87 TBI - Intermittant "no start"

[Keith Seymore]

"Intermittant" problems are the worst kind....

As the title says, lil Red is an 87 4.3L V6, TBI, manual trans.

The presenting symptom is, on two occasions now, a no start. Vehicle will crank and crank and crank all day, but no fire. Won't even bark.

It happened once through the winter, when it was cold/rainy/damp. I played around with it a little bit, giving it little shots of starter fluid and sips of gasoline, to no avail. This led me to believe it was a "no spark" situation but I was not able to confirm. I ran out of time and - mysteriously - it healed itself and started right up the next time I tried it.

Same thing last night: I was leaving to go home from work. It was cold, wet, rainy (and dark) and the truck wouldn't start. Crank, crank, crank but no fire. I didn't have anything with me to work on it so I caught a ride home with my boss. When I retrieved the truck this afternoon (with every tool I own in tow) it started right up. Drove it all the way home with no issues. It is warmer, partly cloudy and very breezy today.

So - I'm getting a bit gunshy. My questions are these:

1) Does this sound like ignition to you guys?

2) Does this system have a module, like the old original HEI units? Is it susceptible to sudden and complete failure (like those were)?

3) Any additional thoughts? I'd like some input before I just start throwing parts at it. All of the ignition components could be original (cap, plugs, wires, dist, coil, etc). Truck now has just over 190,000 miles on it.

Thanks in advance -

K