Hello all, I just registered to this forum in search of help. I picked up a new toy lately, a 1964 Dodge D100 with an unoriginal early-70's slant six in it. After a three week restoration process and multiple rides around the yard, I thought she was ready for the open road. During the yard rides, there had been one instance when the battery got so low that the engine would no longer turn over. I assumed that the alternator was bad and planned to replace it at some point. The road test revealed a much larger problem:

The truck idles fine, and will drive and accelerate without any problems. But once you let off the gas after driving, it immediately dies. If you push the clutch in to coast or stop, the engine immediately dies unless you play with the throttle for several second.

When I went to drive home, the truck had to be jump started as the battery was dead. As I drove the five miles home, my headlights dimmed until they were useless and then at about three miles the engine began to fail while I was still moving. Eventually I rolled to a stop. Jumpstarting it again, it went another 300 yards. Another jumpstart made it 100 yards and then it had to be towed.

I filled it with gas, raised the idle, charged the battery, and bolted in a new alternator. Test drive 2 was worse than the first time.

I checked all the wiring connections for electrical connectivity, and the one problem I've found is that the charging system is not working. Obviously. The electrical output does not go up with the truck running, or with the engine being revved.

So i've got a bad running idle and no electrical output. Any ideas?

 

I would fix the charging first ! The dieing could be caused by a low voltage ??

 

Yup, I agree with the last post, the car will die with no charging system.
Been there done that!

Fix that issue and the stalling / dieing will stop.

Tom