Thanks for the pretty basic checklist.

When you've spent hours trying to find a problem, you start to loose sight of all the variables.

I've confirmed that I have spark at all four wires and the coil as well as the distributor gear orientation and the static timing.

Matt and you both suggest a fuel issue and it occurs to me that when this car failed to start at all when I got it home in June, it was due to an amazingly clogged fuel filter. A new filter clogged up quickly, leading me to use a renewable in-line job until the tank was flushed. I eventually replaced that tank with a good used one from Chris Horn, but I did have a bit of a dissolved sludge problem for a little while, but that is largely gone now. I've seen nothing this time to make me think that the new fuel tank is the problem.

But with my clogged filters experience, I did initially suspect a fuel issue and I confirmed that neither my fuel pump screen (coarse) nor the disposable clear plastic filter (fine), was clogged. I can clearly see fresh fuel in there, but to be honest, I did not removed the main line nor pipe it into a can can to confirm fresh pumping. The pump reservoir remains full and quickly refills when I loosen the dome to flush any suspected crud.

I opened the "V" tube between the reservoirs and discovered that they are full of fuel and under a little pressure.


I also tried pumping some semi-combustable fluid into the carb intake, which has usually led to a short run in the past (which is how I figured out my original fuel filter problem). I think that theses checks have ruled out simple starvation, but not water contamination or some sort of carb issue is still likely.

I've not checked my valve lash for a couple months and I should probably consider the possibility of valve recession since this car was garaged from 1984 to 2007 and did not get as much use as some older cars. I'm waiting on a nice neoprene valve seal from IPD...

The dying behavior I experienced on Monday AM was very similar to starving for fuel, but it kept restarting and running if only for a few seconds.

During my attempts to sort it all out on Tuesday, I managed to get the firing order wrong, and that no doubt added further confusion to the whole experience.

After work tomorrow, I will more fully investigate the fuel issue.

It is worth noting that I have a later style waso locking fuel cap and have cleaned and sealed my fuel filler neck due to a previous fuel leak. My fuel pump is a freshly rebuilt AC pump, and I have a few higher-pressure spare pumps in the garage to play with.

I also have an allision/crane electronic ignition installed now so no more points or condensors...