Truck died while cruising,Ideas!

Ok was out this morning cruising with no apparent issues,and about to head home when the truck just died.Sounded like it had no fuel as while I was slowing down to a stop I was able to turn it over but would not fire.
The first thing that came to mind was that I had **** in the fuel line as I have one of those Summit tanks with the foam inside and it may have broken down as it is 7+ years old.Anyway tried to start it once on the side of the road and it wouldn't fire.Got out and checked the fuel pump(2 years old) under the truck,it was pretty warm but have been told these Hollies do tend to run warm.Checked the fuse for the pump,was fine.Tried to start the truck again,this was probably only 5 minutes since I had stopped and it fired off with no sign of an issue.Have since got home and checked the filters and they are clean.Next thought is possibly the coil,anything you can think of that I might be missing.Thanks Roger

 

Fuel "boiling" in the line to the carb? Sounds like no fuel, but will restart more or less instantly when cold, hot day? poor airflow around engine? I believe that modern fuel is more prone to do this, and the modern pressurised/ injection/ return system helps to keep the fuel cool by recirculating the fuel back to the tank.

Try insulating the fuel line to the carb or re routing the line.

 

I am having similar issues, mine is rust and beetles in my gas tank getting into my carb and blocking up my lines. Everyone told me check the carb, pump, filters, and lines. Hope you find out where the problem is.

 

I am not thinking heat for fuel as this truck has been a driver for the last 6 years with no similar issues.
59 good luck with the rust and beetles.
Thanks

 

Not sure what kind of truck but sounds like coil is over heating or the modulator in the distributor is going bad over heating and cooling off and working until hot.

Jim

 

What is the truck?

 

Do you have electronic ignition or points?

 

Pump is bad.

 

Truck is a Willys,blown small block.Mallory distr,mag pickup.Mallory promaster coil.
Roger

 

The plastic on the coil has discolored on the lower edge.Any easy way to check coil easily.If it is the coil it will be the second coil one in 5 years.That is why my A is going MSD.

 

Sorry electronic.Thanks

 

Sounds like something heating up and cooling down. Check for loose connections?

 

I have seen Mallory ignition modules act like.Lost ignition intermittently depending on temperature. After sitting and cooling for awhile would work again. When it happens check first for spark.As you stated also a possible coil especially since you see some discoloration.A bad coil can also damage the module if you get a voltage spike.

 

I had a Super Coil fail like that.
Tom

 

Had a similar issue in my truck. Accel distributor......one of the little wire aluminum push-pin connectors was loose, perhaps from heat.

 

Find out the source of the problem. Spray a little starting fluid in the carb and see if it starts. If it does investigate the fuel system If it doesn't check out the ignition system. Don't just guess and change parts... narrow it down to what kind of problem that you have. Real mechanics don't guess. Just like doctors they conduct tests to figure out what is going on. Did you check for spark at the plugs?

 

X2 bad pump had one with 15hours was a junk out of the box !!

 

Appreciate all the replys,at the time it happened I wasn't carrying any tools so luckily it did start straight away.Have been playing with it since I got home and has not caused any problems,and starts straight away.These problems always piss me off as I can't yet pin point it till it does it again.

 

A Holley?

 

maybe does not like to cruise anymore and wants to go racing - Ha! back to fuel to tank-had a stock tank that had tank sealer coating applied at some some point in time. over the years the sealer failed and just a small piece of it was loose enough to come up and block the fuel pick up tube in tank - line filter clean. another possibility is a very small crack in the wiring to the the distributor-all looks fine and at time runs fine and other times stops running.

 

And then they guess .

If I could find just one doctor that thought like a good mechanic I'd be really happy.

 

The problem with this thought is that the fuel is different today than it has been over the last 6 years.

Your set-up and tune is reliant upon consistency of what's coming in.
Change the voltage and you have problems, the componets are fine, their input is different.
Change the amount of air, like headers or a blower in your case and you have problems
Change the alcohol content of the fuel and you have problems just the same.

 

i had to put a nother carb in my truck now she gold

 

Not sure if I found it,but did find possibly a poor connection on the pump.Had checked the ground earlier but not the power side.Dropped the filter at the tank and decided to double check connections back there.Is one of those cases that it was making a connection,but possibly not making a good enough one.Fingers crossed,we will see.Thanks All.

 

Maybe you got it... electrical problems are like gremlins.

I had issues in the past with HEI modules, one car it would drop dead and start once it cooled off after a few hours.

The other, as long as I was driving the car and not turning it off for more than 10 minutes, it worked fine. Let it sit for 20 minutes once it was warm.. zero spark and I'd have to let it sit for 2 hours before it would start.

Bob

 

My truck did the exact same thing as yours sounded. Got rid of the Mallory and coil, installed a new HEI w/10mm wires(yea baby) and not another problem.
Just rebuilt the Mallory w/new modulator before installing it and it burnt out. Didn't know they were so touchy!
Want to buy one real cheep? New red accel wires, cap, rotor ****on the whole works.$100.00 plus shipping.
pm me if interested.
Thanx

 

I like the doctors vs mechanics debates.

Doctors deal with one make, 2 models and there hasn't been a model year change for thousands of years.

Humans can heal on their own, cars can't

Most doctors specialize in one part of the body.

 

So true!

 

Got any rubber fuel line pieces? Could be vapor lock if they are very old.