The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Turns over but won't stay running?

I have a problem. I just bought my 1963 283 c-10 about a week ago. It has been running fine until the other day. I thought it was out of gas cause it just died. Got it towed to my house and filled it but it still won't start? It turns over fine and gas is getting to the carb good. Also it is firing fine. When you turn the key and pump the gas, it revs until the key is released? Any Ideas? Please Help!

wadatah5,

You posted in another thread..I commented there.

If it is indeed your ballast resistor, simply bypass it by a simple rewire to the key side and see if that solves the problem.

The START/WON'T RUN diagnosis is just that...it just won't run after letting go of the key.

Again, this isn't the same as runs poorly, or runs, then dies...it just instantly quits when you let go of the key.

Stuart

thanks for the help. One more ? tho. I'm sorta new with my truck could you help me with locating my ballast resistor?

Ballest resistor is an add on item usualy mounted on the fire wall. It is the ceramic devise with 2 wires on it. It gets hot to the touch when working properly. You cam find it by looking at the + terminal on the coil, now follow the wire back to the fire wall. The next thing the wire attaches to will be the ballast resistor. I hope! Well it should be.

Well i followed the wire from the + terminal of the battery and nothing connects even close to the firewall. one wire runs to my alternator while the other goes to my starter.

wire from + side of coil not battery goes to resistor.

could it be the point rotor and the condensor?

Ok here is the check list for engine runs with key in start position only.
1. Turn key on use a volt meter or a test lamp, inspect for voltage at the + post on the coil.
1a. Has voltage; Go to step 2.
1b. No voltage; goto step 3.
2. Has voltage at + terminal on coil. Inspect for closed, ashed, or pitted points. Re-gap or replace as ness. (note; some old cars have 2 sets of points, a start set and a run set.)
3. Has no voltage at + post on coil. Some older cars had a voltage resistence wire between the ignition switch and the coil, some had a ballast resistor. Lets start at the ignition switch. With a test lamp or volt meter, you need to test for voltage to the switch with the key off. (This may be easier if you remove the switch from its mounting and leave the wires connected for better axcess.) If you find voltage at the switch go to step 3a. If you do not find voltage go to step 3b.
3a. Yes I have voltage to the switch with the key off. Mark of remember which wire or wires have voltage at the switch. Now turn on the switch to the run position (not the start position). Now you should have at least one more wire with power (possibly more than one). Remember or mark those wires. If you do not have voltage from another wire; replace the ignition switch. If you do have voltage to another wire, go to step 4.

Step 3b is for the guy who wants to keep the factory look and function. If you only want it to run then install a wire from the battery to the switch. Then go to step 1 and retest.

3b. This step will require some wiring inspection. At this point a manuel or at least a wiring diag. Would be very handy. Then you will know what color the feed wire is to the switch from the battery.
With as razor blade (do i really need to warn you that they are sharp?) cut the insulation from the wires going to the switch, you are looking for cut or damaged wiring as you go.
{TIP} IF you are cutting the tape from the wires they will be hanging down all over the place and getting tangled. Go in the house and get some garbage bag ties. As you cut the insulation ( oh say every 6") put a garbage tie there. This will be helpfull when you re-rap the wiring with tape.
At some point you should find a broken burned or disconnected wire. If not go back to step 3 and start over.
4. I have voltage across the switch. A wiring diag. would be handy here also.
Step 4 is for the guy that wants factory look and function.
If you just want it to run then install a wire and a ballast resistor (tell the parts guy you want a ballast resistor for a 65 Dodge with a 225 cid engine) from the (key on) hot lead to the new ballest resistor and from the other side of the resistor to the coil + post. Go to step 1.
For the purest you are gonna split the harness and look for damaged wiring from the switch to the coil. See {TIP} from 3b. If you don't find a damaged wire then go back to step 3.
Whew! I am worked down, all this typing, HEY!! Do I get paid for this?
Good luck, keep us posted.

That would be correct if are checking the battery wiring.

BUTTTTT you should be checking the coil wiring.

Ok well we checked everything and it looked good. So we hooked jumper cables up to the battery bypassing the starter and it started right up. so we figured it was the solenoid and replaced the whole starter unit. But.......still won't start!

My 66 did the exact same thing when i first got it. Would only run if the key was in the start position. The previous owner had worked on the ignition switch and knocked the hot wire out of the switch under the dash. Plugged it back in and it is fine now. Most of these are pretty well chopped up when it comes to the wiring under the dash. Worth a check.

How would it start by bypassing the starter? Or do you mean that you wired the coil to the battery and used the starter and it started? If that's the case, why in the world would you have suspected the the starter or solenoid needed replacing? Just make sure you have continuity to the ballast resistor from the run position on the ignition switch and continuity from the other side of the ballast resistor to the positive side of the coil and a ballast resistor that is not open(broken) and it will run.

Hy wadatah5, these jumper cables you hooked up, just what did you bypass, your problem is engine will only run in the start position of the ignition switch, correct?

Isn't there a run connection off the starter solonoid?

The "run" connection off the solenoid bypasses the ballast resistor and is only powered when the starter is engaged, which is why you know to look at the ballast resistor and it's connections if the engine starts and won't run once the starter quits. If the engine starts consistantly, then nothing could be wrong with the solenoid or starter.