Tech / General Engine Is your car making a strange sound or won't start? Thinking of adding power with a new combination? Need other technical information or engine specific advice? Don't see another board for your problem? Post it here!

Ignition module hell!

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 07-24-2007, 06:38 PM
  #1  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
Dainius's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: TX
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1990 RS
Engine: 305 carb
Transmission: 700r4 with transgo shift kit
Axle/Gears: ?? not sure yet just got the car
Ignition module hell!

ok Little info first off.... 90 camaro 305 converted to carb from tbi... edelbrock performer rpm manifold, accel distributor,cap and rotor... edelbrock 1406 carb... car has been running fine since swap but i was cruising home one day and car shut off.. started fine but felt like i was running off 2 cylinders while pulling a boat... wont rev up and had no power... changed plugs and coil, to no avail, to find out ignition module tested bad on high rpms... replaced that then starter went out, replaced that and car ran great for 3 minutes then exact same symptoms came back and voila! another bad module! i know it has to be some short of some type but i was wondering if anyone had any suggestions where to start looking so i dont have too much downtime.. sorry for the long post and thanks for reading!
Old 07-25-2007, 12:21 PM
  #2  
Junior Member
 
RodsRideSS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Fort Mcmurray, AB
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 87 Monte Carlo SS
Engine: Tweaked out 350
Transmission: tweaked 200r4
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Re: Ignition module hell!

Are you sure its the Module.....I had a similar problem and it turned out to be a problem inside the distributor. The reluctor was out of phase { out of alignment}with the magnet and it was actually rubbing against it. The thing was misfiring like crazy and no RPM.
Old 07-25-2007, 07:08 PM
  #3  
Senior Member
 
jonmark1985's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 343
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 89' Pontiac Firebird
Engine: L03 carb Ported #87s new shortblock
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 2.73 open
Re: Ignition module hell!

Make sure you have a good ground. That will short change the life of a module also. I assume your using and HEI distributor. Finally, when i worked in the parts business i had problems with customers bringing back Accel modules. If your budget can afford i would run Borg Warner's CBE4.
Old 07-26-2007, 06:20 AM
  #4  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
Dainius's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: TX
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1990 RS
Engine: 305 carb
Transmission: 700r4 with transgo shift kit
Axle/Gears: ?? not sure yet just got the car
Re: Ignition module hell!

well a little update... turns out this second module tested good so Im looking in the wrong direction but I have the exact same symptoms... any more ideas on where to start looking ivbe already replaced all tune up related items plugs wires cap, rotor,module and coil
Old 07-26-2007, 08:59 AM
  #5  
Member

 
GTA Jim's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Woodlands, MB, Canada
Posts: 304
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1990 GTA
Engine: 5.7
Transmission: 4L60
Axle/Gears: 3.27 Posi
Re: Ignition module hell!

This may not be it.. But FWIW:

I had a strange problem with my TPI ignition module... The car would just die and not start.. There was no spark. I replaced the module and it would run again.

After about a year, the no spark condition returned. Replacing the module made the the car run fine again. I did this three times over 3 years. It was becoming a real pain.

It turned out that it was one of the CONNECTORS that plugged in to the module that was bad. There was resistance where the wire was crimped to the contact pin. When I was replacing the modules, the movement of the wires cleaned off the resistance in the contact and allowed the car to run. After time, heat and oxidation would raise the resistance again and the car would die.

I saved my 'bad' modules, and now find that I have four good ones
Old 07-28-2007, 07:06 AM
  #6  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
Dainius's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: TX
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1990 RS
Engine: 305 carb
Transmission: 700r4 with transgo shift kit
Axle/Gears: ?? not sure yet just got the car
Re: Ignition module hell!

OK im thinking the problem may be in the distributor-wiring in that area... i ripped out almost the entire dash to look for a short but found nothing so i moved to the engine and while the car was running i touched the hot wire to the distributor and the car died so i tried to start it and whatever happened killed the battery so im gonna start looking in that direction thanks for the ideas guys keep them coming if u can
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
FormulasOnly
TPI
95
07-23-2018 08:47 AM
Rocket-Doc
TBI
1
11-14-2015 02:08 PM
aaron7
Interior
1
09-30-2015 09:15 AM
dusterbd
TPI
0
09-29-2015 08:40 AM
tattmann
Electronics
1
09-27-2015 05:20 PM



Quick Reply: Ignition module hell!



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:26 PM.