442Harv

After not going to one car show this year, was a local one last Saturday. When to start the car, and no start. Haven't started in about a month, which is normal for me. It's a 70 W30, but I put in a HEI. It's been in for probably more than 5 years, but I bet I have not driven it more than a 1000 mile in all. Ordered a new module from Rock Auto, just installed it, and fired right up. Do these things just go bad from usage, or does age effect them, or both? Just wandering, if a person needs to change them after a few years, or did I get lucky it died at home?

oldolds88

had that happen to me,stopped at friends house,went to leave,no start. electrical part,it goes when it goes

cfair

These things sometimes just go. Keep a spare or 2 in the glove box.

They die without warning and the engine just stops.

Had it happen to me on the freeway years ago and last year on a city street. By last year I was following the glove box logic and in about 15 minutes was back on my way.

oldcutlass

x2, sometimes its unexplainable.

droldsmorland

Both. Always carry a spare with the paste.
Not really a maintenance item, some last for years some do not.

Bad grounds will decrease module life.
Verify your engine has all the ground straps in place and they are clean.
Verify the battery neg is clean on the block.
"HEI" ignition systems...GM/HEI, MSD, Mallory et al, need good clean grounds.

Buy the best quality module you can find.
DUI carries the good ones.

ELY442

HEI Module do NOT like heat. Make sure you clean the surface an apply that heat sink paste. I agree that you should carry a spare for a peace of mind. I have a few AC Delco modules that I was lucky to find.

redoldsman

You can probably find an original Delco made in the USA module on ebay. That is where I get my made in the USA Delco points and condensers. May cost you a little more but well worth it. Most Delco stuff now is made in Mexico but some actually comes from China. As Jackie Gleason said in Smokey and the Bandit "what the hell is this world coming to".

mpolds

The Chineseum world of modules fail at a rate of worse than marriages......
People are constantly "begging me to find" N.O.S. U.S.A. modules.....
I have a waiting list for some in the MOPAR world !!!!!

I presently have One (1) N.O.S. U.S.A. made Standard G M H.E.I. 4 prong module !!!!
& Delco Distributor Caps with Copper Contacts (for Points Ignition).....

Always best to simply call me --- Craig --- 516 - 485 - 1935..... New York...

Schurkey

When an HEI module (or any other electronic-ignition module) fails, (especially multiple failures) you'll need to verify the ignition coil.

Coils can short internally--no visible sparks--which reduces spark power AND draws excessive current from the module. The engine may still run with reduced spark power. The ignition coil can partially-fail.

First, you test the primary winding, and primary-to-ground; then secondary winding, and secondary-to-ground with an ohmmeter; compare to factory specs. (Coils are not all wired the same way.) An ohmmeter can tell you if a coil is DEFECTIVE. It cannot prove that a coil is GOOD.

After the ohmmeter tests show proper resistance, verify spark output with a spark-tester calibrated for the ignition system--"Points-style" ignition tester gap for low-energy ignitions systems (using a ballast resistor) and "HEI" spark-tester gap for ignition systems that don't have a ballast resistor. The "HEI" spark-tester has a larger gap that requires higher voltage to fire.

If the ignition coil passes all tests, replace module. If the coil fails, replace module AND coil.

Of course, there can be other causes--plug wires, or a coil wire with excessive resistance can make the ignition system work so hard as to cause failure of other parts--coil, module, cap-rotor, etc. Excessive spark plug gap can do the same.

droldsmorland

Schurkey, Good call on a partially failed coil. Excessive current = heat = decreased life.

matt69olds

Module failure isn’t as common as people think. While they do occasionally fail (just like anything electrical or mechanical) they sometimes fail completely, sometimes they fail only when the get hot. The engine may start once it cools down, only to stop once it warms up.

Repeated module failure defiantly points to ignition coil problems.