1967 Electrical Problem

[Ralph E.]

I have a 1967 Convertible base engine 327/300. Recently the engine has been shutting down while being driven for aparantly no reason. Radio does not shut off, only engine. All it takes to start the engine again is to pull off the road and restart with the ignition key. My first thought was that this may be an issue at the bulkhead connector but that usually kills all electrical power to the fuse block. i.e. nothing electrical worked. But as I stated the radio remained on. I still did removed and clean the bulkkhead connectors just encase but that did not fix the problem.
The engine has a new LL wire harness. The main dash harness will probably be replaced this winter.
Do these symptoms indicate a bad engine harness, ignition switch, bulkhead connector, fuse block repair or anything else.
Any help is appreciated. This is driving me crazy.

[Stephen L.]

Re: 1967 Electrical Problem

Intermittent ballast resistor????

[Domenic T.]

Re: 1967 Electrical Problem

Ralph,
certainly the ignition switch could be it BUT, check your firewall resistor and see if it is in good shape and the connectors are tight.
The resistor gets really hot and can expand the electrical connectors, or just plain go open on the resistor till it cools.
If it quits and only starts with the key in the crank position then that is also a indication that it is bad.
If stuck on the road you can by-pass the resistor but at the expence of your points if you do it to long.

DOM

DOM

[Timothy B.]

Re: 1967 Electrical Problem

Ralph,

You could also take a test light with you in thew car and when the engine quits check for power at the resistor at the wire from the ignition switch. That will help narrow it down, because the only way to find the problem is when it quits on you.

[Edward J.]

Re: 1967 Electrical Problem

Ralph, Its really kind of pot luck when a car does this. My advice first is do the wiggle test, with the car running start at the back of ignition switch and work forward wiggling the connectors to see if the car stalls, then firewall connections, ballast resistor, coil, and one other thing is inside the Distributor, the wiring there can sometimes ground to the housing or breaker plate especailly when the vacuum advance moves, if the wires are chaffed and hit metal the engine will stall, and restart after the vacuum advance returns to rest position. Good luck Ed

[Ralph E.]

Re: 1967 Electrical Problem

Thanks for all the good feedback. I don't think it is the resistor, as the engine stopped on three occasions nearly right after start up. I did do the wiggle test for every wire along the ignition circuit all the way back to the starter. I even removed and reinstalled at nearly each connector. Today I discovered the wire connector which connects to the ignition key switch did not look like it was fully connected. Decided to clean and reinstall it. I did not take off the distributor cap yet. Will check the wire to the coil and distributor for possible grounding. The problem is the engine doesn't stall, it shuts off as if I turned off the ignition key.
If I was driving and the engine shuts off, re-poping the clutch does not get the engine restarted. I need to restart with the ignition key switch.

[Domenic T.]

Re: 1967 Electrical Problem

Ralph,
Maybe it's time to get a jumper wire and bypass the resistor as in my 1st post. Tim also has a good idea along with the wiggle test and
when you key start you bypass the resistor till you back off to the run position. If it is doing it a lot then bypass the resistor and see if it go's away.
you can clean your points when your done.

DOM

[William C.]

Re: 1967 Electrical Problem

The resistor is bypassed during cranking via a wire up from the solenoid, so if the resistor is a problem, the car should restart with the key cranking and then die after the cranking motor is released. Nothing more needed to troubleshoot the resistor.

[Domenic T.]

Re: 1967 Electrical Problem

Bill,
That point is well taken and was brought up earlier but he may have a high resistance connection that allows the resistor to operate till it gets hot and breaks connection.
I found a high resistance connection on a terminal block once that expanded the female side because the male was not that tight and arked which expanded the female enough to break connection.
Just a thought. Once I was changing a ( what seemed to be a faulty ciccuit breaker) in a plane and when I touched the wire that was screwed to it I burnt my finger.
All that was needed then was to tighten the loose screw that had the high resistance and check the rest of the screws.
My thoughts are to eliminate a corroded resistor where it is not visible.
Ralph, one other problem that had the same symptoms as yours was on a Mustang with a dent on the coil that shorted the winding when the coil got hot.
If the guy let it sit for a few min it would start and run for a short time.
One other that I found was on my 65 SS, the wire that go's to the coil from the distributer broke inside the insulation and it did the same thing. I must have cought it under the cap once and the only way I found it was to pull on the wire and watch it stretch over the break inside the insulation.

DOM

[Ralph E.]

Re: 1967 Electrical Problem

OK, I checked the (-) wire to the distributor from the coil. It appears OK but I notice that on the end at the distributor the wire had a small metal band on it. I thought this may be causing the wire to ground out. I pull the wire away from anything metal. As of today, on a short drive all appears good. The engine did not shut off. This evening I am planning to drive to a local cruise. Should find out if the problem has been fixed by the time I get back home. I don't think it is the resistor since the engine shut off a couple of times within 10 seconds of starting and the resistor was not even warmed up. Although it did shut off at times after being fully warmed up.
Can't thank you guys enough for trying to help me with this very frustrating problem.

[William C.]

Re: 1967 Electrical Problem

Actually, the small metal band is there to serve to locate the wire in the grommet to the correct spot to allow the proper length on the lead wire to reach the coil in the proscribed routing. It is on all points distributors with the externally adjustable points.

[Ralph E.]

Re: 1967 Electrical Problem

It appears all is good. My engine did not shut off going to a local cruise or returning home last evening. Could it have been as simple as that small metal band grounding out the ignition? Or maybe it was the ignition key switch which need a slight adjustment. At any rate I have more confidence my car will get me to and from where ever I go.

[Timothy B.]

Re: 1967 Electrical Problem

Ralph,

Also, double check that the ignition coil is installed in the coil bracket properly. The primary posts (+-) should be parallel to the firewall, if not they may short out on the shielding.

[Joe R.]

Re: 1967 Electrical Problem

Ralphie,

Had the same problem and it ran me crazy. I replaced everything the above thought about including the resistor, coil, ignition switch and starter solenoid.
Turned out to be a fuel problem and not an ignition problem at all. 67 BB 400HP with a center carb fuel filter clogged! And no it would not cough or sputter, went dead just like the ignition switch was turned off!
Would be a cheap fix if that was what's wrong with your 67 too!

JR

[Ralph E.]

Re: 1967 Electrical Problem

Ralphie,

Had the same problem and it ran me crazy. I replaced everything the above thought about including the resistor, coil, ignition switch and starter solenoid.
Turned out to be a fuel problem and not an ignition problem at all. 67 BB 400HP with a center carb fuel filter clogged! And no it would not cough or sputter, went dead just like the ignition switch was turned off!
Would be a cheap fix if that was what's wrong with your 67 too!

JR

JR, should the engine shut off again, I'll check the fuel filter. But I would have expected the engine to sputter and stall, not shut off.
Going for a little cruise this afternoon to check things out again. As of yesterday the engine did not shut off. I am hoping I got it fixed.

And Tim one of the first things I checked was how the coil was installed. Thanks for trying to help. This has been a very fustrating problem for me to fix.