My Chevelle (66) was as dependable as they get........Started it the other day and after 30 seconds it quit running........Checked and there was no spark........Since I had a HEI in the car I assumed the Module took a dump........Put a New Module from Autozone in and tried to start it again..........Wouldn't start......No Spark...........Go back to Autozone and get a New Coil, Cap, and Rotor..........Still won't start....No Spark.........Hummm!!......Power to the Distributor (12.5 Volts)...........I figure that the only thing left was that the wire from the Magnetic Pickup ?? to the Module that is mounted on the Vacuum advance plate maybe broke Internally from the vacuum advance moving the plate.......Had another newer HEI that was set-up for a MSD system so the Module was gone.........moved everything over to the new Distributor......put it in the car and ....it still won't start............still no spark.......So.....at this point.....it seems that either the New Module or the New Coil are Junk.........Any way to trouble shoot the Module and Coil to see if they are working correctly or anyone have any thoughts on what to check next.......Right now I'm suspecting Cheap Chinese parts from the Zone.......

Thanks in Advance

Ken

its unlikely but its possible the timing chain broke . make sure the rotor is turning

The Distributor turns so that is not an Issue..........

Ken

not saying its causing your problem but always use a gm module. some aftermarket modules dont increase the dwell as the engine speed increases which really cuts down on your firing voltage

do you have a tach hooked up

http://www.chevelles.com/techref/ftecref5.html rather than go through everything again heres a good article from this site on hei diagnosis

Before you go through more troubleshooting, connect a jumper sire from the BATT term on the cap, directly to the positive post of the battery, and try to start the engine, spark, it runs, then, the problem is in the start voltage to the HEI from the ignition switch. No start, distributor issues.

66's used a separate wire from the solenoid to the positive side of the coil for start voltage, but, some places that people use for power sources have voltage with the key in both start and run positions. Check voltage as you are cranking the engine over to see if the system has volts on start.

Regards,

Milton

http://www.chevelles.com/techref/ftecref5.html rather than go through everything again heres a good article from this site on hei diagnosis


Wow !!............Great article...........I'll check everything out again tomorrow

Thanks
Ken

Ordered a New Distributor .......Came today...........Put it in...........Won't start....No Spark............Ran a Jumper wire from the Battery to the + terminal on the cap......Nothing.........Checked voltage at the Cap........12.5 Volts...................Humm!!....This is starting to make me Crazy...............Pulled the cap off again......just to make sure the Rotor is turning................Perfect.......WTF!!........ .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. ...............Pulled the Factory Tach wire off and the car started right up........touched it to the terminal and it shut off..........Obviously the Tach went out and was shorting out the system........Does that make sense.........

Ken

do you have a tach hooked up



Bingo......................

Ken

Yes, it does. That tach feed wire, if grounded, will stop the spark cold in its tracks. You might use an ohm meter to check the wire from the tach to the cap, with both ends disconnected. See if the wire is still grounded. It may not be the tach, but the wire between them grounded to the firewall, chassis, etc.

Regards,

Milton

Thanks Milt...........

Ken