454 TBI need some help

[imiceman44]

So I had a few hickups and some backfiring that started to get worse then finally it died and sits at my buddies place one hour away. So every time I get an idea I drive an hour to work on it and I have to haul all my tools over then back. It's getting old, I don't get much time to work on it and I waste 2 hours each time.
At first I saw it wasn't getting fuel and I put power to the pump and didn't hear anything so I hooked up a pump and complete tank from another truck I just parted that was running perfect, and also changed the fuel filter.
That didn't do anything, so I thought the ignition module since it controls the pump.
Changed it a couple of days ago, it did hint that it wanted to start, it was getting fuel but still no start, and finally not even a hint of starting, so I started looking around and found one spark plug wire touching the exhaust manifold and the boot was pretty nuch done and so was the wire.
The rotor and cap are new and the only part I haven't changed is the coil.
Could the plug wire have shorted and killed my new ignition module?
What else is there to check?
I can hear the pump coming on now and I see fuel in the throttle body.
The only thing I haven't confirmed yet is the spark and I can't do it alone, but I even tried starting fluid and nothing, like there is no spark?
I really need to get it running so I know it's a good engine to sell it but if I can't figure it out I will just yank it and put my diesel in there which is what I want to do anyways.
It would be nice if I can get it to run in the truck first though.

 

[British Slave]

My 350 developed a severe miss, back firing, hard to start, etc. I checked everything I could, changed plugs, tested the plug wires, tested fuel pump, timing, followed or changed every vacuum line and finally for some reason I changed the coil and now it runs fine.

 

[4X4HIGH]

So I had a few hickups and some backfiring that started to get worse then finally it died and sits at my buddies place one hour away. So every time I get an idea I drive an hour to work on it and I have to haul all my tools over then back. It's getting old, I don't get much time to work on it and I waste 2 hours each time.
At first I saw it wasn't getting fuel and I put power to the pump and didn't hear anything so I hooked up a pump and complete tank from another truck I just parted that was running perfect, and also changed the fuel filter.
That didn't do anything, so I thought the ignition module since it controls the pump.
Changed it a couple of days ago, it did hint that it wanted to start, it was getting fuel but still no start, and finally not even a hint of starting, so I started looking around and found one spark plug wire touching the exhaust manifold and the boot was pretty nuch done and so was the wire.
The rotor and cap are new and the only part I haven't changed is the coil.
Could the plug wire have shorted and killed my new ignition module?
What else is there to check?
I can hear the pump coming on now and I see fuel in the throttle body.
The only thing I haven't confirmed yet is the spark and I can't do it alone, but I even tried starting fluid and nothing, like there is no spark?
I really need to get it running so I know it's a good engine to sell it but if I can't figure it out I will just yank it and put my diesel in there which is what I want to do anyways.
It would be nice if I can get it to run in the truck first though.

First off, the ignition module DOES NOT control the fuel pump. The ignition module does send a signal to the ECM to "fire" the injectors but has nothing to do with powering the fuel pump.

A plug wire melting against a header/manifold will not burn up an igintion module.

You need to verify for sure if you are getting spark or not. For the moment we'll rule out the ignition module as being bad since you just replaced it. It could be the ignition coil OR the pick-up coil is bad preventing spark (assuming you find that you don't have spark). The pick-up coil is located inside the distributor and you have to remove the distributor and pull it apart in order to change it. I ALWAYS replace the pick-up coil and ignition module at the same times because one can make the other go bad. Check carefully that none of the wires from the pick-up coil to the ignition module have a chaffed insulation and allowing the wires to ground out and also that none of the wires from the ignitioon module to the ignition coil are grounding out either.

 

[imiceman44]

First off, the ignition module DOES NOT control the fuel pump. The ignition module does send a signal to the ECM to "fire" the injectors but has nothing to do with powering the fuel pump.

A plug wire melting against a header/manifold will not burn up an igintion module.

You need to verify for sure if you are getting spark or not. For the moment we'll rule out the ignition module as being bad since you just replaced it. It could be the ignition coil OR the pick-up coil is bad preventing spark (assuming you find that you don't have spark). The pick-up coil is located inside the distributor and you have to remove the distributor and pull it apart in order to change it. I ALWAYS replace the pick-up coil and ignition module at the same times because one can make the other go bad. Check carefully that none of the wires from the pick-up coil to the ignition module have a chaffed insulation and allowing the wires to ground out and also that none of the wires from the ignitioon module to the ignition coil are grounding out either.

Thanks for the info, I didn't know about the pickup coil, I will replace that and I will replace the coil outside of the dizzy.
Anything else that prevent it from starting?
When I changed the module it started getting one spark every time I crank and feel like it wants to start then nothing.
After a few tries it had nothing at all like what ever I changed went bad again.
I am going to change the wires now as well.
Thanks Scott, I have never owned a TBI so it's all new to me and although I am tired and have no time for it and in the end do not need the engine, I don't want to give up on it, I want to fix it then by choice switch to diesel.
It probably be a while till I go back there so when I do everything I have to I will update.

 

[bigred81]

What year model of TBI 454 I ask because if it is the mark 4 block between 88-90 454 the motor used a nylon timing gear that is known for stripping the teeth off of the upper gear. To test pull the cap so you can rock the crank pulley back and forth and watch the rotor to see if rocks with the crank. Take note of how much it moves when you move the pulley.