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Need help engine gurus*Update, no spark*

dfl701

dfl701

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Alright so I replaced my cap, coil, ignition module, and wires and my truck was running again. Well I was drivin it and died so I let it sit for a few and cranked back up. Well a week later it won't start at all. I went out of town for a week and today I tried starting it and it fired right up. Well it backfired( couldn't hear for five mnutes it seemed). I started her right back up and drove around the block. Well now I cantget it to start again. So after my rambling story, any thoughts. My dad thinks it's timing. I knownit could be a number of things but any thoughts? I wanna adjust the timing tomorrow but I wanted some expert advice:D
 
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Carb. It's an 83. And yea that was the first thing I checked. I'm gonna replace the filters tomorrow though.
 
I'd check the fuel filter first, probably wouldn't even hurt to change it. It's possible that you bumped the timming, or got the wires on one post off (effectvly changing the timming). The backfiring could be crossed plug wires. Do you have the order correct? 1,8,4,3,6,5,7,2 How well does it run once you get moving down the road?
 
The wiring is right. I drew up a diagram when I took them off to be safe LOL. Ran fine. I didn't run it long. After it backfired I drove it for a few seconds but had to go do something. Came back and it wouldn't turn over.
 
Fuel, Fire, Air

Fire is my choice.

Do you have the distributor 180 out (firing order, TDC, etc)?
 
I'm going to get a new fuel filter and put that in. I'm gonna try adjusting the distributor. Maybe it was moved when I was replacing stuff
 
easiest thing to check quickly is fuel, get some carb cleaner from the parts store, and have a buddy spray it into the throttle when you crank it, if it starts and runs great on the carb cleaner, youve got a fuel delivery problem. if it still wont start or backfires, the timing is off.

Why did you do the tuneup in the first place? similar situation? or preventative maintanence? if there was no prior problem, do you still have the old parts? it could be a defective coil, weirder things have happened. Especially when you say you drive it, shut it off, and it wont start back up, sounds like heat soak, which can cause any electronic device with a coil (including fuel injectors) to decide they dont want to work. If you have the old coil, you might throw that back on there and see if the problem goes away.
 
alright ill try not to make this to long:D
my truck died one night driving it, so i replaced the ignition module and went ahead and did wires and plugs since my plugs were shot. well thought it was fixed cause it ran fine but it started dieing once the engine got hot, so i replaced the coil. thought i fixed it but as my first post explained, it now wont start or when it decides to it dies after a few moments. Yesterday i started to look at it, well it ran for probably three minutes and died. Started back up but died immediately. Im not sure if i fried the ignition module since i didnt replace the coil right at the same time. I am really going to dig into it because its really frustrating not being able to drive it:doah:
 
as stated try the carb cleaner, costs a few bucks for a can, and will tell you pretty clearly if its a fuel problem. If the carb cleaner makes it run right, its a fuel delivery problem, which im starting to think it may be.

if your metal fuel lines are anywhere near exhaust manifolds or headers, which is common, you may need to wrap them in heat resistant insulation, the heated fuel lines can cause the fuel to boil, the vapor from this can hinder fuel delivery to the carb and cause these conditions.
 
im hoping its just the fuel filter but ill find out tomorrow. i am also leaning towards fuel delivery because it quits running like it isnt getting fuel. only problem is i dont have anyone there to look at the carb tomorrow so i guess i will have to wait till this weekend to know for sure
 
you can do the carb cleaner yourself, just wont run as long, clean off the underhood of the truck, make sure there are no leaves or other loose crap, blowing it off with a leaf blower or compressed air hose is not a bad idea. take off the air cleaner, spray the carb cleaner into the carb and intake generously, let it pool up. then get in and crank the car. it should fire right up and run smooth for about 5-10 seconds as it burns off the carb cleaner in the manifold. if nothing else it would address the problem if the truck wasnt starting at that particular moment. if the carb cleaner got it to start, and then die, it would mean youre not getting any fuel.
 
ok so an update, i am getting fuel and i changed the filter. come to find out i am not getting any spark so it seems. im guessing(hoping) i fried the new ignition module since i did not replace the coil at the same time. i have heard that is common. so ill find out this weekend
 
I had an '83 that had a similar problem to what you are describing. I believe it had Electronic Spark Control (the module had seven prongs, unlike the usual 4 prong). It also had a 4 wire connector to the firewall which I believe was to the ESC (not sure if thats what it was called, it had a brain box of somekind under the dash). I fought intermittent no starts all summer until I replaced the HEI with an older one that had a 4 prong module and all problems went away. I left the 4 wire harness dangling from the firewall.
 
topless jackass said:
I had an '83 that had a similar problem to what you are describing. I believe it had Electronic Spark Control (the module had seven prongs, unlike the usual 4 prong). It also had a 4 wire connector to the firewall which I believe was to the ESC (not sure if thats what it was called, it had a brain box of somekind under the dash). I fought intermittent no starts all summer until I replaced the HEI with an older one that had a 4 prong module and all problems went away. I left the 4 wire harness dangling from the firewall.
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yea this has been going on for over a month and its really tickin me off!:doah: the module i have i believe was the four, but i cant remember. im going to pull if off tonight. ill look into that though thanks!

edit: you know the more i think about it, would the ignition module be so sporadic? meaning, sometimes it will crank and others it wont. when i replaced it the first time, the truck would fire up and run for a period of time but now its like it has a mind of its own haha
 
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Take a look at the wires on the pick up coil in the distributor. The pick up moves as the distributor advances, in rare instances I have seen the wires break as they get wiggled back and forth. The trick to diagnosising this is that you might have to have the distributor out to see anything.
 
nvrenuf said:
Take a look at the wires on the pick up coil in the distributor. The pick up moves as the distributor advances, in rare instances I have seen the wires break as they get wiggled back and forth. The trick to diagnosising this is that you might have to have the distributor out to see anything.
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At this point I'll replace the while dang distributor LOL. I will look at it. It's not gonna bother me to take the distinutor out. Only thing is I'll mess the timing up I guess but that's fixable.
 
Just mark the rotor position and then mark the dist body's position on the intake and it'll go right back together. :wink1:
 
Hey did you say it won't crank sometimes? I was under the impression that it would crank and crank but not fire. If it's not cranking you have other problems. Possibly ignition switch (low on the column under the dash) out of adjustment or beginning to fail.
 
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