Need a little input

[Stano]

Ok late last summer my 67 and I went for a drive. I stopped to get a pizza and when I got back in the truck after about 5 minutes she would just crank and not start. Im thinkin coil. I have a older but never used until I got it Accel electronic dizzy, Accel super coil the square kind,MSD 6AL ingition. Its had this set up on it for last 3 years and I dont drive it that often. It ran fine til I shut it off and after 15-20 minutes fired right up like nobodys business and ran fine. After I got home shut it off did the same thing crank no start. I waited about an hour and tried it and fired right up. Im thinkin its coil like I said before but havent had any funds this winter to replace it yet. Just wonderin what some of you think it is. Ive checked and double checked the wiring and its good as new so what next.

[Rooster's 67]

does it have spark when it wont start?

[rbagley]

I'm definitely not an expert, so take this at face value, but I would be more inclined to look at the fuel delivery than ignition. My limited experience with distributors is that they either work or they don't.

Ps. I think the author of your unknown quote is Mark Twain.

[Clutch442]

Sounds to me like the ignition module in the bottom of the distributor. It gets hot then wont work, you ket it sit for a while it cools down and works again. Pull it out one of your local auto parts stores should have a tester.

[Ironangel]

Had a 77 Chevette that did the same thing. Like the above poster commented, it was the module in the distributor. It had a hairline crack in it that would conduct cold and break connection once it warmed up. I found it only by chance scrutinizing the distributor for broken or loose wires. A poorly grounded coil can give the same problems. You can check the coils resistance cold and then again hot(warmed in an oven)to see if theres a problem in the primary or secondary windings. And yes the quote is Mark Twains, aka, Samuel Langhorne Clemens.

[cooter472]

Sounds like the module is saturated, take it to Auto Zone, have them hit it 3-6 times. If it doesn't fail after six hits its probaly good.

[CC69Rat]

When you try to start it, does it turn over and just will not fire (?) Or will it not even grunt when you turn the key? .. it just clicks..

Does the truck have headers on it? I'd say it does with the 6AL box and all.. (Built 350 in your sig) If it will turn over like it's trying to start and just no fire I'd say distributor or coil. If it will not even turn over then I'd say it's possibly a heat soak problem with the header tube being too close to the solenoid on the starter, or the solenoid is just going bad. After it sits for 15-20 min it cools off and it will start again just fine.

Check the clearance between #6 and #8 cyl header tube and your starter solenoid.

[Rooster's 67]

I am assuming the distributor doesn't have a module but just a magnetic pick up, they don't go bad too often. The MSD is the "module" it should be rubber mounted and away from heat sources. The coil can be checked with an ohm meter but if it is breaking down after a "heat soak" you will have to test it when it is not sparking,"hot".

Go back to when it won't start, are you GETTING SPARK?

When it does restart is it running rich? Does it require extended cranking on a first start after sitting for extended time, IE: overnight? What carb is on it?
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[cdowns]

if you have an edelbrock carb without phenolic spacer the fuel can boil out and cause a no start due to flooding

[Stano]

Well the night in question i was by myself and wasnt about to let some jackwagon in the parking lot touch my truck so i was not able to check for spark. I had too much help you could say. LOL Seems I am the guy everyone calls when having vehicle trouble but when its the other way around they are too busy to help me. Yes the dizzy just has the magnetic pickup in it MSD does the rest. Its wearing a edelbrock carb with spacer, ive run all my trucks like this for years and no issues even with mid summer highway driving and short stops. MSD is plenty far away from heat. Truck cranks but wont start. As in engine is turning over but wont run. Running headers with a 90's small style smallblock starter no heat soak issues in ten years. Thanks for the ideas guys I really appreciate it. Its getting nice out again so I may have to get the truck out and go for a drive with a extra set of hands along and see if I can get it to do it again and check for spark.