No ignition fire from distributor

[Hwkdriver]

This has been an ongoing problem with not getting any fire from the distributor. I have replaced the coil, electronic ignition module, capacitor, rotor, and distributor cap. It will run for a while, then just quit. This time I replaced the distributor and it has happened again. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[btolenti]

are you putting a nice thin layer of heat sink grease on the module before you install it???? Those modules hate heat and need the grease to properly transfer the heat to the distributor housing so they don't overheat and die...

 

[diesel4me]

one thing ya missed..

I don't see "pick up coil" on your list of replaced parts..it often craps out after it gets warm -the engine runs awhile when they fail,then after they cool off it may run again for awile..its located where the points would be in a regular distributor..you need to pull the distributor out of the motor,and remove the drive gear roll pin,and mainshaft to get the pick up coil out,and reinstalled..

Every time the vacuum advance moves the pick up coil to advance or retard the timing,its wires get flexed,and eventually the strands inside break,and only make partial contact..when they heat up from the added resistance,they often break contact,and no spark is the result,as the module wont get a signal to "fire"...as the wires cool,they often touch again,and it'll run until the cycle repeats--sometimes it'll take days before it will act up again!..

Better make sure you have 12V coming into the HEI's big pink or red
battery + wire on the cap when the key is on first though..if you dont have 12V coming in,nothing will come out of it either!..