Engine dies when turning left?!?

My 2 cents on this is the points.

I had an identical problem like this for years with an old Austin Mini, everytime I did a hard left (even while accelerating) it would quit. Then as soon as I straightened it out again it would re-catch and go. This summer it lost spark completely and I traced it to the points. They were worn and a slight misalignment was throwing things off. I pulled them out and just filled them cause I didn't have a new set, put them back in, lots of spark, engine ran great and no more quitting on left turns.
I think the force or lean of the car in the turn was just enough to throw off the worn points and kill the engine. I never would have suspected the points till they fixed the problem. Give it a try.

 

Had a 318 Dodge like that. Found out that someone had left the baffle out of the float bowl during a carb rebuild. Got a baffle out of a junk carb, and life was good afterwards!

 

A similar topic was discussed here a couple of months ago.....Coil.
Change it and see.

 

I just fixed this same problem with my car, and it was a bad ground due to oil leaking on the ground strap

 

what he said

 

Forgive my ignorance but what part is the baffle? Its the same carby I've been using for a while, but I pulled it off when I machined the heads. The carby is a 750 quadrajet.

 

My brother had a 69 chevy pickup that did that i was visiting him one time and every time we made a right turn it would die then fire right up till the next right turn . when we got back to his house i looked under the hood and one of the nuts holding the carb on was gone the other was loose so when we would turn right the wieght of the air cleaner pulled the carb off the manifold . this was on a six cylinder though

 

If nothing works remind me to tell you about UPS, they don't make left turns either.

 

great solution!

 

Kind of hard to explain, but on most of the carter carbs with side bowls there is a sheet metal baffle that sits across the float bowl. It controls the movement of the gasoline in the float bowl and keeps the main jet well covered always. You should see a small slot in the sides of the float bowl where it looks like something should slide in.

 

Yes I know the part you're talking about now. Alright, suns up and I'm going to go start poking around. Wish me luck!

Oh and p.s. I've been hunting around for a new fuel, water temp and volts gauge for my car. I heard the new stewart warner stuff isn't up to scratch? Shame really.. those SW Wings gauges look the business. Any one got any suggestions?

 

Did it run ok turning left before you tore it apart?

 

carb has a vacuum leak.

 

Hi Jasper6120. All good thoughts here. Here's a couple more. If you haven't messed with the carb recently, chances are it's not the culprit, and I'm with those who suggest there's a short or disconnect somewhere. You said it cuts out and in instantly. That's a good sign that it's electrical. You said it only happens when you turn left, but wondered why only when you hit the gas. I think that when you hit the gas while turning left, you introduce enough g-force to make this happen. You said the lights don't flicker, so it's only in the ignition system. Trannyman's idea with the voltmeter is good, but it'll miss at least one possibility. Look to see where the coil to distributor wire goes through the body of the distributor to the points inside. If the rubber insulator is missing where the wire passes through the body of the distributor, after time, the insulation of that wire can get worn-through, and then of course, the wire will ground out, instantly cutting ignition. This wire is usually just kinda hanging there, and the g-forces can easily swing it, causing contact. Remember also, that a wire can break internally, and can't be seen. First just see if that insulator is present. If it is, try replacing the wire. If it doesn't fix it, then you need to start working your way back through the system. Make a jumper wire to by-pass the feed-wire from pos. to the coil. In fact, I'd just hot wire the car in the usual way, from the battery to the coil. (opposite side of coil from distributor side!) Then test again. Still not fixed? Then start looking at what others have mentioned. I think it's electrical though. Good luck. Let us know. - Rick

 

Thanks everyone, a wealth of information here. I just disassembled the carby and put it back together. There was really nothing out of the ordinary. I also raised the float height just a little to see if it altered the situation. Put it back on, wiggled all the wires while the engine was on and couldn't short it out anywhere, then ran the car but the problem was still there.

I did however make some key observations.


*there was a whole bunch of oil leaking out of the ignition coil - this of course makes me suspect that the coil is the culprit *HOWEVER*

*the problem did not happen straight away - I drove around the block a few times with no issue, and only after that (about 5 minutes) did the problem start.

I suspect that the fuel float would fill up in a lot less time than 5 or so minutes, so fuel levels wouldn't be the issue surely? The fact of the coil spouting oil as if Jed Clampett took a shot at it suggests to me that that's the most likely cause of the shorting. Hmm. Comments?

 

Oil coming out of the coil? Ewww.

I don't think they're refillable. Better get a new one.

 

Well, you tried. Nobody heard but me and SHOCK733.

 

Hey Jasper6120! Sounds like you found it! Oil coming out of the coil is never good, but it's a good sign that's the problem! And it would seem that Customs&Color and 1932tub hit the nail on the head...Change out that coil, and let us know. Maybe it's too soon to know for sure, but I'll say it anyway. Yaaaaaaaaayyyy!!! Hahahahahaha!!! I hope that's the cure for 'er. "Oil, oil, comin' out the coil....." - Rick

 

Part # 24 is the fuel baffle.

 

Coil is toast. The oil is present to insulate and cool the windings.

 

I'm no carb expert but i had that problem running a quad. I was told it was because the float pivots are on the side on a quad and starves the carb as it sloshes to one side especialy left turns.for a sec. I later put a holley on and never did it again as holleys are pivited back to frontwards. Any truth behind that theory?

 

Ladies and gentlemen, we have an answer... (insert drum roll)




It was the Coil!!!

Makes sense considering that it was oilier than the last kebab I ate. It was an el cheapo to get me going after the last one ceased to function. Turns out you shouldn't have these old style coils resting on their side because the oil comes out the top, which is exactly what happened. It was the best location for the coil so I chose to buy one which was suited to lying on its side. Ah yes, welcome back left hand turns.

There you have it folks

Thank you everyone for your advice and for one less reason for my folks to convince me I should buy a 'sensible' car

Jordan

 

Mystery solved. Thanx for sharing your cure. This thread brought out some interesting stuff
Bil

 

It's the carb. It's happened to me before. Could me dirty. Happen to be that jet was dirty so everytime i'd turn that way it would want to die. Clean it out real good or rebuild t. I just popped a new one on and all my probs were gone.

 

Had the same issue with my '53 Lincoln last summer.
Turned right or hit a big dip in the road and it would quit.
Turned out that the hot lead from the battery (under the pass. side floor) to the starter was slightly chaffed thru and would rub up against the r.h. upper control arm, arc out, and kill the engine.
Jerking the cable away and some electrical tape got me home 'till I got around to replacing the worn thru cable.

 

glad to hear that you found the problem.sometimes these kind of problems can drive a man insane!!

 

Alright, Jasper! Now go make some hard lefts! Hahahahaha!