working but the engine is not starting, then you have ignition system troubles. Pull the wire from the center of the distributor cap and, using insulated pliers, hold it 1/2" away from an intake runner and have someone run the starter. You should see and hear a snappy blue spark.

Thanks, Rick. I recall having gone through that process when my Bosch ignition died before, but the car would turn then. I can't get the car to turn right now at all. As that is the case, I wouldn't show a spark at the plug, would I?
I went out a moment ago and it sounded like it wanted to turn. As it had been running before it stalled, I hadn't considered a battery issue, but it just sounded like what it needed was a jump. Like I said before, it's been cold here for two months and I've barely driven the car. Any chance it started with the last bit of juice it had, then went dead? When I turn the key, I do get the green light at my dash head.

The battery would probably have more juice now than before you started it, but warm electrical contacts conduct electricity more poorly than cold ones. Clean the contacts, charge the battery and I'll bet she starts.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Superman

It won't turn at all? Please clarify. Sometimes when folks say it "won't turn over" they mean the starter is working fine and the engine is spinning, but won't start. If your starter is not running, then it's either broken or it's not getting sufficent juice from the starter switch. Actually, the starter switch juice runs through the 14-pin connector at the engine compartment fuse box. Fat yellow wire. Check the connection there at that plug.


I mean it really won't turn. The engine is not spinning when I attempt to start the car, but does not appear to be seized. I was able to turn it with my 19mm.
When I turn the car, I might get so much as a click, but no turn.
It does feel like the starter could be the issue. Or not enough juice as the car does not turn at all...

did you try jumping it

Problem solved...for the moment.
What I needed apparently was a jump. I guess I had cold battery that gave the last of its life to get that last start before I stalled it.
Thanks for all the feedback.

Congrats on the solve.

Might want to check into condition of battery and charging system. Once car has started the alternator should supply more than enough juice to keep it going. The battery could perhaps have a dead cell that refuses to accept a charge.
Hopefully you're right in that the car just stalled and there wasn't enough battery remaining to fire it up again. A quick check for this would have been to turn the radio on or the wipers, then turn on your headlights to see if the wipers or radio dies. Good luck.

PS: Battery shouldn't die in just 10 days of sitting unless some accessory was left on.

Hey theere JJCollier, I'm also in Colorado. This happened to me also when I went up to Greeley for a few days, came back and my car was dead dead dead... I jumped it and let the cables sit on for 30 freakin minutes and the car finally started. Died the second I removed the cables and the RPM 's went up as I went to rev it. I was worried my alt was bad or st. Had a friend put it on a trickle charger, and after a goodovernight charging, it's been perfect ever since. Reason the car dies in 1st place was i left the damn glovebox light on for 3 days in very cold temps. In addition the negative cable somehow worked itself loose at theterminal. All tight and all is well now.