after owning my 65 Malibu, it left me sittin for the 2nd time in 34 years. It's a 230 six cyl,/ powerglide,...left this evening for a cruz nite , got about a half a mile out of town and it just up and quit runnin,..no hiccup or like lack of fuel, just flat out quit. .what do you think I should look at first?...I'm thinkin coil, points or a bad wire somewhere....just askin, I'll check it out in the AM to see what I can find.
Check for spark at the spark plugs Check at the coil Check fuel at the carb See what’s missing and keep checking . Check please ! then go from there .
welp, I hope it's not the same as my 66 chevy shortbox, stepside problem some years back. Took an exit ramp off the interstate and it just stopped running....wouldn't start. I found it was the cheapie fiber timing gear. Not much of a job to replace but still.... P.S. Replace it with an aluminum gear if that is indeed the problem..
From the rules. 1965 is ok. 4. We cover traditional '65 and older American cars only. All other threads will be deleted. We don't cover rat rods, muscle cars, mustangs, or VWs.
also check ignition switch. I had an original that wore enough that it would just shut off from time to time.
Check the wires to the points, as the vacuum advance plate moves so do the wires bend untill the copper strands break and loose contact.
That is as long as the 65 looks the same as a 64 and isn't a Pony car. To be honest I have never been able to tell the difference between 64 and 65 Chevelles since day one and I graduated from High School in 65. Still it is just a car with a basic points ignition and a one barrel carb. Adding to what Vandenplas (wow I got it right the first time) said in post 2. To quote him: Check for spark at the spark plugs Check at the coil Check fuel at the carb See what’s missing and keep checking . Check please ! then go from there . Are you absolutely sure you have enough gas in the tank for the engine to run? A couple of gallons of gas put into the tank may be the answer. Not wasted money either. Then what did you change since you drove it last? Or what did you work on? If it isn't getting spark, pop the cap off and see if the rotor is turning. The original timing gear was a fiber gear and they are known to crap out at inopportune times. Rotor turns without and issue check the points. You can snag one of your significant other's emery boards and buff up the points enough for them to work if they look like they are sticking. Gap should be about .016. A match book cover will get you close enough. If it has a good spark in the first place check the gas supply. Again systematically check for the basic things = fuel and spark and then go from there.
I remember reading about a car that kept dying whenever the husband drove it, but it always ran fine for his wife. Eventually it was found that all the keys he had on his key ring weighed enough to pull the ignition switch out enough to lose electrical contact.
Ignition, check for spark, thinking points, or rotor. stop whole ignition- not just a misfire on one or two plugs.
Again systematically check for the basic things = fuel and spark and then go from there.[/QUOTE] Mr 48 Chevy covers it well. What I think of though, is In 56 years has anything been improved with the primary wiring? Afterthought, if you find no spark, make up a jumper wire. If you get it to run anyway, keep the jump wire in the glove.
not true...right from the rules 65 and older and says nothing about look alike cars. We cover traditional '65 and older American cars only. All other threads will be deleted. We don't cover rat rods, muscle cars, mustangs, or VWs.
Thanks guys for the suggestions,...these are all things I thot I'd check .not today tho, too dang hot and humid, sposed to cool off the rest of the week....I'll let ya know what cures the problem.
That sounds exactly like what happened to my 235 when the fibre timing gear went. No warning, no real noise, just that the engine shut off.
These cars had issues at the bulk connector at the firewall (backside of fuse box) back in the 80's. It's only 40 years later.
I agree. Had that happen to my '27 Roadster that had a 153 Chevy in it. On minute having fun, the next, no fire!
OK,...I'm back in business;...turned out the contact on the spring side of the points went MIA,...put another set of points in and it fired rite up, wish everything was this simple to fix. thanks for your suggestions.
Can't be! I was told points will never leave you on the side of the road Glad you're back in business.
..I did check for slop in the dist,..seems good, I've never seen this happen in all my years running points,...I did replace the condenser first but that didn't fix it, so I pulled the points out for a closer look.
Did you try blowing the missing tip out of the dist. with some compressed air? I would be leery of it causing the advance not to move if it gets in the wrong place. Just a thought.....D
Rusty1 if You every have this Problem Again I think YOU should Bring it Down to my Neck of the woods with the Title and I will take care of it. Just saying! Just my 3.5 cents Live Learn & Die a Fool;
50 Merc,..thanks for the offer I did take another look in the dist. and found the missing contact,..so all should be good.
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