Patron Saint of Broke Down Chevy Trucks?

[YourBuddy'sTruck]

This is a story I think you all will enjoy a bit...
My truck's been running great. All winter and no troubles.
Early spring weather and I did not fear driving all the way to Toledo, Ohio and back...a 120 mile round trip.
I slow roaded the way there, but the truck was running so well that I thought to take the Turnpike home. It'll be good to run the thing at 70 MPH for a good 40 minutes.
All well and headed north from Fremont, window rolled down about 4 inches and smiling.
Freeways and highways in the rearview mirror and only about 4 miles of township roads till home and the truck suddenly cuts out on me?
I shift into N and try to restart with no luck at all.
Coasting, I think to myself, "Who do I know that lives in the next couple hundred yards of here?"
I spot a wide driveway with a side area and figure that if I pull in there, at least I won't be blocking the homeowner's acess.
Tried to start it a couple of times and no luck, so I walk up and ring the doorbell.
An older gentleman answers and asks if I'm outta gas?
I did not think so, but we robbed the last of the fuel he had for his snowblower (no more need for that I hope), and still nothing.
So, figuring it must be electrical, I pop the hood and grabed some things.
As I lay a towel over the radiator and start reaching in for the ignition, the gentleman says, "Oh, you must be a mechanic?".
To which I replied, "No. Just a guy with an old truck."
So he asks, "Well then, what do you do?"
"Actually, I'm a guitar maker by trade.", I reply.
Figuring to keep the conversation going as to keep the guy from wondering who the strange man is with his feet sticking out of the front end of a truck, I ask, "What is it that you do?"
He replies, "I'm still active, but I am a retired Priest."
So I slide out from under the hood, look him in the eye and say...
"Oh! How fortunate. As I'll probably need some prayers to get this thing going. And there's certain to be some swearing to atone for."

HA!

[YourBuddy'sTruck]

That is a true story!
I made it to the parts store and grabbed a coil and a module.
Changed the coil and no go.
Changed the Module and VROOOM!
How often do those HEI Modules go out?
Usually no warning to it either?

I now have a spare in the glove box as that was fun a the driveway of a retired Priest, but would have been a different story on the Ohio Turnpike for sure.

[7tee]

You just never know when one decides to go out so I always carry me a spare module...

[burnin oil]

Modules don't fail all that often but always at the worst time. My truck has an MSD that ran flawless for 6 months. About 200 miles into a 350 mile road trip, at midnight on a back road, the truck started breaking up and trying to stall. Pulled into a parking lot and had a fried coil. No biggie. I throw a spare cap on and take off again. 30 minutes later same thing. Long story short this happened 5 times and I ended up at a boneyard the next day for a worn HEI. The root cause was the little carbon bushing under the coil couldn't take the umph of the MSD. I learned my lesson and now keep a spare bushing in the glove box along with the parts to convert it back to stock. Caps are easy to grab but not that stupid little low resistance bushing! Nothing ever breaks down when its convenient.

[BruthaMan]

Enjoyed the story. Funny about the priest!

Last year, I drove my '72 with a GM crate motor that was about four years old with 40-50k miles, about 400 miles round trip every week. Drove 200 miles to Lubbock, then back home at the end of the week.

Only time the truck ever gave me a problem was with the coil. Was about fifteen miles outside of a small town and 20 miles from the next town. Nothing but highway, cattle and farm land as far as the eye can see.

One second driving, the next second I hear a loud pop and the engine lost all power. Was fortunate that a fellow Veteran stopped to check on me about twenty minutes later, and offered to tow me home (about 120 miles).

It apparently caused a big enough backfire when it failed, that it blew the intake gasket at the back rear corner of the manifold too.

I now carry a spare module and ignition in the truck!

[Bladeboy1998]

Hello fellow Ohioan! You were just up in my neck of the woods!
I'm with you, I hope the snow is gone for good now ��

[cooperhw]

Originally Posted by 7tee

You just never know when one decides to go out so I always carry me a spare module...

Bingo^^^ They don't go out often, but they "ALWAYS" go out. Just driving down the road minding your own business and BAMM, won't start. Gotta carry a spare module and a 1/4" nut driver if you run an HEI.

[special-K]

Good story. I've been running HEIs for a long time because they are great. BUT...I have always made it home with points and with HEI not so much. No warning, just works fine, then POOP!...nothing. points let you know and if they leave you sitting it's your fault for ignoring the warnings. Easy (and cheap) enough to keep your next tune-up in the glovebox,too. Better check those wires from the base to the cap for splits in the insulation. I once got left high and dry by a bad module, fix it, then the next week same thing again. I replaced the pickup, no dice. got to looking at those wires and I could see the tiniest hint of patina green looking back. This was a rebuilt HEI I had installed in a '71. There was a '78 crewcab sitting there that parts were coming off of, so I grabbed the little harness and put it on with yet another module...good to go!

[Longhorn 70]

In the past with (cheap) points I have had failures. I had a rubbing block break off as well as condensers short out. Had to change them on the side of the road. I switched to BlueStreak and that didn't happen again. I also had a coil internally short and become very weak. Made it home with that barely.

I know. I know I shouldn't say this....I have always made it home with HEI....though one time it did die in the street right in front of the house and I had to push the truck up the drive....Dang Longhorns are heavy!