-
Hows everybody doing? This is my first post and probably not my last. I have a 1986 Chevrolet C-10 2wd pickup and a 1986 Chevrolet K-10 4x4 pickup with a 4" lift and some 35's. The problem I am having is this, the K-10 wont spark. The key stuck in the ignition after I replaced the ignition switch on the column. So I can turn over the motor with a screwdriver and that switch. No big deal, id like to put in a toggle and push button but dont know what wires to use. But the main problem is, I cant get it to spark at all. I have replaced the battery, distributor, coil, cap, rotor, etc. and nothing seems to work. I have ran a jumper wire straight from the battery to the distributor, still nothing. Any ideas? Im sure its something small missing or some wire I cant find thats burned in 2. I have vacuum advance, electric choke, a quadrajet carb, HEI ignition, etc. and a 305. Automatic transmission too. Any ideas? Suggestions? Thanks all, and if its easier to reply my email is nickmac14@hotmail.com
Email me
BGM V2 now here, check RR forum for pics and specs!
-
Did you replace the distibuter with new or used?? If you got power going to the coil you should get fire unless the gear on the dist. or the gam gear is stripped. If the gear on the distributer is good check it for shavings. If not you might want to try another dist.
JayTater
Z28 C10
-
Brand new distributor, rotor spins and all and no signs of wear on the camgear from what I can see. The timing chain is intact and everything is getting power as far as I can tell with my multimeter, just nothings working LOL... Thanks for the reply.
Email me
BGM V2 now here, check RR forum for pics and specs!
-
Another question, as you look at the distributor with the cap off, you have the ground, yellow and red wires. Which wire goes on the battery side of the distributor, which one on the tach side? Are they both as far forward as they can go or...? And one more, what wire in the harness that plugs into the distrutor is closest to the front of the truck? 3 wires, run from the modulator? to the cap. Thanks
Email me
BGM V2 now here, check RR forum for pics and specs!
-
Got me stumped, I'm sure that if he see's this, Roundedline could tell you exactly where to look.
JayTater
Z28 C10
-
Outside right is your power in, outside left is Tach. I can't remember what colors on the inboard teminal (dist harness). Mine only goes in one way. Edited by: Z28 c10 at: 3/16/06 9:02 pm
-
I havent tried to see if it goes in the other way or not. But inside the cap, the red goes to battery, yellow to tach side? Thanks again
Email me
BGM V2 now here, check RR forum for pics and specs!
-
No problem, keep your eyes on the post, I'm sure that Chris or someone else will tell you exactly what's wrong, but yes the red is power in (mine's so old its pink). By the way, your link isn't working, Page cannot be displayed.
JayTater
Z28 C10
-
when posting a link, you may have to erase the letters that automatically pop up. 8tch tee tee pea colon slash slash. I couldn't actually type the real letters due to it being the start of a markup language and wont accept it.
Edited by: SgtDel at: 3/16/06 10:09 pm
-
Make sure there is 12v at the B+ terminal on the cap. Make sure you have the ground wire on one of the corner bolts securing in the coil to the center terminal in the cap. The other lead is the negative tach ref. Make sure the pick up coil wires are securely attached to the ignition module and that the harness connecting the module to the cap has good integrity. Make sure the carbon button in the center of the cap underneath the coil is installed correctly. Do you happen to have a soldering gun handy? If so you can test fire the coil by holding it near the base of the distributor and energizing it. The electromagnetic field should trigger the module. If you measure the resistance of the pick up coil it should have approximately 800 ohms resistance. Spec is 500-1500 ohms I beilieve. Check the primary and secondary resistance of the coil also. If everything is ok and in spec then you must have a faulty module.
-
12 volts to both the yellow and red wires, grounds connected to the bolt on the B+ side of the distributor, power wire (pink or red) plugged into B+ side, etc. still nothing
Email me
BGM V2 now here, check RR forum for pics and specs!
-
Ok, below is the pic of my 79, the wires that attach to the distributor. There is only one way the wires will attach if all the plastic clips are still there. The green wire is the aftermarket tach i attached. If, when you turn your key on, you get the 12 volts to the red wire, your problem is in the distributor. You mention your rotor turns. Are you sure. Take cap off, hit the starter. If your rotor turns, it has to be the button on the rotor, spring set, or the cap itself. That way you know it is not your cam/ gear, timing chain, etc. It is not a complicated system. Ensure your coil ground wire inside the cap is around one of the screws for ground. All you have left is the module. You say you put a new distributor in it. Do you still have the old one? If not, I'd get an old one from the salvage yard...nearly any small block HEI will do, no matter vehicle. Throw another distributor in it. Hook up the wires, see what it'll do. Just because it is a new distributor doesn't mean it is a good one. I put a brand new one in my new 383 engine. I found out it was not a good one (from NAPA). When the truck was hot, it would not restart until it cooled. I think it was the module or something inside it. I put my old one in it and she runs great.
SgtDel
Go George Mason University!!
March Madness!! GMU '90 Edited by: SgtDel at: 3/18/06 12:58 pm
-
There is only one way the wires can go inside the cap and the coil wires. The red one shapes like an L. It is on the back side when the cap notch points in the 3:00 o'clock position. The white in front.
These pics come from an old distributor I have in the garage. the coil is a little corroded, but you get the idea.
SgtDel
Go George Mason University!!
March Madness!! GMU '90
-
I've never tried this, but, theoritically, you could remove the cap off the distributor, keeping all the wires on it. Turn ignition on, check for voltage at the center button under the coil. As I stated, I never tried this, but there may be a dangerous level of voltage from that after it goes thru the coil. There may be a simpler test for the coil, but I bet, if everything else checks out, your coil may be bad. They are cheap. I am no electrician, but you may be able to check the ohms or something thru the coil as a test. Chilton manual or haynes me explain it better.
SgtDel
go Geoge Mason University!!
March Madness!! GMU '90
-
Thanks for the reply guys, well, I got somewhere with the truck yesterday. I put in my new distributor, my accel coil off my other 86 which doesnt have the center ground wire on the coil. I dont know what it is I did but I hooked everything up and the truck started firing! Then, as soon as I tried to put the plastic cap back on the distributor and turned the key again, it stopped firing. The coil still works in my 2wd truck but for some reason it wouldnt work anymore in the 4wd. I have another distributor coming from Napa and bought a new cap and rotor for it. Any ideas? Sounds like something is loose but I cant find anything? Thanks again
Email me
BGM V2 now here, check RR forum for pics and specs!
-
Did you read my post? Also don't bother with an accel coil.
-
You put the new distributor and coil in and see what happens. Keep the old distributor to ensusre the new one works prior to giving it back to Napa for core charge. Don't forget the gasket for the distributor/intake.
SgtDel
George Mason University upsets UNC !!! Sweet 16 baby !!!
GMU '90
Partying in Fairfax, VA !!
-
Well, got it to start sparking. Turns out the plug wires just needed changing cause they were arcing off the headers and the ones that I happened to use for my test sparks, were 2 that were burned in half. But, still cant get the truck running, itll sputter and backfire all day long, got it to run for a few minutes once then as soon as it returned to idle it died. We put a different carb on it and it caught fire for a good 2-3 minutes before we finally got the fire out. Timing seems right, maybe ill try moving the plugs over one and see how it goes. My guess is the gas is just bad though, its been in the truck for over a year now and probably has water in it and stuff. But it shouldnt cause the truck to backfire that much should it? Well, thanks again guys, this one sure had me stumped.
Email me
BGM V2 now here, check RR forum for pics and specs!
-
Your timing is one cycle off.
It is trying to fire on the exhaust stroke. Take distributor out about an inch and turn rotor 1 full cycle and put back in.
Been there, done that.
SgtDel
George Mason University upsets UNC !!! Sweet 16 baby!!
GMU '90
Edited by: SgtDel at: 3/19/06 10:40 pm
-
Just went through that with my '81. Just spin the rotor to point about 3 or 4 degrees before 180 degrees, cause as you know by now the rotor will spin as you put the dist. in due to the way the gears are cut, then drop her back in. If it doesn't drop all the way in, your catching on the oil pump drive, just turn the engine over a little bit at a time with the distributer in far enough to turn the rotor as you turn over the engine, keep a hand on it to feel it catch and pop her in the rest of the way.
JayTater
Z28 C10
Hey Sgt Del, Congrats on GMU win, Saw it in the paper and said Andy's happy about that one!!! Only a few more rounds to go. Edited by: Z28 c10 at: 3/20/06 5:25 pm
-
Yeah, Jay, very happy with that win. Mason knocked off two past nat'l champs, Michigan State and UNC to get to the sweeeeet 16. We beat Wichita St earlier this year, so, if we repeat that game, we will go to elite 8.
oh, something I learned at Mason, it is 360 degrees around for the distributor, not 180 degrees.
Put money on the Patriots!!!!
SgtDel
www.delbridge.net
-
Actually, it sounds as though you might have the firing order off. If it runs, than you can pretty much bet that the distributer is in just about the right spot. If your firing on exhaust stroke, it's not going to run. Double check your wires and make sure that your on the right plugs. If you put in a new cam, also double check if its a standard firing order cam.Comp Cams has a bumpstick with a 4-7 swap, I think that theres a few others with this option.
JayTater
Z28 C10
Got money on Patriots AND U Conn
-
Standard cam as far as I know. The motor has 103000 original miles on it. The firing order is right, we checked that a few times. The truck ran good and smooth for a little while then when we let it off to idle it died. Just cant get it running smooth again for some reason. I know the distributor didnt turn because its tightened down and we checked it too. I think its just bad gas but we will see. Got me a can of heet and sea foam and some new plug wires. We will see how it goes. Thanks again guys, I do appreciate it
Email me
BGM V2 now here, check RR forum for pics and specs!
-
Firing on exhaust stroke will pop and backfire and run for about 5 - 10 seconds, depending on other adjustments. But, it sounds like, if it isn't the gas (which shouldn't make it backfire), a very bad vacuum leak causing a lot of air getting into where it shouldn't. It will run at high rpm's.
Check all gaskets, carb, intake, all hose connections, etc.
SgtDel
GMU SWEEEET 16
-
If it sounds right at higher rpm's then dies when you try to idle it,listen to SgtDel and check for vacuum leaks,sounds like you might have one..check pcv hose,carb to intake especially,take the carb back off and seal the carb gasket to the intake,then bolt'er back down..
let us know what you find..
Tim
-
Its going to be a couple days before I can get back to Black Beauty. Heading to Colorado to do some snowboarding tomorrow. But ill check, thats probably all it is. It started ripping emissions control junk off it and probably yanked a few too many lines. Thanks again guys, great help
Email me
BGM V2 now here, check RR forum for pics and specs!
-
I had those exact same symptoms when building my truck, backfire, real fire and all... ;0) I would suggest starting from ground zero, unpluging all the wires, taking out the distributor and putting it all back together. Look online for the firing order... also you need to start at TDC (top dead center). This means that the piston closest to you and on the right (if you are looking at the truck from in front of it) should be all the way at the top when putting the distributor in. You can use a small screw driver in the spark plug hole to determine when the "TOP" is (meaning when the piston is all the way UP). You can take the bell housing off where the engine and tranny meet to manually turn the flywheel until you are TDC (top dead center). Everyone, if I missed anything please add/correct my post. I know how much of a pain in the arse this is but stick with it, you will get it
-
Hmm... had the truck almost starting and had to go for a few days. Came back and weve got no spark again... Put new plug wires on it and rechecked the wiring, everything looks ok. Id hate to bring the thing to a mechanic considering I am one because it makes me look bad. Any more suggestions? Maybe once I replace the steering column itll work? Im buying a parts truck tomorrow to see what I can do, and im looking into another 86 K-20 for sale at a local dealer. Maybe I can get one running truck out of 3...
Email me
BGM V2 now here, check RR forum for pics and specs!