Cougar Not Running Right, Need Advice

[78cougarxr7]

Hello,

I just bought a 1978 Mercury Cougar XR7 with the 351 Winsor engine. The car has been sitting for ten years and now that I've drivin it a little, the old parts are starting to give out. So I've replaced:

Alternator
Voltage Regulator
Spark Plugs
Plug wires
Ignition Coil
Distributor Cap and Rotor
Battery

After all this I'm still having troubles. You see, the car will start when it's cold. Like a day or two without running. So when it starts up, I drive it to work. Later in the day (lunch or something) I'll go to start it and it cranks, but no start or it will start, but die on the road no sputter or anything just dead. When it dies on me, there is no starting it for at least 6-8 hours. Does anyone have ideas on this???

[obryan71]

You also need to replace fuel filter and rebuild the carb. When the car shuts down on you or when it doesnt start check to see if you have spark at #1 plug.

[78cougarxr7]

Might I add it only has 26,000 miles. I can understand the fuel filter, but is rebuilding the carb really necessary? Wouldn't a few rounds of carb cleaner do the trick? I also noticed when it dies, I get no spark trying to start it up again. I've been told that this could be the pickup coil/ignition control module...ideas?

[obryan71]

Ten years is a long time for a carb to set 20 miles or 20000 miles carb can still build up varnish, what type of conditions did the car sit in? If your getting ignition for so long, (till it runs a while) sounds like your pick up coil is bad. I had a buick that did the same thing.