Ignition system woes help needed

Ignition system woes help needed - 1/9/2008 12:56:58 PM

Rickcusaf

Posts: 172
Joined: 8/26/2007
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Hi all. I finally got my internet connection set back up. I'm now living in florida. So if any of you happen to be passing through the Navarre/pensacola area feel free to come say hi. Just message me if you need a place to crash or just want to hang out and cruise around with the vettes.

On to my issue. I shipped my car through the military and when it arrived the people at the vehicle processing center messed with my ignition system. Why, I have no idea and I sent in a legal complaint through the military.

I'm not getting any spark at all.

I've got a new alternator, new ignition coil (blaster 2), and new battery. All wires are solidly grounded and in excellent shape. I have an E-Curve digital distributor pn 8394 from MSD.

My engine will rotate and rotate, but will not turn over. Also, if I try to turn it over a few times my ignition coil gets really really hot. I've checked and I've got power going into the coil and out of the coil wire. I'm wondering if there is a short in my distributor, but before I ship it off to be repaired. I want to make sure that's the issue. Prior to shipping the vehicle I never had any issues with it. They told me they tried to jump it a few times and I'm wondering if that somehow fried it. Any help would be really appreciated. Also, all my spark plugs are good too. On a side note it's good to be back on the forums. I was starting to go through withdrawls hah.

-Rick

Post #: 1

RE: Ignition system woes help needed - 1/9/2008 2:31:29 PM

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Joined: 8/7/2006
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Welcome back, sound like your saying you have no spark at the plugs, if so you might swap out the coil. If still no spark call MSD and see if there is a test for the module to confirm it works. PG.

(in reply to Rickcusaf)

Post #: 2

RE: Ignition system woes help needed - 1/9/2008 2:35:26 PM

Rickcusaf

Posts: 172
Joined: 8/26/2007
Status: offline

Nod, I called them yesterday. They think that the distributor has a short inside it and gave me an RMA number to send it in for repairs. I'm just hoping it's not that, because it's killing me not being able to drive my vette. I had to go without it for over a month and now it's just sitting inside my garage.

Also, about the coil. It's brand new.

On a side note. I love that white vette in your profile picture.

(in reply to pg)

Post #: 3

RE: Ignition system woes help needed - 1/9/2008 2:48:13 PM

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Joined: 8/7/2006
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Thanks, I no what you mean about not being able to drive your vette, with the holidays and bad weather, I drove it today for the first time in a month. PG.

(in reply to Rickcusaf)

Post #: 4

RE: Ignition system woes help needed - 1/9/2008 2:57:34 PM

Rickcusaf

Posts: 172
Joined: 8/26/2007
Status: offline

Hah, I bet it felt good. =) I keep thinking how much fun it's going to be to really open the vette up on the super straight roads in west florida. Hopefully your holidays were good. =)

For a christmas present to myself I bought a home in Navarre, Florida and two rifles. 3br 2 ba 1500 sqft 2 car garage on .23 of an acre. =) I got a really really good deal on it. So I finally have a place to shelter my vette. That was actually one of my #1 criteria. It had to have a garage for the vette.

So, what do you think about the distrib? Think MSD was right and it is fried or could there be something I'm missing? Also, I pulled my distrib out to look at it and reset the harmonic balancer back to tap dead center. I put my distrib back on and advanced my timing to where it was.

(in reply to pg)

Post #: 5

RE: Ignition system woes help needed - 1/9/2008 4:35:10 PM

Wedge

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Joined: 11/3/2005
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My guess is that when they tried to jump it they hooked pos to neg and burned out the pickup unit. Thats what I did once... it is an easy fix, but it requires pulling the dist apart to replace the pickup ring. Hope this might help you figure it out...

Wedge

(in reply to Rickcusaf)

Post #: 6

RE: Ignition system woes help needed - 1/9/2008 4:55:30 PM

Rickcusaf

Posts: 172
Joined: 8/26/2007
Status: offline

They tried jumping it from the alternator too. (I would have seriously hurt someone if they had done that with me around.)

The odd thing was that I took my cap off and looked for electrical scarring on the circuit board and it's clean.

(in reply to Wedge)

Post #: 7

RE: Ignition system woes help needed - 1/9/2008 5:13:57 PM

dar322

Posts: 72
Joined: 8/15/2007
Status: offline

why were they monkeying with it in the first place?

(in reply to Rickcusaf)

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RE: Ignition system woes help needed - 1/9/2008 5:19:15 PM

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Joined: 8/7/2006
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I think Wedge is right they may have crossed the wires while trying to jump it or they left the key on without the motor running. I don't no anything about MSD except that they are a good company and lots of people use there products. I'm sure they will fix it quickly and properly.
I have the stock distributor with the Pertronix point eliminator and its worked fine for the last 5 years.
Congratulations on buying a house, it's the best investment you can make. Great to no that some day it will be free & clear.
My house is about the same size but only a 1 car garage. PG.

(in reply to Wedge)

Post #: 9

RE: Ignition system woes help needed - 1/9/2008 7:02:51 PM

blueshark

Posts: 2148
Joined: 7/20/2006
From: Dickson, TN.
Status: online

Rick, I think Wedge nailed it, sounds like the pickup unit, but...then again...... I'm stupid, LOL!

. I hope you get it figured out. Of all places to live and drive a vette, you're in one of the best..especialy at the beach. I-10 and I-75 have some great long straight-a-ways, watch out for I-95 and A1A on the east coast...lots of cops over there, especially from Daytona to Cacao Beach. Well have fun cruisin' the beach when you get it sused...... Also the fishing is great in the gulf, just don't go on the party boats...thet're a rip. Congrats on the house and the rifles too. Cheers

_____________________________

God Speed Rich.
www.larosadesign.net
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"Welcome to Tennessee,
The patron state of shootin' stuff".......Shooter

(in reply to pg)

Post #: 10

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