New HEI dist....now no spark

[70chevytruck]

So I have power from fuse box to distributor. Checked tech so wires are good. Hei is new. Module is good....had it tested.

Pulled plug to check spark....nothing. any ideas?

[Tillik]

Ya i'm not a rocket scientist. I upgraded mine and my ignition wire was not crimped properly. So it was basically unplugged. My friend was there and said, plug in your ignition wire to the HEI! I was so ticked lol. I doubt that's your problem but make sure your getting the correct voltage to that wire.

[Tx Firefighter]

Are you sure your 12v wire is plugged onto the proper spot "batt" on the cap ? You don't have it connected to the "tach" terminal do you ?
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[MVHandy]

Make sure you are wired to a constant 12 volt source, the wire to the original points distributor is NOT a constant 12 volts.

[chev3600]

Have power while cranking? Not just key on. After that, as long as the distributor has all its internal stuff, it should go...
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[Tillik]

Maybe he just replaced his original HEI with a new one. If it was working fine before it's probably not the issue. Good to verify tho.

[70chevytruck]

Went from points to completely new distributor....hei.

Ran new wire straight to fuse block....ignition space....power when on and cranking.

Plugged into Batt side of hei.....verified I have power to wire and to red wire coming out going into dist.

Assumed module was bad but it checked out.

Could be rotor but again....new or what?

[1972RedNeck]

I have had problems with coils in the cheap aftermarket units.

[Robznob11]

I ran into this issue before. first off to check if the hei is good run a wire from battery hot to the hei and crank it. it should start if not the hei has problems if it does it probably aint getting a full 12 volts or there is a delay in that circuit and its not a 12+ until the engine cranks. the factory coil wire on most gm's was a resistance wire so if you reused it you probably aint getting 12 volts through it. some circuits say that they are 12v ing but don't have 12 volts till the engine is running and you need it from to very start. why is this I don't know but I have seen it. one other thing to check. I fooled with a 70 nova for hours that would not run when I tapped into a wire from the neutral safety switch I had the column dropped to get to the wires and it was blowing my mind guess what when I dropped the column it slid into neutral. put it back into park and room room it fired! I have had to run and hei wire to a relay and then run a hot to ign before because the ign wire did not have enough juice to fire the car but it would open a relay witch would give me full power to the hei! I hope this will help ya!

[haysonj]

Originally Posted by 70chevytruck

Went from points to completely new distributor....hei.

Ran new wire straight to fuse block....ignition space....power when on and cranking.

Plugged into Batt side of hei.....verified I have power to wire and to red wire coming out going into dist.

Assumed module was bad but it checked out.

Could be rotor but again....new or what?

Do you have the ground wire going to a solid ground?

[70chevytruck]

Well no luck so far....I am starting to think it might be the coil.

I bought this distributor new off EFlay

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=370774784610

yes it was cheap but looks pretty good.

So I ran a good wire from the fuse box under dash to the Batt side of the Dist. and I do have 12 volts.... even while cranking.

I checked that i also have voltage coming out of the red wire (Red, Black and Yellow wires are at plug on distributor). Further have tested the module today at Oreilleys....looks good.

STill don't have spark at my spark plugs....


Next step???

I am trying a new coil tomorrow.

The only ground is a short black wire under the cap going to a screw that holds the cap on. Should there be another?

Thanks for all the responses....Frustration level 9.

[Sammy]

Check the plunger n spring button on the cap. The replacements plungers are cheaply made.

[buckskins4ever]

I dont want to sound like smartass, but if you know for sure you have spark to the the plugs then you need to verify plug gap.....if you are using an adjustable gap plug. Just a thought.

[70chevytruck]

Originally Posted by buckskins4ever

I dont want to sound like smartass, but if you know for sure you have spark to the the plugs then you need to verify plug gap.....if you are using an adjustable gap plug. Just a thought.

I tested the wire with no plug....no spark. Also pulled the plug and wire and grounded the plug...no spark.

[70chevytruck]

Originally Posted by Sammy

Check the plunger n spring button on the cap. The replacements plungers are cheaply made.

Hadn't considered that....let me go take the cap off one more time....makes 26 time in two days i think.

[haysonj]

The only ground is a short black wire under the cap going to a screw that holds the cap on. Should there be another? You ground through the hold down clamp and then from the block to battery Make sure they are all clean and good and like said earlier check the contact on the bottom of the coil

[Robznob11]

when I said battery hot I ment straight from the positive side of the battery to the hei terminal. I know you check and get 12 at the fuse box but I have seen where for what ever reason it would not get enough juice from a fuse circuit and it would start and run straight from battery. I would not leave it like that but if the motor is grounded and the clamp is tight, I wire to battery and fuel it should start and run unless there is a problem with the hei itself. its just a way to eliminate a problem on your end with hook up. after that the other options are mentioned, plunger, coil, cap rotor. not trying to be smart just wanted to clarify caus I have pulled my hair out more than once just to find some goofie problem with my wiring or lack of having car in park lol!

Originally Posted by 70chevytruck

Well no luck so far....I am starting to think it might be the coil.

I bought this distributor new off EFlay

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=370774784610

yes it was cheap but looks pretty good.

So I ran a good wire from the fuse box under dash to the Batt side of the Dist. and I do have 12 volts.... even while cranking.

I checked that i also have voltage coming out of the red wire (Red, Black and Yellow wires are at plug on distributor). Further have tested the module today at Oreilleys....looks good.

STill don't have spark at my spark plugs....


Next step???

I am trying a new coil tomorrow.

The only ground is a short black wire under the cap going to a screw that holds the cap on. Should there be another?

Thanks for all the responses....Frustration level 9.

[piecesparts]

There is a pickup coil in the bottom of the distributor. If it is burnt or broken, then you will not get a spark. The distributor has to be taken apart and the shaft pulled to replace this coil.

[cdowns]

the bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten

[hayhauler71]

If you want to check the pick up coil or pole piece take a test light and clamp it to the positive side of the battery and stick the probe to the tach side of the distribitor and have someone crank the engine over. The test light should flash on and off noting the pick up coil is working

[cleszkie]

X2 on what Cdowns said.

I bought a Summit Racing brand HEI because it was cheaper than the Mallory brand units. Long story short, the bearings in the shaft of the Summit HEI seized up while I was driving. This instanly turned the entire dizzy in the block under the hold down, killing the timing. This left me stranded in the high desert of California to hitchhike to the nearest civilization (no cell service to call AAA). No cheap crap ever again under my hood!

[70chevytruck]

Thanks for all the help. Spring under the coil had popped out. Runs a lot better now.

[YourBuddy'sTruck]

Hey 70chevytruck.
I'm having trouble with one right now.
Could you explain the spring thing a bit?
There's the button with spring, then a rubber disk, then the coil, right?

[70blackfish]

is new dist in correct