distributor help needed - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

bucket · 06-04-2006, 06:06 PM

She started missfiring out of the blue yesterday. The same time it missfires, the tach also jumps all over the place, and it's getting fuel so i'm deducting its a spark problem. maybe a bad ground in the cap? What should i replace first? It is an hei with about 3,000 miles, btw.

TIA

*rage'nrat638* · 06-04-2006, 06:26 PM

check the wires under the hei top cover, make sure there not laying on top of each other and routed correctly. and also make sure you got the black ground wire under there. check for moisture..
make sure you don't have a rubbed thru or burned spake plug wire.

sounds like a bad spark plug wire to me..when it gets dark run it..you might see the spark..hope this helps make it better. mark

cableguy0 · 06-04-2006, 06:29 PM

i had a bad tach do the same thing. unhook the tach as an easy first step. then go inside the cap as mark said

boot85 · 06-04-2006, 06:39 PM

It may be a cracked distributor cap. I have seen that cause missfires out of the blue. You could also check the contacts in the cap and clean them up.

texascowboy593 · 06-04-2006, 06:49 PM

Make sure the coil is good... Happend to me also... Tach was jumping and truck was sputtering for 3-4 miles before it died. Good thing I had a spare coil with me! That solved my problem.

..

bucket · 06-04-2006, 10:57 PM

i waited till dark, and fired her up. was running fine. sprayed a mist of water on the plug wires...no arching.

so i pulled the cap. no cracks. looks pretty good but i cleaned up the button and contact on bottom of coil with a little 000 steel wool. do you guys use a little dielectric grease on any of these contacts?

if it starts acting up again i will replace the coil. could it be the module?

bucket · 06-07-2006, 02:06 AM

Got it figured out. the rotor decided to commit suicide. when i was removing the module i noticed plastic shrapnel at the bottom, WTF? upon closer inspection the plastic clip that holds the contact spring assembly had busted. and the contact on the rotor was also at the bottom. can't believe the thing was even running!

06-04-2006, 06:06 PM	#1
bucket Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Shawnee, KS Posts: 923	distributor help needed She started missfiring out of the blue yesterday. The same time it missfires, the tach also jumps all over the place, and it's getting fuel so i'm deducting its a spark problem. maybe a bad ground in the cap? What should i replace first? It is an hei with about 3,000 miles, btw. TIA

06-04-2006, 06:26 PM	#2
rage'nrat638 Account Suspended Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: THE FALL GUY CHICAGO IL Posts: 5,883	Re: distributor help needed check the wires under the hei top cover, make sure there not laying on top of each other and routed correctly. and also make sure you got the black ground wire under there. check for moisture.. make sure you don't have a rubbed thru or burned spake plug wire. sounds like a bad spark plug wire to me..when it gets dark run it..you might see the spark..hope this helps make it better. mark Last edited by rage'nrat638; 06-04-2006 at 06:27 PM.

06-04-2006, 06:29 PM	#3
cableguy0 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Delta,Pa Posts: 14,948	Re: distributor help needed i had a bad tach do the same thing. unhook the tach as an easy first step. then go inside the cap as mark said __________________ Owner of North Point Car Care in Dundalk Md. We specialize in custom exhaust on both modern and classic vehicles. We are a full service auto shop from classics to modern vehicles. Feel free to contact me with questions. I will give a 10% discount to any board member.

06-04-2006, 06:39 PM	#4
boot85 71 Chevy Join Date: May 2006 Location: Madison, Wisconsin Posts: 83	Re: distributor help needed It may be a cracked distributor cap. I have seen that cause missfires out of the blue. You could also check the contacts in the cap and clean them up.

06-04-2006, 06:49 PM	#5
texascowboy593 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Southeast Tx Posts: 1,302	Re: distributor help needed Make sure the coil is good... Happend to me also... Tach was jumping and truck was sputtering for 3-4 miles before it died. Good thing I had a spare coil with me! That solved my problem. .. __________________ "The rays of light thru the Shiner Bock bottle make me wanna turn the key and put down the throttle...and get lost down 35" - Jason Boland www.YouTube.com/user/593Films - Watch My Videos! 1977 Silverado K10 2014 Dodge Durango (Wife-mobile) 2008 Dodge Ram Lone Star Edition (Daily driver)

06-04-2006, 10:57 PM	#6
bucket Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Shawnee, KS Posts: 923	Re: distributor help needed i waited till dark, and fired her up. was running fine. sprayed a mist of water on the plug wires...no arching. so i pulled the cap. no cracks. looks pretty good but i cleaned up the button and contact on bottom of coil with a little 000 steel wool. do you guys use a little dielectric grease on any of these contacts? if it starts acting up again i will replace the coil. could it be the module?

06-07-2006, 02:06 AM	#7
bucket Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Shawnee, KS Posts: 923	Re: distributor help needed Got it figured out. the rotor decided to commit suicide. when i was removing the module i noticed plastic shrapnel at the bottom, WTF? upon closer inspection the plastic clip that holds the contact spring assembly had busted. and the contact on the rotor was also at the bottom. can't believe the thing was even running!



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