No Spark

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HTMLmopars

HTMLmopars

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Driving down the freeway, engine cut, almost instantly, just shut off. Tried to see if I had fuel, air, spark, got no Spark. Using a cheapo Chinese hei distributor on the 318, I bought it years ago and have been meaning to replace it with my factory electronic distributor, but haven't gotten around to buying an ignition box for it yet. Any ideas on what I should diagnose in the morning would be much appreciated. Haven't looked to see if the rotor is turning, but I'm assuming my junk distributor would have broken vefore my cam gear did
 
68Valiant225 said:
Driving down the freeway, engine cut, almost instantly, just shut off. Tried to see if I had fuel, air, spark, got no Spark. Using a cheapo Chinese hei distributor on the 318, I bought it years ago and have been meaning to replace it with my factory electronic distributor, but haven't gotten around to buying an ignition box for it yet. Any ideas on what I should diagnose in the morning would be much appreciated. Haven't looked to see if the rotor is turning, but I'm assuming my junk distributor would have broken vefore my cam gear did
Click to expand...

If you have one of those Skip White style "All in One" distributors there really isn't a simple way to find out if that's what it is. (but it probably is the HEI module)
All you can really do is to power your coil with the ignition and ground it's negative terminal (scrape it on a grounded surface) and see if you get spark.
If you do, then it's very likely the HEI module went bad.

A good description of what you have might help to decide a quick solution if you need this car to be running.
I have one of those Skip White style distributors sitting here right now that has a broken carbon button in the cap that I know works because I have it connected to a Dodge Magnum motor coil and tested it for spark.

I also have the OE ignition box with connector, coil, ballast and all sitting here that I won't be using if that can help you later, though I don't know why anyone would want to go back to that system unless they wanted the OEM equipment.
 
TrailBeast said:
If you have one of those Skip White style "All in One" distributors there really isn't a simple way to find out if that's what it is.
Click to expand...

X2......

If I had one of those I'd want to have TWO just so you have a spare. The module in those seems to be same as used in Auzzie Holdens and other cars, so it is available, but problem easily could be pickup coil or a wear problem, or even problems with cap and rotor.
 
67Dart273 said:
X2......

If I had one of those I'd want to have TWO just so you have a spare. The module in those seems to be same as used in Auzzie Holdens and other cars, so it is available, but problem easily could be pickup coil or a wear problem, or even problems with cap and rotor.
Click to expand...

The modules are only about 18 bucks on the Skip White website, but getting a cap for one looks damn near impossible.
I have an email in to them about a new cap, but it's been 4 days with no answer at all.
Kinda figures.:D
One stupid cap button busted and probably make the whole distributor useless.
 
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If it turns out to be a coil;
I highly recommend the Accell sq-top big Yellow,SuperCoil. Mine has been going since 1999, and has over 125,000 trouble free miles on it, and sparks reliably to over 7200rpm, while operating in the sub-3000 zone for looong periods of time. I mounted it on the fender-apron with a two foot coil-wire.
Personally, I prefer an oem-type distributor with a separate amplifier for the pick-up; it makes road-side repairs quick and easy.
 
TrailBeast said:
If you have one of those Skip White style "All in One" distributors there really isn't a simple way to find out if that's what it is. (but it probably is the HEI module)
All you can really do is to power your coil with the ignition and ground it's negative terminal (scrape it on a grounded surface) and see if you get spark.
If you do, then it's very likely the HEI module went bad.

A good description of what you have might help to decide a quick solution if you need this car to be running.
QUOTE]
It's the all in one style distributor, so you're saying pull the coil out of the distributor and see if it sparks, if it sparks it's NOT good?
I should also mention I have a factory electronic distributor and coil(s) coming up, I'm looking for an ignition box locally, hoping I can go back to oem parts that works. Car has ballast resistor on it, but is bypassed currently
Click to expand...
 

Oh, so you have one of the large cap HEI's.
Bummer, as those are harder to check yet but I seriously doubt the problem is the coil anyway.

Since you have a factory distributor available, you might consider going with the FBO box at www.4secondsflat.com with the rev limiter built in.

Otherwise you can use the OE distributor and coil I guess, but you will be limiting your ignition to the factory type drawbacks.
At the point you are right now you might consider doing an HEI conversion.
You can use the factory style distributor, an HEI module and a C or E core coil and end up with a pretty hot ignition system pretty cheaply.
 
So just to make sure I'm not overlooking anything, there isn't a fuse or something that could've popped that I dont know about? Ignition switch and relay are new, but not new enough to have been bad out of the box.
 
Update: pulled the cap, the rotos rotor and the bottom of the cap are definitely toasted pretty badly. I'm just thinking that I should've done regular cap/rotor replacement, and they're just too corroded and falling apart to work. Going to buy a cap and rotor, I'm confident it'll work with that
 
Caco2120 said:
In reference to the caps and modules for the small hei. Blueprint sells both of them.
I realize op may not have this model, but appears you guys are hunting for them. They even have a female version.

READY TO RUN IGNITION MODULE | SMALL CAP | HEI

ECONOMY BILLET / READY TO RUN DISTRIBUTOR CAP & ROTOR KIT | FEMALE CAP | BLACK

ECONOMY BILLET READY TO RUN DISTRIBUTOR CAP & ROTOR KIT | MALE CAP | BLACK
Click to expand...

Ya had me all exited for a min there, but I need the red male cap with the wire retainer on it.
Like this cap but for the Ready to Run distributor with the module on the side.

distr2.jpg
 
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TrailBeast said:
Ya had me all exited for a min there, but I need the red male cap with the wire retainer on it.

View attachment 1715214325
Click to expand...
I wonder if the cap fitment is the same. We have a little economy 2 wire, and then the small hei below, and they take the same cap that Caco posted above.
Ours appears to be the same other than the wire retainer, but yeah sorry, I don't have red ones.
BPP3601BKV2_1904x.jpg
 
Got a replacement cap at Napa. Car runs now, but is falling off at idle. Checked the firing order, and the tightness of the wires, everything seems to be ok in that way. Timing is about 10 advance at idle. It'll idle on it's it' for 15 seconds or so, and then die
 
Pulled my homemade intake spacer off, it had melted, and was leaking vacuum. Put a new aluminum one on, still leaks. Spraying the base of the carb with carb cleaner and it stumbles
 
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