Will not start...Tryed many things..Help

[Harmon]

I have a 1986 chevy truck with a 350.  Today it would not start.  It turns over fine and has gas, but NO spark.  I assume coil as next idea in fixing the problem.  I have never messed with a coil on a "newer" engine. 

I have no idea where to look for it.

[slammed79]

There should be a plastic cap on top of your distributor cap, it would have 4 little hex head screws and some wires running into it. This is where your coil should be. It also may be the Ignition Control Module, they tend to go out more often than the coil on a HEI ignition. I'd try that first, pull your cap and rotor and its the little half-moon deal with 4 wires running to it.

$20 at O'reilly usually.

[1980c10]

You can test the resistance on your coil and compare to specs or another if you have any laying around, but i second the ign. module most likely being what is faulty.

[Irish_Alley]

anything in the distributor can and will cause it not to run from a pick up coil, icm or the ignition coil. all but the pickup coil can be tested that I know of just take it into the parts store and they will test it. Also as some state on here that it’s sometimes cheaper to replace the whole distributor with a clear one off ebay

[1980c10]

The resistance can also be check on the pick up coil. IMO if your cap and rotor are not like new It would be a good time to replace the entire dist as you could be half way there in parts by the time you are done (unless your cash strapped at the moment).

[1980c10]

btw forgot to mention to check the wire going into the dist; it should be hot with the ign switch on.

[bake74]

btw forgot to mention to check the wire going into the dist; it should be hot with the ign switch on.

     That is the very first thing you should do, before anything else.

[Harmon]

Ok I have located and removed the pick up coil and ignition control module.  Upon removing those items I hav noticed that the wires that come in under the cap that plug into the ICM have a piece of metal that screws to bottom of distrib. under the cap.  The plastic that surrounds this metal that is screwed to the bottom of the distrib is brittle and broke off.  The metal is still screwed down, but I was wondering if it will be ok that way, or if it is possible to replace those wires?

[VileZambonie]

Wait what? Unfortunately it sounds like you've gone about this wrong but nevertheless you'll get it.

Step 1 make sure B+ to the coil as mentioned during crank
Step 2 make sure distributor is rotating

If you have a DVOM and a test light you can pinpoint what the problem is.

You couldn't have removed the pick up coil without removing the ditributor. The ignition coil is located inside the distributor cap. The quality of the aftermarket parts vary but you can buy an entire new distributor pretty cheap.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390306131252&viewitem=

[1980c10]

What you removed is your coil from the way it sounds and what your are looking at is your pickup coil, those wires can be repaired with a new pickup coil but it is not easy. If this is the case and If I were in your shoes I would get a new dist. You'll have to pull out the current dist anyway, you can find new fairly cheap dist on ebay. However first make sure you understand what is wrong with your dist and if you need to; post some pics here so somone here can better help you.

[bake74]

  you can buy an entire new distributor pretty cheap.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390306131252&viewitem=

     I just took out my points distributor and put in one of these 65k HEI into my 74 k10, what a world of difference it made, well worth the money and no problems with the distributor yet.

[VileZambonie]

Here's an example of what's involved in replacing the pick up coil.

http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=11105.15

[Harmon]

1986 Chevy 1/2 ton pick up.  350 supposevely, but Distributor has 305 parts.

Got in my truck one afternoon a week ago and it wouldnt start.
I have Gas going to Carb.  No spark.

Replaced, (Hei) Cap, Coil, Ignition coil module, rotor.

Checked with test lite to make sure I am getting power to distributor...I am

Bumped engine over with no cap, rotor on to see if the Middle spring part where rotor sits is moving...It is.

I am at a loss as to what to do next.

Please help.

Thanks.

[topp]

Do Carbed Distributors have a Pickup coil?  If so, did you replace it?

[Harmon]

Ignition control module.....I replaced that...I mis wrote it.