Eckat0100

hi, I ve no spark problem with my gm hei distributor. all parts on the ignition are new includes, wire, module, rotor, cap and distributor. no spark. tried the spark plug wires with the spark plugs on my second car (opel kadett) and there I have spark. car is a 84 trans am.

matt69olds

First thing’s first: did it run before you changed all the parts? Does the rotor turn while Chris king the engine? Do you have power at the batt terminal on the cap?

If you have power at the cap, move your test light to the tach terminal. Turn on the ignition, the light should come on. If not, the ignition coil primary winding is open, replace the ignition coil.

Next, crank the engine with the test light still on the tach terminal. The test light should flicker. If not, either ignition module is defective, or the pickup coil is bad. Inspect the tiny wires that go from the pickup coil to the ignition module. Sometimes the wires break from the vacuum advance moving.

Eckat0100

every wires in good shape. car does run sometimes for 2 minutes no longer. but now it doesnt run for a while. just cranking. rotor turns while cranking. parts all new.

oldolds88

change the inner coil,its under the plate

Fun71

New parts do not always work properly.

Do the tests that matt suggested above to isolate the problem.

Eckat0100

test light good enough or Multimeter better? what ohm reading on the pink batt and yellow tach cable should I habe? key off, on, and crank position? Cheers

Eckat0100

with a 2,5 mm battery cable mounted on the pink coil batt cable terminal and battery plus itself the engine runs.

Eckat0100

think I loose voltage by cranking the engine. is the ignition switch a different part as the lockable key on a 84 trans am?

Eckat0100

can I get power from the fuse box IGN to the coil? does the coil resist this methode?

oldcutlass

Yes you can us the IGN terminal. Why not just run a temporary jumper from the battery to the HEI (you still start it with the key)? Disconnect the tach, if one is connected and see if you can get the engine to run. Just note, if the engine starts, in order to turn it off the temporary jumper needs to be disconnected.

Eckat0100

yes I tested before with jumper cable from battery to coil and engine runs. as you said I had to remove this cable to shut off the engine then. on the unfused IGN place on the fuse box I tested with multimeter for Voltage on different key position. it has no power at off position but 12 volt power at the on and start (crank). So I think this is perfect
and I can start and shut off the engine with the key again. Do you know what male to female terminal connector I need to install the new 12 gauge cable on the IGN fuse box place?

Eckat0100

it looks like the half of a fuse tooth as installed on the fused places down on the fuse box just a little thinner tooth. dont know the Name and where I can get it here in austria

oldcutlass

The IGN terminal is a 1/4" spade, it is also fused by the adjacent Dir Sig - Backup fuse.

Eckat0100

dont understand your last message very well. I need the name of the connector that I have to put in to this spade and also the size. regards

oldcutlass

It's called a female spade terminal, you can use any variation of it. I'd run a 14 or 12ga wire.

Eckat0100

what size? think I need this one

oldcutlass

The one you posted is a male terminal, you need a female. Also the colors designate the use with particular wire gauge sizes, blue will work.

Eckat0100

have bought this male terminal and installed. have 12 volt power now from the IGN fuse box terminal place up to the distributor coil. nothing changed. cant fire the engine up. no spark. I dont understand why I can fire the engine up with a cable voltage directly from the battery to the coil but not from the IGN fuse place to the coil. what is the difference. also the fuse box place BATT where always 12 volts sits on dont work.

oldcutlass

Do you have voltage at the IGN terminal, if not check the fuse marked Dir Sig/Backup.

Eckat0100

yes I have power.

Eckat0100

dont understand this hole piece of....

oldcutlass

If you have power and it worked directly off the battery, it should work connected to the fuse block. Do the directional signals work?

Eckat0100

I think so too. I check thema when I come home today. I think its all about voltage loss or voltage Transfer problem during turning the key to crank position

oldcutlass

If you are still running the stock starter, connect the yellow wire that runs from the solenoid R terminal to the power wire to the HEI. That should eliminate the low voltage start problem.

Eckat0100

there is no wire connected to the r terminal on the starter. Main battery cable on top (and a other 2 smaller wires with a separate connector are at the top places there too), and on the s terminal on the right side there is a pink/purple thicker cable installed. cant say the color of this exactly

oldcutlass

Connect a wire from the R terminal to the HEI power wire at the distributor.

Eckat0100

should I connect it to the wire of the hei Power wire on the coil or delete the wire from the coil and run a New wire from the starter s to the coil batt connection?

oldcutlass

Connect them both together.

Eckat0100

So just strip the insulation of both wires and Twist the core together Russian style and isolate it with tape?

oldcutlass

I like solder and heat shrink or a mechanical connection like a butt connector.

Eckat0100

yes but I am not a mechanic. I do it the russian way. if it works it can be repaired professionally later. if this works can I stop the engine with key again?

oldcutlass

Yes, the key will work.

Eckat0100

I have no power on the starter r and s terminal in key off and on position. I dont know if I have power at crank position? dont know how it should be

oldcutlass

IF you have no power at the R terminal with the key on (feeding back through the HEI wire) then you're not getting power through the IGN terminal.

Eckat0100

declaration: I have not installed the cable on the r terminal. tested the connection only. I get lower than 12 volts (cant say exactly) on the r and s terminals just only by cranking the engine

oldcutlass

The R terminal is an out put from the starter solenoid and will only have voltage is the starter is energized. The S terminal will only have voltage as an input to energize the starter solenoid when the key is in the crank position.

Eckat0100

starter energized! voltage on both the r and s terminal only if the engine cranks or key in start (crank) position if you want. checked it out today with test light

Eckat0100

directional signals work!

Vintage Chief

Eric - Nice work assisting the OP.

oldcutlass

Does the engine run?