[Bill-E-BoB]

I've got a '69 Camaro RS with a 350 & HEI ignition, and I can't get spark. I've done everything I know to do, and still...nothin' so I need some help. Here's where we stand:

1) The hot lead from the ignition switch carries 12V when the key is on and 0V when its off. I had to fix this because the previous owner had a cutoff switch in place that was messing it up, and so it was a constant 12V no matter what somehow. I bypassed that and now the wire that connects to the BAT terminal on the distributor seems to work correctly.

2) I tested the coil according to some troubleshooting online, and it was bad. They said it should read 6-30K ohms across the rotor button & the BAT wire, as well as 6-30K across the rotor button & Ground. It read correctly to ground, but showed infinite to the bat terminal. So, I went & bought a new Accel super coil. I tested it the same way to make sure I hadn't messed up somehow on the other one, this one tested okay though. So, I installed it.

3) All my plug wires were brand new the last time I had the car running, so aside from a year & a half of father time, they are still new.

4) I checked for continuity between the spot on the rotor where the button meets and the end that hits the lead for each plug wire, it works.

BUT, if I put a spark plug in a plug wire and lay it across sheet metal, no spark. lay it across frame, no spark. lay it across the engine block, no spark. Call my girlfriend downstairs to crank it for me while I hold the wire with a jumper 1/4" away from the header, block, power steering bracket, and any other good ground I can find, no spark.

I even tried hooking up a timing light to all 8 plug wires to see if a pulse was going through the wires at all & it doesn't light up. I've done everything I know to do on an ignition system, & it still doesn't work. Ideas?

[DoubleVision]

My guess would be the modules gone south, or the pick up coil. Also check all the wires coming out, make sure none of them are broken internally. Check the ground also.

[Henry Highrise]

Probably a bad module. Take it out...they can check it for you at Autozone.

[Bill-E-BoB]

I checked all the plug wires and the wires for ground bat & tach for continuity, they're good. and now for dumb questions...Whats the module? Is that the black plastic piece screwed down under the rotor when I take the cap off? And whats the pick up coil? For that one I can't even hazard a guess. How do I test the pickup coil once I know what it is? Is there anything I can do to test the module at home, or is it best to just take to auto zone? Should I just take 'em the whole distributor?

[Bill-E-BoB]

Ok, just got back from Auto Zone, the module is good. Now what?

[pontiacjosh]

Originally Posted by Bill-E-BoB

Ok, just got back from Auto Zone, the module is good. Now what?

i would suggeust leaving the cap off and makingsure the button is turning

[Bill-E-BoB]

Yes, it turns. Is it possible that even though I test 12V when the ignition is in the on position, its not getting that 12V in the start position? I had to fix a rigged wiring job already, and the lead I ran it to in the ignition switch tests 12V on and 0V off, but I don't know how to make sure the wire I'm using gets 12V when turned to start also.

[techinspector1]

Put the plus lead from your tester on the plus side of the coil, negative lead to ground and have your buddy grind the starter while you watch the tester.

[Bill-E-BoB]

FOUND THE PROBLEM! switch off, 0V. Switch on, 12V. Switch in start position, 0V!! Now, how do I fix that?

[DoubleVision]

This is the same thing a friend of mine`s 64 chevy pick up did, and I was going to say the same in this post but it didn`t seem the same as in his example. All I did was wire a serperate power wire to a toggle switch. This is the easiest fix, but not the correct fix. One advantage this has is you can turn the engine over without spark then flip the switch and start, so if you suffer from hot start problems, this eliminates it.

[Bill-E-BoB]

Originally Posted by DoubleVision

This is the same thing a friend of mine`s 64 chevy pick up did, and I was going to say the same in this post but it didn`t seem the same as in his example. All I did was wire a serperate power wire to a toggle switch. This is the easiest fix, but not the correct fix. One advantage this has is you can turn the engine over without spark then flip the switch and start, so if you suffer from hot start problems, this eliminates it.

I think thats what the previous owner did too. There was a mystery switch under the dash before, I thought it was an ignition cut off that went haywire because I couldn't cut the car off because of it. I bypassed it and had this problem, so it must've been supplying the 12V to the dist during cranking, and the wire I used instead was only 12V while turned on.

I went under the dash & found a wire that was 0-12-12, connected into it, and tried again. While testing for spark the other 7 cylinders seemed nice & happy, started runnin' with a plug in my hand. There's nothing quite as beautiful as the sound of an engine firing up for the first time in years thanks to your own blood & sweat. Thanks for all the help guys!