Strange thing happend driving home from the Historics

[bobm]

Hi All,

I have a 1966 2.0 911. The motor has been rebuilt and has about 2000 miles. The Bosch alternator
was also rebuilt, original reg. We drove the car to Carmel for Car week and the last two days had to push start
the car. Once driving the car it would restart but if we let it sit for a long time I would have to push it started.
Coming home I pushed it started and headed home, after about 2 hours ( of running great) the car started
missing and back fired twice and then completely stopped (all with-in 30 seconds). Had power at guages for about a minute
but then no power at all. I checked everything,fuses , ignition switch wiring connections all OK. The battery (2 yr old Optima) was very hot,
it had water under the cover and coming out around one post. I removed from the car and checked for spark.
I did not have my meter but I could not get even a small spark from crossing posts. Luckily a friend had a trailer
and has taken it to his home. I have been driving the car for about 2 months and the red light would come on at idle
but go away at about 1100 rpm. I own 356's and this is pretty normal. This is my first 911 so not sure for an alternator.
I took the Optima back to Batteries Plus and they say the battery is bad, I bought a new one and put in car, it turned over well but would not
start. I went thru the normal checks, at TDC there was spark at the point when I pryed them open but they were completely closed. I readjusted them and the car started right away. I drove home and adjusted again and reset timing to 32 @ 3500 RPM. The car seems to be running great and I get 14volts @ 3000 rpm when I check with meter and the idiot light burns red @ 900 but goes out @ 11-1200. Any other checks I should do? Did I hurt the Car?
Does a battery just die while driving @ 75MPH. What makes the points just close? Strange to me.
Ideas?
Thanks
Bob Murray
Sacramento Ca

[oscillon]

Hi Bob,

I think the two events are completely uncorrelated. It seems to me that you had a dead cell in your battery, basically an internal short that made it flip out when it kept receiving the +14v coming from your alt+regulator. The second issue seems to be a slip of the points somehow. I would keep an eye on both systems, but my feeling is that lightning just struck twice (in two different places).

Dan

Hi All,

I have a 1966 2.0 911. The motor has been rebuilt and has about 2000 miles. The Bosch alternator
was also rebuilt, original reg. We drove the car to Carmel for Car week and the last two days had to push start
the car. Once driving the car it would restart but if we let it sit for a long time I would have to push it started.
Coming home I pushed it started and headed home, after about 2 hours ( of running great) the car started
missing and back fired twice and then completely stopped (all with-in 30 seconds). Had power at guages for about a minute
but then no power at all. I checked everything,fuses , ignition switch wiring connections all OK. The battery (2 yr old Optima) was very hot,
it had water under the cover and coming out around one post. I removed from the car and checked for spark.
I did not have my meter but I could not get even a small spark from crossing posts. Luckily a friend had a trailer
and has taken it to his home. I have been driving the car for about 2 months and the red light would come on at idle
but go away at about 1100 rpm. I own 356's and this is pretty normal. This is my first 911 so not sure for an alternator.
I took the Optima back to Batteries Plus and they say the battery is bad, I bought a new one and put in car, it turned over well but would not
start. I went thru the normal checks, at TDC there was spark at the point when I pryed them open but they were completely closed. I readjusted them and the car started right away. I drove home and adjusted again and reset timing to 32 @ 3500 RPM. The car seems to be running great and I get 14volts @ 3000 rpm when I check with meter and the idiot light burns red @ 900 but goes out @ 11-1200. Any other checks I should do? Did I hurt the Car?
Does a battery just die while driving @ 75MPH. What makes the points just close? Strange to me.
Ideas?
Thanks
Bob Murray
Sacramento Ca

[oscillon]

One last bit of advice. Never (ever) spark across a battery that seems to be venting anything. That is a recipe for an explosion due to a potential build up of Hydrogen gas.

[bobm]

Dan
Your right, after I did I thought THAT WAS STUPID! Thanks for the other pointers. New battery and adjusted points- everything seems OK so far

[Rich Lambert]

I've had 2 Optimas "go bad" on other vehicles and I can't see ever buying another one. I currently have a Die Hard that fits perfectly in the original '66 911 battery base/cover and it's been going strong for 7 years. I went to Sears, told them what kind of car I had, the guy looked it up in his book, and I've got an original size battery.

Of the 2 times the 911 has broken down, both were points related. Points are obsolete 1910 era tech...Pertronix is your friend.