I have a 1976 hornet that stalls and I was just wondering, what are the symptons of a slipped timing chain?
How much would a new timing chain cost? Can a bad alternator make it stall out? How much would a new alternator cost? Is it easy to change out both of them?
"Stall out" would typically be fuel/air or ignition. Alternator wouldn't cause it unless it was seized up but you would know real quick if it was. It could be a number of things. Does it start right back up? How does it run when driving it? Could be something as simple as a bad or loose vacuum line.
When my alternator was on its way out, the car would stall and then would not have enough battery power to crank the engine.
Quote from: ammachine390 on May 29, 2011, 05:19:06 PM
When my alternator was on its way out, the car would stall and then would not have enough battery power to crank the engine.
Intersting. Sounds impossible
Check that with a voltmeter
autumnglenn says it sounds more like a slipped timing chain than something wrong with the alternator. It turns over, runs for maybe half a minute then stalls out. I got it to run for maybe three minutes, but when I put it in drive, and gave it some gas, it stalled out again. It was running fine yesterday, drove it up and down our driveway. Today, I changed the oil, it ran fine. Let it sit for maybe two hours, went back out and it started fine. Got halfway down the driveway and it stalled. :banghead:
And Reitan and I changed the fuel pump, fuel filter, fuel lines and oil filter last week. And it wasn't acting up until after we changed the oil. :banghead:
Quote from: mudkicker715 on May 29, 2011, 05:35:33 PM
Quote from: ammachine390 on May 29, 2011, 05:19:06 PM
When my alternator was on its way out, the car would stall and then would not have enough battery power to crank the engine.
Intersting. Sounds impossible
Check that with a voltmeter
The alternator was bad. I replaced it, haven't had a problem since. Didn't fix anything except the alternator, so it was the only factor that changed.
Quote from: ammachine390 on May 29, 2011, 06:13:37 PM
Quote from: mudkicker715 on May 29, 2011, 05:35:33 PM
Quote from: ammachine390 on May 29, 2011, 05:19:06 PM
When my alternator was on its way out, the car would stall and then would not have enough battery power to crank the engine.
Intersting. Sounds impossible
Check that with a voltmeter
The alternator was bad. I replaced it, haven't had a problem since. Didn't fix anything except the alternator, so it was the only factor that changed.
I gotta "guess" he missunderstood what you said. It made sense to me, have had it happen on an old Dodge car once.
On the slipped timeing - not to differ, but I would say that's not the issue. If it had slipped enough to not let it run, when it was I would think it would be running poorly, even popping through the carb or backfireing, let alone haveing a valve wack a piston by opening when it shouldn't.Maybe a fuel line isn't tight and it is sucking air on the pump inlet side , or your needle valve at fuel inlet to the carb is stuck , sounds fuel related , as in it runs out of fuel....... ? Just my thoughts.
Sorry I have driven a bad alt e150 25 miles. Meaning turn off everything freeze your but off.
Also different but I have driven a diesel f250 close to 50 miles with no alt belt.
My 304 eagle runs without its alt hooked up.
So long and short. Alt has nothing to do with running.
Also with what was said I replaced fuel lines on my eagle once and made a pinch point. It worked till it couldn't keep enough fuel in the bowl. Than stalled out
is it possible to pull the float needle and spray carb cleaner to clean up that whole area?
I hear ya Kicker, and agree, BUT I have had a bad altenator wich did not charge the battery till it got to a point it wouldn't supply enough juice to the coil.Would have to jump start it, keep the cables on for awhile ( thus the other car charging my battery ) and go on my way till it crapped out again.After a few rounds of that I finally got it home. My eagle wagon in the yard has no altenator belt, runs to be moved until the battery gets low, then I just charge it up and it is good to go for awhile.
Quote from: lonewolf on May 29, 2011, 06:33:53 PM
is it possible to pull the float needle and spray carb cleaner to clean up that whole area?
It is possible to pull it out from the fitting the fuel line goes into. Remove the fuel line, then the fitting, it sits in that fitting, some had a 'rubber" end on them that would get stuck, or buggered up over time, some are solid brass. If you haven't worked on the carb itself I would guess it wasn't an internal problem, other than you may have lossened up rust etc. by working on the pump etc. , and it has found it's way into the carb or stuck at the needle valve..........
Quote from: mudkicker715 on May 29, 2011, 06:29:02 PM
So long and short. Alt has nothing to do with running.
Without an alt, once the battery dies, the car will not run anymore, it needs a power source for the ignition.
I too have run mine without the alternator belt, for a few miles.
It seems strange, but it was definitely the alternator that was my problem. It also took me a while to figure out because it didn't make sense. Also, it didn't help that my battery wasn't the best, but I'm still using that same battery with the new alt.
IIRC, 83Eagle! wrote on here that he had the same stalling problem as I did when his alt was on its way out.
Earlier today, when Reitan and I changed the oil, we started my Hornet while it was up on the ramps. He ran good for two- three minutes. Before Reitan backed him down, he was puttering a little; Autumnglenn says it is highly likely that he pulled something from the bottom of the gas tank. After we got him down, he ran fine back to the garage.
Interesting
My experience is that the battery light will come on and stay on until the battery is drained and the engine stops.
On Monday last week I used my 82 Eagle instead of the 78 Concord for a change and noticed signal lights did not work and seat belt light was on. Never did notice alternator/battery light on. Got to my destination and would not start.
Alternator was only producing 8 amps and used a battery booster under the hood to get it home. The invention of the battery booster is a great device for us old car users.
I have used it on a 91 Buick limited and companies 97 Astro van to get these vehicles home in the last few yearsl
dkoug
I drove my second 88 Eagle about 75 miles on just the battery. Including 4 times starting the engine, my charger said there was still about 75% left in the battery once I was home. The car had been in an accident before I got it and the alternator wasn't useable because of bent stuff.
Today, I learned something new. Good gas can clean out a bad gas tank and bad gas can make a engine work and sound horrible.