So here's what I'm dealing with....

My car is a 1986 Camaro Z28 with a 305 carbed motor and a 700R4 tranny. What its doing is I can't keep her running right. I'll go out and start her up and it will idle a little off but still not terrible for a while and I can feather the throttle and keep it alive for a little while but then it will no doubt die at some point. (Normally in gear but not always) Then when I go to restart it nothing happens, I mean nothing. No starter click or any noise for that matter like there is no power at all. I just don't know where to start looking. I tested the battery and alternator and they are both good. Is there some form of relay or switch that would cause the car to just die? Im just stumped at the moment and any input would help me a lot.

 

sounds like the ignition module getting too hot and temperalily shorting out.

 

Where is that located and is there anyway I can test it?

 

it is a partial half moon looking black box in the bottom of your distributor, and no way of testing, but that does not explain the no starter enguage??? do you loose all power like lights, guages, radio, ???? lets start there

 

No I keep all power accessories most of the time, only once did my radio(aftermarket) go dead but all lights and gauges stay on and then i turned the ignition off then back on and it came back. I just dont understand why it would die then when I go back to start it nothing happens.

 

need to check the battery cables and all of the grounds
underhood-including the body ground.Also check for a
loose connection where the positive cable from the
battery connects to the starter motor.

 

you need to find out if you are getting power to the s terminal on the starter seliniod

buy a test light and jack the car up and have someone turn the key while you probe the little terminal with the purple wire attached

 

to the guy who said the ignition module can't be tested, you can take them up to an autozone or an orielliys and they can test them, i know because they tested mine

 

They have the equipment, but most of the employees don't know how to run it. Just keep in mind, parts stores will usually give you a false result.

 

Well lucky for me my local advance auto parts houses a 3rd gen enthusiast and the culprit to all these problems was.......


A bad ignition module!!!

So now she's running "good" for the time being but I'm probably pulling the 305 soon anyway. Thanks for all the help and suggestions!

 

I have been there done that!!! they cannot give you a 100% conclusive answer. Electronics today cannot be tested to a positive answer affordably, when a new part cost $35. Today tech's are "board changers" I know this, as that is my field of profession. I was taught how to trouble shoot to the component, but a new motherboard cost $150 for a decent one,heck that is 2 billed hours of tech time, you do the math. Free diagnostics???

Bradshaw75 way to go man!! none of this electrical stuff is to hard, just have to get all of the facts, then reason it out

 

glad you got her running