73 Corvette ignition problem

[gasser55]

Hi, I have 1973 350, 4 speed, points distributor that is having hard starting and stall problems. I drove about 7 miles and the car shut off like the key was off. Cranked it a few times and it started. It did this 2 other times and started back up afterwards. Sometimes when I try to start it in the morning, it fires and dies 3 to 4 times. I have good fuel pressure so I don't think it is vapor locking. The black wire from the "r" post on the solenoid to the + side of the coil gets hot when the engine is running. The resistance wire is good from what I can see. Condensor maybe?

 

[TimAT]

How long since the points and condenser were changed? You noted that the black wire from the coil+ to the starter get hot. Are you talking hot as in temperature or hot as in powered. Powered is normal.

I'd look at the primary lead from the points to the coil- remember, it flexes everytime the vacuum advance moves the breaker plate. I've seen them break internally, and the ends touch at odd times making the circuit and be open at other times.
After that, the coil could be getting ready to go away.

 

[gasser55]

The black wire gets hot to the touch. I changed the coil previously and don't know when the point or condenser were changed. I did check the dwell and it was o.k. I just was hoping someone else had this problem before I start digging into the wiring harness and replacing tons of parts. I will replace the primary points lead because it was spliced for some reason. It was the black wire getting hot that had me thinking solenoid or that wire could be bad. Thanks for your reply.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Would the black wire that's getting hot not be the resistor wire and that's what it's supposed to do? The stalling when cold could be the choke.