Complete loss of power on highway, then wouldn't start back up

[daniellegoodman]

not sure why but was driving down the freeway today at about 65, and my 77 c10 cheyenne completely cut out. Power gone, brakes and steering gone too. I had to coast from the highway to a gas station and got a flatbed to tow me back because it wouldn't start back up. the truck normally doesn't start first when its cold as it is, so I'm thinking its the fuel pump. not sure if my fuel gauge is broken either but when I left this morning I had half a tank and when the above happened I had a little over a quarter left.

just recently re-attached smog equipment to pass CA smog and had the exhaust replaced as well.

any other ideas?

thanks!

[Irish_Alley]

check for spark. could be anyone of the 5 things in the distributor the fuel pump i would think would slowly make you lose power. but it sounds like its in the distributor. autozone can check most the parts in there ex. coil, icm and pickup coil they cant check the pick up, but if the first two check out than thats your problem. the two other things i mention are the cap and rotor i doubt they would go like that it sound like more the first 3 i said

[low budget]

I would first ckeck for spark.  If no spark replace the "ignition control module" under the rotor button.  I had the same thing happen on my daughter's 81 citation x/11.

Here is a pic of one if you don't know what it looks like...

http://www.carspartsguide.com/part135808.html 

[Lt.Del]

let us know about whether the spark plug has fire as mentioned.

If no fire, check 12 volts at red wire going into distributor with key on.

If you get fire, check for fuel flow when turning the starter....it should be a healthy flow.

If you get healthy flow, check fuel float and seat.  The carb may not be allowing gas to get into carb resevoir by closing of the needle allowing fuel in....aka:  sticking needle/seat.  It will suddenly stop like you describe because of this.   

[daniellegoodman]

thanks to all for the ideas. I'm not good at pulling parts apart to put them back together so I'm trying to locate a repair facility to drop the truck off tomorrow. It makes it sooo much easier when I can tell a mechanic I have some ideas of what it might be. They also treat me a little better when I throw in specific parts too. So thanks again, I will update as soon as I get a better idea of what is going on.

I'm hoping it has nothing to do with the carb considering I just had it rebuilt locally for $550 on top of the $$$ I spent to get all the smog equipment back on, grrrr....   

[Lt.Del]

ah c'mon, just check a couple of very simple things.....pull a spark plug off and ground it to the engine somewhere while someone turns the engine over and see if it sparks. 

Pull the gas line off and see if it spurts out fuel in a jar when someone turns the engine over.

That'll narrow down tremendously the possibilities.   I love a challenge!

[Irish_Alley]

ah c'mon, just check a couple of very simple things.....pull a spark plug off and ground it to the engine somewhere while someone turns the engine over and see if it sparks. 

Pull the gas line off and see if it spurts out fuel in a jar when someone turns the engine over.

That'll narrow down tremendously the possibilities.   I love a challenge!

not at the same time tho and don't hold the plug

[Lt.Del]

good catch.  not wise to check for spark and fuel at same time. 

this should go in the "warnings" thread.  Warning: do not check for spark and fuel at same time. It could go boom!

[choptop]

How about do not check for spark with finger

[daniellegoodman]

thanks for the warning. 

just checked and definitely have fire

[Reinovator]

  One more thing to check if you have gas and fire.
Take your distributor cap off, Make sure the key is of also!, take a breaker bar and short extension palace a socket on your lower harmonic balancer retaining bolt insert the extension and  breaker bar mark the harmonic balancer to a reference point. or put it at TDC.
Push the breaker bar clockwise and counter clock wise and watch the rotor while feeling for tension in your timing chain if  the harmonic balancer moves more than 5 degrees in either direction from zero,before the rotor turns consider replacing the timing chain.

 I hope I described the the steps well enough.

 This is the next step I take when I  confirm I have good spark and fuel pressure.
 I've seen a lot of  bad timing chains misdiagnosed because the chain will jump back and forth especially on nylon cam gears. 
 

[Irish_Alley]

How about do not check for spark with finger

or tongue

but fuel would be the next check look into the carb and move the throttle wide open and see if you see any fuel come out. is it a manual pump or electric?

[Lt.Del]

it's a mechanical pump i am sure for a '77.  I would check gas flow in a mason jar or something.

if you have good gas flow, as i mentioned earlier, could be needle/seat/float in the resevoir of carb sticking not allowing gas to come it.  Sometimes tapping on the exterior of the carb around the bowl will unstick it---sometimes.  But, you will still have to open it up to see why it sticks...if that is the problem.

make sure your gas filter is not clogged.  Line not kinked, etc..

[Reinovator]

Sorry about (too much I formation) timing chain fuel flow and pressure ARE  The next step before going to Trimming chain.
1 step at a time check the basics first.
Spark
Fuel
Timing
Trimming chain
Did I miss any thing?

[Lt.Del]

i dont beleive it is the timing chain.  He is getting spark.  Which means the distributor is turning, which means the camshaft is turning, which means the timing chain is turned by the crank shaft.