Help! My brat is dead on the side of the road.

[Wirebrush]

I was driving to school (college, I'm 34) when it just died like I'd turned off the key. After sitting for a few minutes it started and ran for a few hundred yards before it died again. No sputtering, it's either getting spark on all four or none at all. I tried running a jumper wire straight from the battery to the coil and it didn't bypass the problem. I had someone pick me up and couldn't spend any more time on it. What is the most likely culprit? I had an old jeep wagoneer that would do the same thing, but it had a pos Ford/motocraft ignition. Any input is greatly appriciated. I hate the thought of it sitting on the side of the road more than I'm going to hate walking back.

[cobcob]

Failing lead from the coil to the disty, water under the disty cap, or the rotor button worn/fallen off.

[bheinen74]

clogged fuel filter perhaps.

[Cougar]

If you are sure the ignition is failing then I would guess the pick up could be the problem here. I don't know if there is an ignitor or not not but if so that could be the trouble. Check for bad connections also.

[Wirebrush]

It's not fuel, or cap, rotor, wires etc. because there is no power loss, chugging, miss, etc. It just shuts off like a switch. I would think a loose connection would also cause it to run erratic as well, and not allow it to start and run smoothly after sitting for a few minutes, then suddenly shut off again.

 

To top it off it's now beginning to snow. I've got another hour and a half before I get out of class and can go rescue it.

[Cougar]

Maybe someone can drive you back and wait for you as you try to get it going.

 

I liked your idea of jumping the coil but since that didn't work I suggested the previous things to check. Unfortunately, if one of them is bad you are stuck, for awhile at least.

 

One other thought, if you are sure it is an ignition problem. You can remove the wiring to the minus side of the coil and then place a wire on the minus connection. Turn on the ignition and then briefly touch and remove the other end of the jumper wire to ground (be sure not to touch the bare end with your fingers though). The coil wire should spark then when it is near a ground point. This will prove out the coil circuit at least and point to the pick up or ignitor as the trouble.

Edited November 19, 2008 by Cougar

[Durania]

Make sure no wires came undone underneath your steering column. I disconnected some connectors under the dash while going down the road once and I lost everything. It did exactly what your describing.

[Qman]

Try a new module in the distributor. Or just pop in a different distributor and see what happens.

[Phizinza]

When it does drive, what happens if you gun it like drive it hard?

[ettev]

I still think intermittent coil problem. I've had this happen on an Opel GT I have. Drove me nuts.

[zyewdall]

It's an EA81 brat, right? Sounds like a bad pickup in the disty.... I just went through this on my '82 DL, and I have heard of similar tales of other EA81 distributors when they are failing -- run fine, then suddently not. It also sounds like a bad condensor -- if it had points and condensor ignition, but it doesn't. Intermittent coil could cause that too, I guess, and is alot cheaper thing to try than the distributor if you don't have a spare on hand. I found a new distributor (cheaper than a new pickup module, oddly) from Rockauto -- $122, instead of $388 that Napa wanted for a new pickup module.

[edrach]

If you have spark, I'd bet on the fuel filter (the one next to your fuel pump); replace the fuel separator in the engine compartment while you're at it.

 

If you don't have spark AND have a Hitachi distributor my money is on the ignition module inside it. Expensive to buy from the autoparts store ($100 or more) and very cheap from a u-pullit wrecking yard. Easy to replace also.

[edrach]

-- $122, instead of $388 that Napa wanted for a new pickup module.

Yipes. Under $10 at pull a part for the module. Last time I considered buying a new module it was $90, 125, and 190 depending on how long the "lifetime" warranty was. I bought the $90 version; still ticking after 8 years! By the way, don't buy it at Schucks.....old wives' tale that says their module fails within a week of jump-starting someone else's car with yours. That's what the guy at B&B told me when I bought that $90 module when he saw my old one. After that I collected a bunch from Pull a Part and there was one in the glove box of every EA81 car in our family (four at that time).

 

B&B would test my "old" module for me. Just make sure he hooks up the ground clamp solidly, otherwise they "fail" every time@.

[Wirebrush]

Well I tried a new coil and condenser and still no spark. I got it towed home and ordered a rebuilt distributor. It's got to be in the distributor guts. I swear I have a forcefield around me that destroys anything electronic. Funny thing is that I was just thinking that it was running better thanks usual when it died. I've been having carb issues since I bought it. I've got a used Weber on the way to fix that, I hope.

 

ETA-

 

Thanks for the input, especially the last few. I was just about to yank the module out of the distributor when my father suggested trying a new coil first. I'll try getting a module from the wrecking yard tomorrow, it sounds like a good idea to keep a spare on hand anyway.

Edited November 20, 2008 by Wirebrush

[Durania]

Pull the wire off the distributor cap that runs from the coil and hold it to a piece of metal and see if you have spark while someone turns it over. I had a similar situation in 2005 where my hatch would turn over but not fire. It turned out to be just a bad coil wire.

[subiemech85]

one time drove a ea81 with bad distributor, had to keep the rpm up real high, otherwise

 

tried replacing module, did not fix problem

 

required a good dist. from board member

[Uncle Ed]

If it has the Hitachi distributor the same ignition control module was used in the following vehicles. 82-85 S-10 & S-15, 83-84 Blazer & jimmy, 80-89 Accord, 80-87 Civic, 80-90 Prelude, 87 Wagovan.... The list go's on & on, so most u-pull-it's should have a few to choose from.

[Wirebrush]

I replaced the distributor with a new rebuild this morning and I still don't have spark. I'm picking up my Weber carb right now. I wish my car was running so I could get it installed and try it out.

[Durania]

Did you check the wire like I suggested?

[TheSubaruJunkie]

Did you replace the coil? $20 at autozone, cheap fix if you ask me.

[jonas]

I had the same problem on my '81 Brat. Turned out to be a bad ignition switch.

[Cougar]

I replaced the distributor with a new rebuild this morning and I still don't have spark. I'm picking up my Weber carb right now. I wish my car was running so I could get it installed and try it out.

 

Since you have replaced the disty you need to place the probe tip of a test light probe on the minus side of the coil and make sure power is getting to that point while the ignition is on. You should see pulsing flashes there when the ignition is working and cranking the engine. If the ignitor is seperate from the disty then that may be the problem.

[ettev]

I say fuseable link. Check those.

 

Doubtful. They are either good or bad. No in between.

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

I say fuseable link. Check those.

 

Yes! ... I Agree, and They can be in "Between" Good and Bad, Let me Explain: Rusted Terminals.

Rusted Fusible Link`s Terminals can make them have Contact for Short Times, While Vibration can make them Loose to False Contact, even if they are Hard in their Place...

So, I Agree with the Fusible Links Idea... Also, a Starter Switch Could be too... I Suggest to Check `em Both, Just in Case...

Good Luck!

[Cougar]

I had another thought about this issue. If there is an ignition relay in the circuit it should be checked also.