Sudden spark issue

[TPCLARK]

I have a 1990 Blazer with the 350. This morning I was driving and the engine cut out suddenly. During the shakedown we found that it wasn’t getting spark. Should I try new plugs and wires or could it be a distributor issue?

 

[Bent77]

Before you throw parts at it, have you looked under the cap or tested the coil?

 

[Wes Harden]

Plugs don't get you spark. Wires might but not my 1st go to.
Is your engine using the gm factory tbi injection and distributor and ecm?

 

[TPCLARK]

Plugs don't get you spark. Wires might but not my 1st go to.
Is your engine using the gm factory tbi injection and distributor and ecm?

I believe it’s factory

 

[TPCLARK]

Before you throw parts at it, have you looked under the cap or tested the coil?

I’m about to take the cap off, I’ll test the coil while I’m at it.

 

[Bent77]

Let us know before you go down the rabbit hole.

 

[TPCLARK]

Plugs don't get you spark. Wires might but not my 1st go to.
Is your engine using the gm factory tbi injection and distributor and ecm?

I believe so

Let us know before you go down the rabbit hole.

took off the distributor cap, everything looks intact, not quite sure what to look for under there. I also tried testing the ignition coil with a light tester and couldn’t get it to light up. I tried hooking it up to the frame, alternator, and battery and didn’t get light on any of them. Do you think it’s safe to think it’s the coil?

 

[76zimmer]

 

[Bent77]

Being as it’s a 90, you think it’s factory. Is it fuel injected?

If not, see the post above by Zim

If so, I think you have a bad ignition control module

 

[dyeager535]

And you checked fuses? I want to say one of them runs the ignition.

Could be wrong.

However, you'd need to know if the distributor was getting power in the first place.

 

[TPCLARK]

Today I installed the new ignition module, I tried a coil yesterday and neither one worked. Any other thoughts?

 

[Wes Harden]

Does your truck have a tachometer? If unplug it from coil or dist, and see if you get spark.

 

[4X4ForDad]

If your distributor has a vacuum advance check the wires coming out of the pick up coil going to the module. I've seen these wires break at the pickup coil because of the movement of the vacuum advance constantly moving back and forth thusly breaking the wire(s). LIGHTLY tug on the wires to make sure they are not broken. This works on most GM HEI distributors. Ask me how I know...LOL

 

[kennyw]

I have a 1990 Blazer with the 350. This morning I was driving and the engine cut out suddenly. During the shakedown we found that it wasn’t getting spark. Should I try new plugs and wires or could it be a distributor issue?