Engine Quits for no reason??? Opel GT

[Snakes111]

After driving my Opel GT for about 15 - 20 minutes the engine will die for no apparent reason. I have checked the cooling system many times and I am pretty sure thats not the problem. I have also moved the fuel line further away from the engine because someone suggested it might be vapor locking but it didn't help. If anyone has any suggestions please help. Also, its a 1.9 liter, with a weber carb, and msd blaster 2 coil. I think thats all thats not stock. Thank you

[guyopel]

Check you dist. points and cond. and while your in the dist. check for a broken ground wire . HTH

[RallyBob]

You need three things for the engine to run. Air, fuel, and spark. Assuming it's getting air just fine, look at the other possibilities.

If you are getting vapor lock, they will definitely cause a problem.

If the fuel filter and/or the fuel sock at the gas tank are sucking up debris and clogging flow, that's a problem.

Check the condensor as mentioned, but also check your coil. If it's getting very hot, it may be the wrong resistance value (since you said it's an aftermarket coil), and it will overheat until spark essentially stops 'flowing'. When it cools down it will then restart. And so on...

It's probably something very simple. If an engine runs well otherwise, but shuts off randomly, it's usually fuel or spark.

Good luck,
Bob

[baronbors]

Fuel sock or gas filter- Been there, done that

[Anonymous D]

Insert a clear plastic "see through" type fuel filter, in the fuel hose just before it goes into the carburetor.

You'll see, if it has fuel or not.

Another tactic, is to spray "engine starter spray" into the carb directly. If that starts it up, then you know it is a fuel starvation issue. If not, it's an ignition or other issue.

[OpelJim]

Originally Posted by Snakes111 After driving my Opel GT for about 15 - 20 minutes the engine will die for no apparent reason. I have checked the cooling system many times and I am pretty sure thats not the problem. I have also moved the fuel line further away from the engine because someone suggested it might be vapor locking but it didn't help. If anyone has any suggestions please help. Also, its a 1.9 liter, with a weber carb, and msd blaster 2 coil. I think thats all thats not stock. Thank you

If you are able to start and drive for 20 minutes I doubt that it is a fuel delivery problem ( although the gas tank sock could be the problem if your tank has debris in it) so that leaves spark.

To make sure it is not gas double check the flow of gas just disconnect the fuel line after the pump and get a big glass jar to catch the gas as it is pumped. Disconnect the coil wire as you crank over the engine. This also shows you if the gas is flowing to the carb
Check the condensor to make sure it is getting proper ground to the distributor casing must be flush against the metal and the little screw that holds the bracket in all the way tight.
Then as someone else suggested it could be the ground wire in the distributor plate they tend to fray or break and this causes an intermittent cut off of spark to the plugs.
If after 20 minutes of running it cuts out again then take the coil wire and hold it 1/8 of inch away from the block or a nut on the valve cover while cranking the engine see if you have a good spark there. If not then it could be the coil cutting out as it heats up or maybe the coil wire is bad.

Process of elimination is how to solve this problem

[baronbors]

Originally Posted by OpelJim If you are able to start and drive for 20 minutes I doubt that it is a fuel delivery problem ( although the gas tank sock could be the problem if your tank has debris in it) so that leaves spark. To make sure it is not gas double check the flow of gas just disconnect the fuel line after the pump and get a big glass jar to catch the gas as it is pumped. Disconnect the coil wire as you crank over the engine. This also shows you if the gas is flowing to the carb

If it is the sock plugging afer 15-20 minutes- it might not be obvious using the fuel delivery system unless you can run the gas through for the 15- 20 minutes coninuously to duplicate the problem- but with a clear fuel filter just befor the carb you could visually see the fuel reduction after the appropriate time has passed.

[markandson]

You say that it dies after 20 min. or so, but you don't say if it will immediately restart, or if you have to wait for it to cool off. If it is the latter, then look for things affected by heat, like the coil or dizzy, which others have suggested. If it restarts right away after dying then it is probably fuel.

[West Coast GT]

Sounds temperature related.
Check to see if the Weber's choke is disengaging.

[Snakes111]

OK, I did forget to say if it would start or not right away. And it wont start back up right away you have to wait a little while like 5 -15 minutes. But i know its not overheating thats the problem. Thanks for the help everyone that has posted so far

[opelwasp]

It doesn't sound like the engine is overheating, but maybe an electrical component is overheating. Coil, or condenser.

[Anonymous D]

For a quick restart, carry a can of starter spray. Nice $3 insurance policy to have.
If you suspect vapor lock, try placing a wet rag around part of the fuel hose (to cool it down).

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by Anonymous D For a quick restart, carry a can of starter spray. Nice $3 insurance policy to have. If you suspect vapor lock, try placing a wet rag around part of the fuel hose (to cool it down).

Wet rag is good idea, but for metal fuel line . . . hose typically doesn't absorb enough heat to cause vapor lock, but a metal line across the front of engine sure does!

Here's another, more permanent, solution . . .

[baronbors]

When mine did the same thing, I found the Weber accelerator pump was ruptured and leaking. I had to let it cool down abit and then pump like he!! to get it started.

[Snakes111]

It could have something to do with the carb, someone rebuilt it for us just before this started to happen.

[69GTLEE]

I had the same thing happen to me a few years ago.
The car would run for 20 minutes the die.
what was happening was the fuel sock would plug up and choke the engine to death when the engine stoped the clog would fall off the sock this would take 5 to 10 minutes then the car would run fine for another 15 to 20 minutes.
drain your gas tank a remove it from the car flush the tank to remove any debris remember that tank is over 30 years old,
use an air compressure to blow out the fuel lines replace fuel sock and filters

[opelnut10]

Originally Posted by 69GTLEE I had the same thing happen to me a few years ago. The car would run for 20 minutes the die. what was happening was the fuel sock would plug up and choke the engine to death when the engine stoped the clog would fall off the sock this would take 5 to 10 minutes then the car would run fine for another 15 to 20 minutes. drain your gas tank a remove it from the car flush the tank to remove any debris remember that tank is over 30 years old, use an air compressure to blow out the fuel lines replace fuel sock and filters

That is a good idea to get rid of the fuel tank sock and clean the tank. I have found installing a inline fuel filter between the tank and the fuel pump will also geratly help keeping trash out. Also if someone rebuilt the Weber they may have set the float level too low and running it out of fuel while driving.