I came home from work but the truck didn't

[cameeks]

Please help. My tach started acting up. Then later the engine cut out then a really loud back fire when it started going again. After that the next day it was hard to start at first but when it started ran fin for 12 min until I got to the property of work then started bucking. drove it to my parking spot and that is where it sits.

Could this just be the coil. I have power at the main power wire but no spark at the plug (checked with the screwdriver method). Coil came out of my old Camaro so it is about 6 or 7 years old.

[JHART]

Hei ?

[cameeks]

correct

[JHART]

Its either that or the ignition madule ... does the truck turn over at all?

[cameeks]

It has an accel coil like this (not mine it is a pic from the internet)

[cameeks]

yes and replaced both plug in pieces when I rebuilt the upper half last year.
cant remeber part names

[JHART]

Well it could be either on ... but i would go with control module first its cheaper ..hehe

But def sounds like a coil/module prob.

I have that same coil on my truck.

[special-K]

Because the tach gave the first indication,I`d look at the supply to the ignition.It backfired because it lost power then went back on.Check the sheathing on the dbl wire from the distributor up to the cap.It bends pretty tight and I`ve seen the insulation break through.I did all the guts in my HEI and my truck still just cranked.Actually I went through two modules within two weeks,first.I discovered if I bent those wires tight I could see that greenish oxidized copper color.Took the wire off a junk truck and sped off.
*I had the Accel coil,too.

[cameeks]

Originally Posted by special-K

Because the tach gave the first indication,I`d look at the supply to the ignition.It backfired because it lost power then went back on.Check the sheathing on the dbl wire from the distributor up to the cap.It bends pretty tight and I`ve seen the insulation break through.I did all the guts in my HEI and my truck still just cranked.Actually I went through two modules within two weeks,first.I discovered if I bent those wires tight I could see that greenish oxidized copper color.Took the wire off a junk truck and sped off.
*I had the Accel coil,too.

Are you talking about these wires on the side?

[OlChev67]

check all wire connections and wires to the hei, sometimes the biggest headaches can be the smallest loose wire. if still runs bad coils are pretty cheap.

[byrd]

Originally Posted by cameeks

Are you talking about these wires on the side?

Yep he is, I have the same problem as you described and I did the coil,module and capasitor replacement and it worked for a day or two( I guess I cleared the short when I pulled the cap) and then the same cutting out and backfiring. I put a new ign switch,wiring pigtail for the switch, new power wire to the dizzy and finally pulled it out and swapped it for a $50 65K volt dizzy from White performance off ebay and I have been trouble free for over two years now When I pulled it out of the truck I then noticed the insulation was broken and there was the tell tale green patina that copper does when exposed to moisture and was like AARRGH!!! It was those little wires the whole time. I think the PO pulled the old HEI dizzy from a boneyard and no tellin how old it was.

So if you have to buy a new coil and module I was just buy a new dizzy from white performance and toss the old one, as you will spend about the same amount of money and most likely getting a little hotter spark from the 65k volt coil. Just my .02.... Randy

[cameeks]

Well I'm going to buy a new coil and I think the module has a life time warranty. Going to try that first.

[special-K]

Yes,those.If not those,also the ones that come off the harness.Don`t throw parts at it until you`re sure you have continuity though those.It`s very likely that.Usually when a module goes it will work until it heats up,then cut out.The vehicle cools and everything seems better,until it warms up again.I replaced the pick up and two modules before figuring it out.

Let us know how it goes.

[cameeks]

it sat for 10 hours and still didnt fire up last night

[special-K]

You know,when I first saw this title I thought about how I always have said these trucks have always gotten my home.Then I read your post and remembered my HEI woes and how that`s the only time.I was cussin` electronics.They either work or nothing.I`ve never had points leave me walkin`.I use HEIs andthat`s about the only electronics.But,I can honestly say over many years that point have never given my anything to complain about.I`ve had trucks that sit all winter and occasionally driven in summer that I never opened the distributor on in over 10 years.The price we pay for maintainence free.You can always keep a set of points in the glovebox.

[jay6891]

What kind of tac you got. My Mallory from time to time will act up and you have to use a screw driver and rotate the 4-6-8 switch in the back to fix it. Sent it in once to have fixed and that is what they told me to do from now on. Corrosion between the contacts on the switch and rotating it 180 degrees shines it right back up. I would check my connections for the ignition system before throwing parts at it.

[cameeks]

well bought the cap, rotor and coil becouse it was really old and needed to be done. Still dont fire off. I checked all connections and to see if I was getting ground and power to the coil and I am. The compasiter is some what new becouse the old one had dry roted wires. I'm guessing modual or new distributer.

[GREASEMONKEY72]

must be the modual, so yea try that first for sure and let us know

[cameeks]

With the amount of time I have and only being able to work on it after work in the parking lot at 1:30 am I think I'm just going to buy the lower half of the distributer and get it home. been working 7 10's and looks like rian might be in the forcast for this week. so right now my DD is pictured in the avatar.

With my luck it still wont work

[wibilly]

i would guess its the wires from the pic up coil under the plate where the modual mounts they flex as the vacume canister alters ignition timing and over time they fail. i've had this problem before. a new picup coil and you should be good to gobut as said before a complete distributer with all parts right down to cap and coil can be had for about $70. if i rember right to change the picup coil the gear must be removed from the bottom and shaft pulled out from top to get the plate off

[DTerry]

Might sound strange, but try to unplug the tach wire at the dizzy. Happened to me once coming home from school in my camaro, it just shut off going about 40mph. tryed new caps, rotors, wires, everything even a whole new dizzy. Then put the old one back on and didnt hook up the tach and it fired right up. I was getting ground through the tach wire cutting off the ignition. Just a thought.

[cameeks]

Originally Posted by DTerry

Might sound strange, but try to unplug the tach wire at the dizzy. Happened to me once coming home from school in my camaro, it just shut off going about 40mph. tryed new caps, rotors, wires, everything even a whole new dizzy. Then put the old one back on and didnt hook up the tach and it fired right up. I was getting ground through the tach wire cutting off the ignition. Just a thought.

Didn't think to mention that when I was trying the connections that I didn't hook the tach back up. Didn't want to keep messing with it until I got it running

[cameeks]

Well got it back home by replacing the distributer. So with the parts that I bought befor and this part today (lower half) the whole thing is new now. On the way home I lost all electronics in the truck except the engine. Got it home and started looking around and found this.

[Aarons72s]

Chris, sounds like you arent having to much luck. I hope that is the only part that melted. I lost the hole front harness to an electrical short. I wish you luck.

[Boog]

There is never a good time for breakdowns but they will happen every now and then.
Your new dist should take care of the engine electronics ok and it may even run a bit better too.
Now that burned wire deal. How's the alternator charging? Stuck voltage regulator maybe or is the under hood wiring harness in serious need of replacement?