No Fire and I have tried everything that I know

[Truckman4life]

Is the distributor actually spinning when cranking?

 

[Blue85]

It's been a really long time since I had one, but IIRC a bad EST box can cause no fire. BUT it can be bypassed with a loop of wire for troubleshooting. I want to say it's the center two pins, but you should search on that.

Also, there are so many crap parts out there these days that you should just assume 50% chance any of the parts you just replaced was bad out of the box.

 

[dscherer]

Update!!!!Thanks to everyone for all the advise and the problem is finally solved. The problem was the pick up Coil. I ended up replacing the distributor which had a new pick up coil in it already. Special shout out to Wes Harden for his recommendations on a the problem as well as the suggested replacement distributor. see above responses for the details.

 

[Blue85]

Glad to hear it's fixed. So you got a new distributor, but transferred in the module and coil from the old one? Just trying to understand the diagnosis.

 

[dscherer]

Glad to hear it's fixed. So you got a new distributor, but transferred in the module and coil from the old one? Just trying to understand the diagnosis.

The new distributor that I bought already had the new components in it

 

[Blue85]

OK, so the cause remains uncertain.

 

[Wes Harden]

Pretty sure it was the pick up coil, the previous dist had had the module and coil replaced.

 

[dscherer]

Update!!!!Thanks to everyone for all the advise and the problem is finally solved. The problem was the pick up Coil. I ended up replacing the distributor which had a new pick up coil in it already. Special shout out to Wes Harden for his recommendations on a the problem as well as the suggested replacement distributor. see above responses for the details.

Pardon Our Interruption

the 4 wire are EST, electronic Spark Timing. Is your truck running a computer controlled carburetor ? If your computer controls are there and working the above is the distributor you need.

Hey Wes, The new distributor fixed my problem but it does not have a vacuum advance. I knew this when I put it in but I am getting some pinging under a small load. did you add a vacuum advance to yours? I may try just advancing the timing a touch...

 

[Blue85]

Advancing timing will make pinging worse. Mechanical advance is for performance / vacuum advance is for economy. More or less, but the vacuum advance can only add timing. There is no operating condition where it reducing pinging. Fixing that requires more fuel or less timing (assuming you're not swapping out hard parts). Of course, you should have the vacuum advance can, unless you go to electronic control of spark timing.

So why would an engine with working EST experience pinging? At how many degrees and RPM is base timing set?

 

[dscherer]

Advancing timing will make pinging worse. Mechanical advance is for performance / vacuum advance is for economy. More or less, but the vacuum advance can only add timing. There is no operating condition where it reducing pinging. Fixing that requires more fuel or less timing (assuming you're not swapping out hard parts). Of course, you should have the vacuum advance can, unless you go to electronic control of spark timing.

So why would an engine with working EST experience pinging? At how many degrees and RPM is base timing set?

that makes sense, The tank had some old gas so I am running the rest of it out with some sea foam right now... Thanks for your response and help!

 

[Blue85]

There are so many crap parts out there these days that you should just assume 50% chance any of the parts you just replaced was bad out of the box.

Agreed that bad pickup coil is one possible cause. The module and coil are often bad new and often installed wrong, so no scientific conclusion.

The new distributor that I bought already had the new components in it

Pretty sure it was the pick up coil, the previous dist had had the module and coil replaced.

 

[Wes Harden]

So there is a timing connector near the dist. This connector when removed stops the computer from moving the timing. Iirc it is a brown wire, remove connector and set timing to 4° spec, or 6° for little better performance.

look for this at fire wall near dist



edit be sure to reconnect when done. The check engine light will be on while this is disconnected