Maybe someone can help me with this one. I have 1967 oldsmobile cutlass, with a non-stock 350 oldsmobile engine. It was running smooth for about 500 miles city driving from the time I installed the engine. I parked it in the driveway a couple nights ago and it won't start.

I hooked up an inline spark tester (with a bulb) and there is no spark when I crank it. I have 12 v dc going into the distributor. I replaced the electronic distributor and cap with the one that I had (which was running) from the 330 c.i. engine I took out last year. Still no spark?? I placed a voltmeter at the distributor power and when I crank the engine the voltage drops to 9.5 volts.

Any suggestions would be appreciated,

*edit I should mention that I did re-use the white rotor cap that fits inside the distributor (two philips screws). I don't know what they are called and will go get a different one of these and try to replace this.

Cheers,

 

So let's back up. You have an Olds 350. What distributor do you have - HEI or aftermarket electronic conversion? If the latter, which one? Or are you now running the points distributor from the 330?

 

Thanks for your reply Joe, I am running the HEI distributor avail from 75-80, it has the build in coil in the cap. Also I should mention that the rotor is turning when I crank the engine.

I purchased another rotor from the wreaking yard and will try and replace this (after the rain maybe).

Cheers,

 

Time for basic troubleshooting. Do you have +12V at the wire that goes to the BATT terminal on the cap? Are the other three wires connected? Why are you messing with a wrecking yard rotor? New ones cost about $3.

I assume you are using a spark tester to see if you have spark while cranking. If there's power to the BATT terminal and the cap, rotor, and coil are known to be good, it's probably the module.

 

Not in Canada, everything is atleast $20. But ok, module you say? Is that within the distributor? the black ic maybe?

*edit yeah I grabbed one of those from the wrecking yard, I'll swap that out if nothing else,

Cheers,

 

Okay, so I have resolved the issue. When I swapped the dizzy out I kept the rotor frm the old-- and voila. The Gods remarked the error of my ways. Now that I have a new rotor, the engine starts again!

Cheers,

 

That was easy.