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Starts and completely dies

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Hayes89 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hayes89 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Starts and completely dies
    Posted: May/23/2022 at 12:47pm
I have a 72 matador 360 5.9  that's been giving me an odd problem lately. My ived from Arizona to California Now when I start the car it stays ok n for about 30 second then completely dies and kills the battery. What could possibly cause that issue? I changed the solenoid, the starter and ignition switch in hopes it would fix something. Could I have put my stater solenoid wires on wrong? Does anyone have pictures of a starter solenoid wiring so I can make sure mines I correct? Any help is appreciated thank you.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote PeterS3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/23/2022 at 7:23pm
That's a strange one. 

My first thought on the battery dying after maybe not getting the wiring on the solenoid hooked back up correctly is the ignition wire is hooked up to the battery terminal. If that's the case it would be easy to test, because the ignition coil will be warm after a battery charger has been on the car for awhile. That wouldn't explain the dying problem, and it would also be really hard to hook the ignition wire that goes on an 1/8" stud onto the 3/8" battery stud, unless they're just bare wires that you're wrapping around the terminals.

Will it continue to run if you add fuel to the carburetor? That would rule out any fueling issues, and allow you to focus just on electrical problems.
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Hayes89 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hayes89 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/23/2022 at 9:45pm
I take the battery out and charging in the house on a slow charger so it gets a full charge.  The car seems to be getting proper gas I can see the fuel level on the float bowl on the side is at the right level I'm getting fuel in the fuel filter I can see it it's the clear type. Maybe not enough fuel pressure? It is remind boggling I have not had this issue at all I've had the car ever since high school 16 years now.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote PeterS3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/23/2022 at 10:06pm
A carburetor that I had a long time ago had a little fuel filter screwed directly into it, that I didn't know was a fuel filter at the time. So to check if it had fuel I put a pressure gauge in the fuel line, and it had good fuel pressure between the pump and the plugged filter. I ended up spending lots of time and money trying to find something else. The reason I wanted you to try manually giving it gas is to make sure it's not a fuel problem. It's quick and easy to check, and it completely eliminates any question of it being a fuel issue.

Does it still have points in the distributor? I've had failing condensers give me strange problems, but I've never had one completely kill the engine. You can disconnect the condenser, and see if it will continue running, but I doubt that's the problem.

Will it rev up during the 30 seconds that it runs? Does it sound normal during that time?

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Hayes89 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hayes89 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/23/2022 at 10:42pm
It's a brand new Holley 2100 similar to the motor craft, factory specs on the carb. It did run with the carb before. It is still points and condenser type distributor. I have not tried to directly give it gas, but I definitely am in the morning thanks for the idea. I was thinking getting a fuel pump block off an a electric pump to run on it. I also have no idea if this Holley has the type of filter your talking about inside of it. I have not tried to rev it either but she sounds normal and healthy when running.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JohnRyd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/24/2022 at 7:56am
Deion,
I can think of two possibilities, but one does not address the battery homicide.
I assume the choke closure and pull off are adjusted correctly as well as fast idle.

I have had sticking floats cause problems - sticking open and sticking closed. The bowl fills with fuel when cranking and running, then sticks closed.  The engine will be starved for fuel, then die. Since the level in the bowl is now low, gravity will eventually cause the float to drop back down. When the float  stuck open (1972 Ambassador 360, 2bbl Motorcraft), the engine would flood out. Immediately after starting I would take a long piece of wood and tap the bowl. That would unstick the float for a while. You could try tapping it before it dies to see if that makes a difference.

You could carefully feed a little fuel down the carb throat to see if that makes it run longer - but I caution that a backfire would be dangerous.

Maybe I misread your post, but did you say you can see the float level?

My next guess is the battery is on its last legs. You can charge it and it has enough reserve to crank the engine and start it, but dies and takes the engine with it. There has been a fair amount of discussion on this forum about the poor quality and short life of new batteries, so even if it is new, there may still be a problem. Have you tried using a known good battery with a lot of reserve capacity?

I don't think a fully charged good battery with a lot of reserve capacity would drain down in 30 seconds without a lot of heat, smoke and fire.

Adolph John Rydzewski
Newark, Delaware
1972 Ambassador 4dr Brougham, 360/2BBL/727 purchased new
1968 AMX 390/Auto
1957 Hudson Hollywood 327/Auto
1975 Cadillac Eldorado
1992 Lumina Z34 5 speed
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Regamble1969 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Regamble1969 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/24/2022 at 8:12am
For clarification: you take a good charged battery, put it in your car, start the car, it dies in about 30 seconds and the battery is then completely dead or the battery goes dead while cranking to try and restart the car?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hayes89 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/24/2022 at 9:30am
Yes sir the battery completely dies I'm using three batteries just to try an figure it out. It starts right up after I put another battery on it while the other charges.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hayes89 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/24/2022 at 9:36am
Yes I can see the float level on the side of the carb it's a see thru glass hole. I'm not sure of the carburetor is adjusted correctly I never messed with it this before. I'm definitely going to check them an make sure I have the book for the carburetor somewhere around here. And yes I've tried using several batteries. I have a new one and a new used one an the old one which I think is still in decent condition.i was thinking of taking the new battery back an having them give me another one.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Regamble1969 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/24/2022 at 12:56pm
Originally posted by Hayes89 Hayes89 wrote:

Yes sir the battery completely dies I'm using three batteries just to try an figure it out. It starts right up after I put another battery on it while the other charges.

A short to ground is the only thing that'll kill a battery like that. First put a battery in it, put a meter on the battery and get the voltage leaving the key off. Leave it for 5min and verify that the voltage doesn't drop. If it does, you have a short in the primary circuit. If it doesn't, turn the key to run but do not start it, and watch the meter on the battery to see what the voltage reads. If it drops quickly, you have a short in the secondary key on circuit. If neither is causing the battery to drain, then the charging circuit is suspect. Disconnect the alternator (all electrical connections) preferably with a charger on it to replace the loss of the alternator, and see if it stays running. If yes, alternator, if no, most likely the voltage regulator. I have seen alternators cause very similar issues quite a few times. Likewise, a shop I worked in once in the early 90s had a customer car that was eating batteries left and right, that turned out to be the voltage regulator, though I didn't work on that one so it's not as clear in my head. But either way, a short to ground is the only thing that can kill a battery that fast, and the alternator would be my first guess. Once, and only once, I saw an alternator that the rectifier circuit had shorted out and caused the alternator to produce AC voltage. Batteries and AC are not compatible, but this would be a rare thing. Usually if the rectifier dies then the alternator just quits producing.
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