Broken down and limping car on side of highway

[amc401]

OK. So I am driving the car down the road. I go a few miles down the highway and it starts to spudder and die like it is out of gas. I try to restart and it stumbles and dies again. After sitting a little, it starts and acts like nothings wrong. Drive a little more and same thing. New carb rebuild, new fuel pump, nt points, plugs wires and cap. Any help? We are on the side of the highway right now. Thanks

[First opel 1981]

Did you change your condensor? The symptoms of a bad condensor are intermittent bad spark. As it heats up, it messes up. Let it cool down and it will run fine for a while till it gets warm again.


The car could be vapor locking. See if you can move the fuel line around to eliminate any high spots in the fuel line.

[Anonymous D]

E-Z Diagnosis:
Just point some starter spray into the top of the carb.
If the car runs a bit, then you have a fuel system problem.
If the starter spray doesn't get the car to run, then it's an ignition system problem.

Another good idea, is to install a clear plastic "see through" fuel filter, in the fuel hose (just before it enters the carburetor). When a car dies, a quick look will tell you if it's due to fuel starvation.

[First opel 1981]

Originally Posted by Anonymous D E-Z Diagnosis: Just point some starter spray into the top of the carb. If the car runs a bit, then you have a fuel system problem. If the starter spray doesn't get the car to run, then it's an ignition system problem. Another good idea, is to install a clear plastic "see through" fuel filter, in the fuel hose (just before it enters the carburetor). When a car dies, a quick look will tell you if it's due to fuel starvation.

Starter spray will fire with a bad condensor and its really not good for engines.

[opellane]

Sounds like a clogged fuel filter. Was the Gas tank ever cleaned and the fuel sock ever removed?? Opel Gas tanks rust and clogg the fuel sock inside the tank. Flush the fuel filter out on the side of the road, and see how much dirt comes out.

[wrench459]

Cut the condenser wire. It's only there for point life.
If you got a fuel problem.. theres always the windshield washer reservoir along with its pump. Very dangerous but it might get you home.

[michaedo]

sounds like a plugged fuel filter. Sitting for a while will
allow some fuel to seep towards the carb letting it run
as normal....till it runs out of fuel again. Vapor lock
could cause the same reactions, try wetting some rags
and tying them at various points along the fuel line to
get you home.

[amc401]

I finally got her home, but no clue still to the problem. Now to start going through all the ideas yall had. Thanks again.

[First opel 1981]

FYI, adding electronic ignition will eliminate any possible problems with the condensor. It will eliminate all future problems with the points and condensor in the future.

You can get a Pertronics EI on Ebay for $65

[jick nuyo]

Originally Posted by wrench459 Cut the condenser wire. It's only there for point life.

would you happen to know which of the two exterior condenser wires to cut? or is it the one inside the cap (that connects for the contacts)? first opel, no idea.

[trlmr]

I am only familiar with my car and it is a 69 with a 1.9 engine. That being said, My ignition system has one condenser that is mounted externally to the distributor. Condensers are about the diameter of a AA battery and about half as long. It will have one wire that connects to points. a condenser's job is to absorb some voltage spikes that occur when the points open and close. If there wasn't a condenser in the line the points would arc and eventually pit. I know this doesn't answer your original question about the stalling. If you are still wondering if it is a fuel or electrical problem, another tip that might be of help is if it dies again you can take off the air breather so you can look down into the carb. Move the throttle and if it sprays gas into the intake there is gas in the carb.

P.S. you don't have to cut it to see if it is the problem, just disconnect it from the points.

[jick nuyo]

thx, after i induced it into the problem (running it loaded for about 5 min, then runs jerky, bogs, dies and won't start for 5 min), i disconnected the condenser-to-points wire and it fired up, idled perfectly, but ran like uber jerky crap when any acceleration was attempted. so i'm pretty sure that it's the condenser. is the performance mallory condenser meant for this system? it doesn't appear to have any place for the coil-to-condenser hot wire. (no others in stock for 3 days)

[jick nuyo]

new owner, 1973 opel gt 1.9, i induced it into the problem warming it up, running it loaded for about 5 min, then runs jerky, bogs, dies and won't start for 5 min. i disconnected the condenser-to-points wire and it fired up, idled perfectly, but ran like uber jerky crap when any acceleration was attempted (didn't die like it usually would though). so i'm pretty sure that it's the condenser. is the performance mallory condenser meant for this system? it doesn't appear to have any connection place for the coil-to-condenser hot wire. (no other condenser in stock for 3 days)

[Gordy]

Do you notice "burning" on the points? Make sure you clean the distributor housing with steel wool or sand paper where the points attach to the side of it. I've had cases where the condensor would not ground and you could actually see a small spark jumping from the condensor to the diz housing seeking a ground even though the condensor was screwed tight to the diz. The points would burn and need to be cleaned until the condensor eventually "welded" itself to the side of the diz, creating a ground, and the car would suddenly start running fine.

[markandson]

I would think as a temp fix you could use a condenser from an old VW which might be easier to find at the parts store, they're not too expensive so you won't be wasting much $ and it may get you running so you can play today. Replace your points with a pertronix unit, it will be worth the $.

[OpelJim]

and the points too. It may be a good idea to replace the rotor and cap and plug wires and spark plugs too

Also check the braided ground wire on the distributors plate it is a copper wire and when it is frayed or broken the Opel will run like crap.

[ghcoe]

Your ignition coil could be going bad too. I fought similar symptoms years ago on a jeep. Took me about 6 months to figure that out. I always thought it was a fuel related problem. It would come and go, but always seemed to related to heat. I had someone suggest the coil was bad and to carry some water with me to pour over the coil the next time it happened. Well it took awhile but finally it happened so I took the water and poured it over the coil and it started right up! Went right to the parts store and got a new coil and I never had another problem with it. George.

[First opel 1981]

Originally Posted by jick nuyo new owner, 1973 opel gt 1.9, i induced it into the problem warming it up, running it loaded for about 5 min, then runs jerky, bogs, dies and won't start for 5 min. i disconnected the condenser-to-points wire and it fired up, idled perfectly, but ran like uber jerky crap when any acceleration was attempted (didn't die like it usually would though). so i'm pretty sure that it's the condenser. is the performance mallory condenser meant for this system? it doesn't appear to have any connection place for the coil-to-condenser hot wire. (no other condenser in stock for 3 days)

Just an FYI, any negative ground condensor will work. There isn't anything special about an Opel Condensor.
I once had mine crap out 40 miles from home and I had a mountain to go over. I found a house with a crappy broken down pickup in the side yard. The owner was happy to let me pull the condensor off of that and it worked just fine.

[kwilford]

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