car shuts down when i'm driving it!

[Ranger16]

Is this a resto or a survivor?

 

[Philip Ferguson]

Thanks again for the comments...that electric fuel pump is probably 20 years old...i'm going to recheck the PSI coming out of it. You're right FBBO, I wish it was relocated to the back of the car. I'm hoping that maybe the push rod for the mechanical fuel pump is just worn and if I go ahead and replace it...the eccentric on the cam will be good enough to push it and run a new mechanical pump.

For the other posts...it's more like the car has run out of gas when it shuts down on me...a bit of stumbling and then the engine cuts out on me.

 

[Philip Ferguson]

Is this a resto or a survivor?

it's a survivor.

 

[Philip Ferguson]

I might have missed it, but I havent seen where you describe how its shutting down, spit sputter or like the ignition was turned off like @Dennis H asked???
If its instantanious like the ignition being turned off, 99% sure it's electrical. Electrical components/connections are affected by heat and can cause gremilins as you have described. If your electric fuel pump is wired into the switched side of your fuse block it (problem) can be 2 fold. Switch or bulkhead connections are loose/bad, when they heat up, the contact required is broken....the heat is created not only from ambient temps but the amp draw, the less contact pressure you have causes the amps to increase which causes even more heat until the circuit opens. When it cools down it will have enough pressure to make the system act normal until it heats up again.

We checked the 3 connection blocks - all clean...nothing burnt or broken...but you always wonder about 50 year old wiring...I thought the same thing...too much heat affecting the connections there.

 

[Fran Blacker]

Some electric pumps won't allow fuel to be pulled threw them, Carter for example.

 

[Ranger16]

it's a survivor.

OK, mine is as well and I had a similar problem. What I found was the battery cable at the starter relay was corroded so bad it was a wonder it ran at all. I cleaned it and it started right up. I don't think that connection had been removed in 47 years. After that I pulled and cleaned every connector under the hood.

 

[bm02tj]

Have you checked the pickup in tank

 

[Philip Ferguson]

Well...we're going to try something else first...I talked to a muscle car mechanic friend about it. He feels it might be electrical...even though the coil is brand new, it still might not be getting enough spark once the engine really warms up.
We're going to run a bypass from the battery to the coil to see if that corrects the issue...if it does, I'll be asking you folks where to get the best wiring harness from!!

 

[Dennis H]

Is it like someone turned off the ignition and threw the keys out the window? Check bulkhead connectors. Gently. Or does it stumble first. Get a digital temperature gauge to be sure of temps.

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