CELEBRATING 20 YEARS!

Hi all,


My monte is getting on my last nerve here. I pulled it out to wash and detail it for a car show. it started on the first shot, ran fine and evrything sounded normal. Did my wash and detail, went to pull it under the carport for the night and it just cranks and cranks, wont fire.

Ok, so i changed out the ign. module, swapped in a new coil, no difference. just for fun i changed out the cap and rotor as well, even though they may have 100 miles on em. Still no start. Checked every fuse, tightened the battery terms. nothing.

Pulled #1, layed it on the manifold and cranked, no spark.

So whats left here. What am i missing? What wire do i check to see if im getting V to the coil? its the remote coil mounted on the manifold if that matters.

thanks for reading,

Chuck

Should have 12 volts on + side of coil with switch on

thats the thicker RED wire in the gray connector correct?

Check for 12 volts at the ignition wire first. If thats good. And you checked everything like you said and still no spark. I think it may be the pick-up coil.

Yes , you need voltage their to start with .

Try bypassing the MSD ignition box and see if it fires. I had problems with them and no-start conditions due to overheating.

What kind of distributor are you running? As 88ss408 mentions about the pick-up coil, I had problems with the MSD style one and couldn't get my misfiring issues to go away until I completely swapped the distributor for an OEM one. The pick-up design in the GM distributor is far superior IMO.

Just a couple of ideas. Good luck with it, you should be able to find it shortly.

Yeah same here. I like GM distributors the best. Everybody throes them out for fancy aftermarket ones. And I save them ( must have about 20 now lol)
I recurve them high output module coil cap and all that. It's not cheaper. But I get what I want.

Well did a little more today, way too humid to really get into it lol.

tried the old and new coils without the MSD box, no difference. Probed the red wire in the ON position and am getting 11.98 V.
About the same at the battery, put it on the tender cause of all the cranking.

As far as it being the pickup coil, how do i change that out, or should i just go grab a new Dist all together?

I saw a post on the g-body forum about wires on the steering column coming loose and not letting the car start? Any input on that theory?

Oh i'm running a OEM Dist.

As far as changing the pick-up coil you have to take the shaft out of the distributor. To remove it. Have you checked it with a known good coil ? What about a known good module ? I would hate to tell ya to change the pick-up coil for a module or coil. But they do let go from time to time. So it is a possibility.

When you did your car show detail, did you also wash the engine?

read this and you will be a HEI pro
http://www.chevythunder.com/hei_troubleshooting_page_2_coil_.htm

here is page one all so jest to give you more info than you'll ever need LOL.
http://www.chevythunder.com/ignition_systems_hei_operation.htm

There's a clue. Moisture is your enemy.

First thought was that something got wet, but i didn't go under-hood with the hose, but i did check to see if anything got wet, all was dry.

Does anybody sell the black connector harness that goes from the module to the coil? mine has seen better days. Just want to eliminate that as a possibility. Ive seen pig-tails for both ends, but would rather have a new 1 piece harness there.

Update, found it on EBAY, lol

thanks for the links, currently studying like its finals LOL.

I had a tach that was shorting the coil once. Disconnected the tach wire and it started. Just throwing it out there.

Yes you can get the wiring that goes from the module to the coil.
That's what I like about the good ole HEI. Everything is available for repair.

well it's a open book exam , let us know if you pass LOL