No spark need help

[Caballero1981]

Hi I have a 1981 Caballero with with 67 327 and hei ignition. I was going to work and when I started my car up it sounded pretty rough but I was still able to get to work just fine later when I was leaving work and my engine was idling pretty rough but I thought ok it's cold out so I will just let it warm up. After waiting awhile I started backing out and the engine stalled. After that it would not start back up so I got a ride home. I tried starting it the next day with a bit of starting fluid and that didn't work even though it was turning over well. so I checked for spark and didn't have any spark . I changed the plugs and coil that didn't work so i tried running a hot wire to distributor and still didn't have spark any ideas what it could be?

TLDR: I don't have spark even though I changed plugs and coil any ideas what it could be?

 

[Rktpwrd]

HEI module.

 

[Caballero1981]

Is there anyway to test it or should I just go ahead and replace it?

 

[Wageslave]

They are cheap and do occasionally fail. I don't think they can be tested outside of the distributor without special equipment. It would be worth getting one, even if it turns out to not be the problem.

 

[Caballero1981]

Ok sounds good will I have to reset my timing or anything like that after I change it?

 

[Wageslave]

Nope, as long as your distributor bolt is tight everything will stay the same.

 

[oldsmobile joe]

HEI module.

it could also be the pick up coil. the pick up coil sends a signal to the ign module when it needs to fire the ign coil. think of it as the points in an old dist.
if your hei has a vacuum advance feature on it, the wires between the pick up coil and module are meant to flex with the movement of the vacuum advance plate. it is common for the pick up coil wires to fatigue over time and break or have an open in them. which in turn will cause a no spark condition.
you can test the ign module in the car but its tricky, and you may get zapped.
so you take the dist cap off but leave all the wires connected. cap off to the side. remove the rotor. find where the pick up coil wires attach to the module, there are 2 of them, light green and white?. now you will need two test wires. one is used to place near the ign coil button located inside the dist cap and the other end of this wire is grounded, this is used to act as a ground so you can see the coil fire. take the other test wire and attach one end to battery power and the other end is momentarily touched to one of the pick up coil wires with it. this is meant to send a voltage to the module like the pick up coil does, causing the module to fire the coil. MUST HAVE IGN KEY TURNED ON SO POWER IS SENT TO THE IGN COIL.
best done with two people, one holding the cap and test wire, the other momentarily touching the other test wire to the pick up coil wire.
if you get a spark, module is good and pick up coil is bad. if no spark occurs, module is bad.
PLEASE BE CAREFULL, I'VE SEEN PEOPLE THROW UP WHEN ZAPPED BY A IGN COIL.
joe

 

[TURNA]

if you change the module make sure you use the grease that comes with it.

If there is no grease buy dielectric grease.

No grease it will burn out fast

 

[Caballero1981]

Ok so I changed the module and it started right up thanks for the help!

 

[TURNA]

Did u put the grease on the module?