Have a 69 SuperBee 383 4 speed. Have been going through some minor restoration -
NEW - electronic ignition(orange box), plugs, wires, voltage regulator, balast resistor, distributor, wiring harness(engine), battery cables, starter, fuel pump, filters, etc.
All mechanicals are new: engine(internals), headers, water pump, trans rebuild, new clutch press. plate, bearing.
Carb is used Carter AFB electric choke.

Here is the problem -
Motor starts great, idles great, revs up great until load is applied with clutch going into gear - then sputters and stalls, until clutch is depressed - then runs fine again. No problems before the start of this minor restoration.

I have ordered a new coil as this was one of my thoughts for possible culprits. Any thoughts about what it might be?

Thanks in advance.

 

I doubt it's your coil, if it were I would think it would be a constant problem regardless of load. Has this been an issue since installing the electronic ignition or was it on and working flawless before hand? I recall the Mopar electronic conversion requiring more work for the '69 and earlier cars than it does for the later cars, but I forget exactly what the difference was. Does your amp gauge work fine and show everything being OK there? It could easily be a vacuum issue, check all hoses and shoot starting fluid around the carb to intake gasket or any other possible culprits to find any leaks.

 

Sounds like a "Points" / Ignition issue. Perhaps a wire is loose or the connector for the distributor plug-in is loose and when the engine moves (under load) it looses a connection. Another thought is a wire shorting out (perhaps a tach wire or other gauge wire) on the linkage for the clutch or shifter. Also, do you have an alternate ground path? Usually a small braided wire from the engine to a ground point on the body or frame.

Other than that, I would go with 71RoadRunners' suggestion regarding a vacuum leak.

Hope that helps.

 

I first thought points, but he has an electronic ignition now. I had problems with my Roadrunners original points ignition burning points up left and right which is one of the many reasons why I went with the Mopar Performance electronic conversion. A secondary ground from the engine to the frame or firewall should be present and you can never have too many grounds.

 

Well, he said he had done some extensive work on the car so, perhaps the alternate ground strap was omitted in error. I know that when I bought my Charger, someone had left it off and I was getting a ground through the accellerator cable, just about burned it up. Or as you pointed out, a vacuum line could have been left off.

If memory serves me, I had this same issue with a '69 RoadRunner years ago. I had to gap the points properly (used a matchbook cover since I was "stuck" on the side of the road) to resolve the issue. The rubbing block would wear away quickly and close the gap. Perhaps the new distributor conversion (I do not know the particulars since I had not had to do one) has an issue with the air gap. I know on my '73 Charger with electronic ignition there is an adjustment for the air gap between the pick-up (stator) and the reluctor. The pulse may be too weak if the gap is too large.

Points burning up (contact faces) is generally an indication that the condensor is faulty. But, going with electronic is much better and more reliable.

Just my thoughts... I am interested to find out the resolution to this issue.

 

Thanks for your replies and ideas, still working on the problem and I will let you know when I fix the probem. If you have any other suggestions please keep posting them.

 

There is more than 1 engine-body grond strap?

 

There is a ground from the engine to the battery. I wanted to be sure that we were addressing the correct ground. Normally, there is just the battery ground however, many older vehicles used a alternate ground strap usually attached to the firewall. Some, after engine swaps or just rotting away, are missing. And with these older vehicles, corrosion and rust make the paths to ground 'flakey'. Electricity will take the quickest way to ground that it can...even through an accelerator cable. You can not have too many grounds (as long as they to not make direct contact with positive leads.

 

There should also be another ground strap from the head/block to the firewall on the passenger side rear.