Hello!! Glad to find this forum, I hope to get some good info here! Of course I have a problem.... Freind just bought a Camaro andnow it will nto start.

89 Camaro originaly V6, removed and 84 305 was put in. All the computer goodies are removed and it has been running with a holley carb and older vacuum distributer.

New ACDelco coil pack put in. Had the ignition modual checked at AutoZone were I part time and it passed. Fuses under the dash all seem to be fine. What am I missing?

We have been working on this for a few days and this thing has me stumped![sm=helpout.gif]

 

[&:] so what your saying is there's no spark?? is this a standard distributor or an hei ill assume hei since you mention ignition module. need to check and be sure you have 12 volts to the B+ terminal on the dist cap. did anyone mess with anything between when it was working and when it stopped?? ill be back later this evening kurt

 

[&:] the pick up inside the dist is a possibility

 

The B+ is the one the red power wire goes to correct? If so it is getting power, checked it with a circuit tester. I didnt use a voltmeter to see the actual volts. Coil pack and pick up coil the same thing? If so that is brand new.

Alot has been going on before this problem happend. Alot of ruff running and bad tune up parts. I just joined in on this project. It was turning over fine but then it suddenly stopped firing. Nothing has been done to the distibutor except what was mentioned before.

 

Pickup Coil (Inside Distributor):


Coil Pack (Not used in V8s):

 

ok! I see the difference now. I guess it would be called the ignition coil, on top of the distibutor, this is new. The HEI distributor still have this? It does have the ignition control modual.

Learning more already! I know the concepts but never got the names down. Is there any other way to test the distributor besides the modual, are there any other fuses or relays I should look for in the 89 Camaro?

 

[&:] if the dist is getting 12 volts to it then it should be sparking if its going round and round AND all parts inside the dist are in working condition. have you made sure the rotor inside the dist goes round and round when cranked?? if it does then id make sure the coil was reassembled into the dist cap correctly ( most common mistake is rotor button on top of rubber insulator, it should be under it , first part in) was there a steel ground strap between the yellow and red coil wires?? every good bowtie man will carry a spare module in the glove compartment which might say something about it being a common although infrequent failure in this system, id scrounge up another maybe to test your set up. the pickup coils did fail on occasion, make sure the dist cap is set down onto dist base all the way and correctly they can be tricky

 

[&:] there is a capaciter there by the module which can also fail but even less frequently than the pickup coil. ive seen several fail in point type dist but almost never in an hei

 

Thanks for your help!Yes the distibutor is turning when cranked.
Is there any way to test the capacitor? Lets say all checks out good with the distibutor, is there anything else that can cause this problem? Any relays or fuses on the 89 Camaro withT tops?

 

well ya there maybe other things to check but when it comes to troubleshooting a no start theres basicly three possibilities, no spark, no fuel, no compression. right now were chasing the no spark one cause that is the sympton youve given. once 12 volts comes into the hei distributor it relies only on the mechanical connection to the cam to fire, it requires no other inputs or power sources(i.e. fuses, relays) so following that theory your no spark is in the dist. if you have a no fuel problem as well then we'll address that also but will need to know if its mechanical pump on the block (most likely) or an electric. yes there are tests for the capaciter but from the sounds of things you probably dont have the tools or knowledge and they're usually quite cheap or free at the boneyard. you must have all three elements i mentioned above to have a runner so if there's no spark work on that first