Random stalling and dying

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edward9egan

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Just got a new 1974 dart. When I have driven it a couple minutes in it sounds and act like its running out of gas and dies. I just filled the tank so I know it has gas. The car won't start after sitting for a few minutes it usually has to sit for a few hours then it'll start up and run fine with no issues whatsoever. I've changed the fuel filter, spark plugs, ignition module, new cap and rotor. Any idea why this is happening please help
 
Fuel sock in the tank
Fuel pump
Ballast resistor
Distributor plug expanding with heat.
(Points) condenser

So when it quits there is spark or isn't?
Whichever answer use the answers related above.
 
Thanks it still has spark after it dies so I'll start checking the rest of that list
 
Kinda sounds to me to be a choking/flooding problem with the not being able to start back up until lots of time has passed. Choke pull-off diaphragm shot, choke miss adjusted, leaky float needle and seat etc. Is there a strong oder of gas when it first stalls? Take off the air cleaner and see if carb innards are wet with gas. Try flooring the accelerator when you try to restart after first stall (clear flooded condition). Don't forget to put air cleaner back on before starting or you may get a severe backfire if flooded.
 
I just bought a 74 Duster in Oct. of 2016 and Wed. of last week I filled the tank and when I got home tank was leaking. I ordered a new tank and removed old one. At the bottom of the tank it was coated with rust and possibly other things I couldn't see. Although I didn't have any other issues with the Engine, I certainly could have used the new tank. It's possible a 46 year old tank has something in it causing your problem.
I pulled out the filler tube to empty it out and then take a flashlight and take a peek.
 
If it's stock electronic ignition, check the reluctor gap in the distributor... .007" with brass feeler gauge...
 
edward9egan said:
Just got a new 1974 dart. When I have driven it a couple minutes in it sounds and act like its running out of gas and dies. I just filled the tank so I know it has gas. The car won't start after sitting for a few minutes it usually has to sit for a few hours then it'll start up and run fine with no issues whatsoever. I've changed the fuel filter, spark plugs, ignition module, new cap and rotor. Any idea why this is happening please help
Click to expand...
I had a 1970 Duster that would stall like that from time to time, it turned out to be the rubber gas line from the tank to the metal fuel line that runs along side of the underside to the fuel pump. The rubber hose from the tank was dry rotted and would sometimes suck air instead of gas and stall but would start and run fine after a few minutes of setting. I changed the rubber line and it solved that problem!
 
I had a similar problem. Found out it was a dodgy cable going into the electronic distributor. A few strands of the wires were broken and when the wires would get warm they would go high resistance. Was a real PITA to diagnose. I ran it like that for about 2 years before I could diagnose it. Suggestions - look for old wires, bad joints or loose connections, that's about all you can do unless it goes faulty continuously. Intermittent faults are the most difficult to diagnose so you just have to put up with them unfortunately until they develop further.
 
so time for an update. the car has a new tank, sending unit, hard lines, and fuel pump. it is still having the same issue. i'm going to try finding bad wires and rebuild the carb see if that does the trick.
 
If possible when engine dies leave key on in same position and check for voltage at the ballast resistor. If 8 volts there problem can be in engine bay somewhere. If no volts there then its either wiring in steering column or fire wall connector. I see you eliminated most of fuel possibilities.
 
edward9egan said:
so time for an update. the car has a new tank, sending unit, hard lines, and fuel pump. it is still having the same issue. i'm going to try finding bad wires and rebuild the carb see if that does the trick.
Click to expand...
When mine did that i could raise the hood and look down into the carb while working the throttle arm by hand and each time it stalled the carb was not squirting fuel so i knew it was in the fuel system, if it is pumping fuel then you can try a points distributor and bypass the electronic ignition temporarily just to see if it's for sure in the electronic ignition.
 
Don't forget about the venting system. And blow out the fuel line from the float valves back the way it came, to the filter.
Getting back to the rubber jumper from the sending unit to the hard line. If you installed gear clamps here, you need 4 of them, two on each side with the screw heads 180* apart. If this is not done, then when the fuel level in the tank falls, and it gets harder for the pump to pull up the fuel, she likes to pull air in under the screw.It is possible to seal it with just one clamp per side, but you have to tighten the screw so hard it practically cuts the hose off. With 2 clamps, very little pressure is needed and you can forget about it for 10 years or more.
If you reused the factory flat band clamps, great! you're done.
 
rebuilding the carb did it there were pieces of the old plastic float sight screw floating around on the primary side. thanks everyone for the advice
 
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