48 Commodore just died in the driveway...

[Deleted User]
[Deleted User]
edited November -1 in HUDSON
Wouldn't you know it..... I just get my radio back from repair and installed today, get my speedo repaired and installed today, get my clock repaired and installed today and then when I start backing out of the driveway, my ignition dies just like someone turned off the key. I am almost positive it is a short or loose connection somewhere because it has died suddenly on me before and then will start up immediately when I try it again (except for this time it seems it is down for the count). Any suggestions as to where I should start looking first? I am not mechanically inclined but I did remove and reinstall the radio and gauges! Thanks for your input! Niels

Comments

  • Jon B
    Jon B Administrator
    (Maybe if you removed the radio, speedometer and clock, it would start...?)
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    no.. it's not my doing. It's happened before.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Niels

    Not knowing what you might have disturbed during the installation of the Clock, Speedometer and radio, I am guessing in this response. If the problem is electrical and related to the ignition I offer the following suggestion.

    The ignition coil for 1948-49 receives its power via a circuitous route. Battery power comes to the ignition switch via the starter to the B terminal of the voltage regulator on to the Battery terminal of an auxiliary circuit breaker and then to the switch. The switch output includes a power lead to the coil and starter switch button. When the ignition switch is placed in the on position there should be 6 volts present at the side of the coil not connected to the distributor. If the switch is placed in the on position there should be 6 volts to one side of the starter button. If six volts is present at the button when it is depressed the opposite side and the starter solenoid should have 6 volts present. If the these two voltage paths are as stated the starter should engage and the coil should build and collapse a charge to ignite the plugs. If you somehow burned the points, the engine will turn over but not start as the points must make and break for the coil to work properly. If you somehow loosened the battery terminal on the aux circuit breaker or the lighting circuit breaker, the wiring may now be touching ground or another wire causing a short which in turn causes the circuit breaker providing power to the ignition switch to trip. ... To troubleshoot and fix ... you will have to carefully inspect the wiring behind the speedometer. You will be looking for loose wire connections or disturbed wires touching the chassis.
    Good Luck
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    To add some clarity to this dilema, the car would some times quit stone dead prior to my repairs. This would occur even when driving at high speeds. It would quit just like if one simply turned off the key. I would coast to a stop and then try starting it and it would start immediately. I had tightened the connections to the ignition switch and that seemed to cure the issue but it is back, obviously there is a greater problem. It seems like a short somewhere to me. I guess I'll start by tracing all the ignition wires under the dash to the firewall and make sure none are grounded and go from there. It is all original laquered wiring and in extremely good shape but it is almost sixty years old...
  • harry54
    harry54 Senior Contributor
    I would check your points. They might be bad.
  • JasonNC
    JasonNC Expert Adviser
    My 48 Commodore does the same thing every three or four months, but once it sits for about two minutes, it cranks back up and runs great until it gets tempermental again. An old mechanic told me it's probably the voltage regulator sticking. He recommended that I use a fingernail file on the points the next time it did it. I'm waiting....
  • Park_W
    Park_W Senior Contributor
    Jason, I recommend you find another mechanic.
  • Park_W
    Park_W Senior Contributor
    Niels, pop the distributor cap off and check the little wire that carries power to the points. The insulation can wear off, and then if it comes in contact with the side of the distributor housing, you're dead. Happened to my Hornet .
  • JasonNC
    JasonNC Expert Adviser
    Thanks Park. Just remember who my wiring guru was when I converted the car to 12 volts....
  • faustmb
    faustmb Senior Contributor
    I have had similar problems with a brand X car, turned out to be the ignition coil. After it got hot, the ignition would fail until it cooled again. It was extremely repeatable though, within minutes of a cold start, the car would stall. 5 minutes or so later, it would start right up and run great.



    In this case, I would also expect a bare wire somewhere is the culprit.



    Matt
  • 464Saloon
    464Saloon Senior Contributor
    Might be a good time to check and see if Pertronix has an electronic conversion kit. These are great and eliminates the points and condensors. So far I have done it to my 55 Ford F-100 and 68 442.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    If this is a car with overdrive, the overdrive switch may be the problem. It shorts out the distributor when you push the accelerator to the floor.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    alexa wrote:
    If this is a car with overdrive, the overdrive switch may be the problem. It shorts out the distributor when you push the accelerator to the floor.



    Interesting... will it short it out when you DON'T push the accelerator? Because the car is dead either way.... Niels
This discussion has been closed.

Categories

In this Discussion