1979 C10 died while driving and struggles to start
Prior to these problems, I was driving the truck a couple times per week. One morning I fired her up, and went to work.
She was driving great. I got about 4 miles from the house and had just taken my foot off the gas to begin slowing down for
a stop sign and she completely died. Tried starting it and it would not turn over for anything. Pushed it to the side of the
road and waited about 10 minutes and she fired up. I drove to work and all was fine. Leaving work, same thing happened,
except this time I wasn't out of the parking lot when she died. Had to wait 10 mins or so before she started.
Got it back home. Checked ground wires and everything, and nothing looked loose. Did some research and ended up
changing the Ignition Starter Switch in the steering column because the symptoms matched some other people's
problems. She still struggled to start but I was able to drive around the neighborhood with no problems. Neighbor even
commented on how good it sounded when i went to grab some wood from him.
Last Saturday, I go to take it to get some gas to give it a test out on the roads. I try for about 20 minutes and it will not
start. It keeps sounding like its going to start, but just won't turn over. Later that afternoon, I try again, and she starts on
the first try.
Last Sunday morning I go to attempt getting gas again. She starts with no issue. AS I'm pulling out of the driveway, she
just doesn't seem right. Just seems bogged down. I get a quarter of a mile from my house and she dies. I have to sit for a
couple mins and she fires up again. I turn around and head back to the house.
Yesterday, I changed the fuel pump. Got in and she started on the first try. Ran for about 5 seconds and then died. Could
not get her to start again after that. Went back out later, and she started, but again only for about 5 seconds at most
before dying.
Any ideas what my next steps should be? I don't know much about working on cars. I actually bought this one to learn on,
so please dumb your suggestions down for me. I appreciate it.
With intermittent issues, have to test when problem is ongoing. Make sure battery has a full charge and connections all good. If it cranks good but won't start, have a helper crank it while you visually check for spark at the plugs. If spark everywhere, you might check fuel pressure, you could take the fuel supply line loose from the carb, aim into container, have helper bump the starter, see if any gas comes out? Also, you should be able to work the throttle lever by hand and see gas squirt in the carb throat, just for testing, don't flood it. To back-up a little, if no spark when problem is ongoing, Check primary voltage to ignition coil, use a test light, usually goes hot with key on. Still talking about no spark when problem is ongoing, there is the distributor--ignition module--pickup coil in distributor--dist rotor. I'm not saying replace everything, but, do some testing. I'm sure I left something out. I'm just trying to list some possibilities. good luck.
It's your distributor. Same thing happened to me except when she died, she wouldn't start again. Pushed it into a parking lot and saw smoke coming from under the hood. Took the key out and it stopped. Put key back in and turned it in ignition, then smoke started billowing out of my distributor. Crazy, right? Thing was fried. Replaced it with an ACCEL Performance distributor and she's running better than ever. Check your coil and your wires.
....
