I tell this story because I often need to laugh at myself, and it keeps me humble. I doubt very much that my experience gives the correct explanation for your specific problem, but for what it's worth . . . here it is.
So there I was, out in my back yard, all by myself, trying to get my 1965 inline 230ci running for the first time in years. I connected the "battery" wire from my HEI distributor to the positive battery cable. Another Bolter told me that by doing so, I would not be able to turn off the engine using the ignition key, but would have to disconnect the HEI distributor wire from the battery to stop the flow of current to the coil inside the HEI. True, but I left it connected figuring that I could simply pull the battery cable off the battery post rather than go back inside the cab to turn the switch off.
I installed my new carb and ran the engine with an electric fuel pump. Once I was pleased with how it ran, I popped the positive cable off the battery post, BUT THE ENGINE KEPT RUNNING! I then disconnected the negative cable, BUT THE ENGINE KEPT RUNNING! I then disconnected the power to the electric fuel pump, BUT THE ENGINE KEPT RUNNING . . . . until the carb ran out of fuel! Lucky thing I was using an electric fuel pump and not the mechanical fuel pump mounted on the engine or it might still be running!
I laid awake trying to figure it out and then it came to me . . . "The alternator must still be good!" It must be generating enough current to keep the coil supplied with power to produce a good spark.
Laugh AT me or WITH me. I just hope you can imagine the panic that I had at that moment and laugh along.
Last edited by Lugnutz; 07/24/2012 8:19 PM.
