Cascade Crew

DBL_TKE · Posted: Mon Sep 02, 2013 3:38 pm Post subject: No start, no fuel

Guess what. My Camaro devoloped a no start condition again. The other day I cold started my car and let it idle for a couple minutes then it suddenly just died as if I turned off the key. I was busy that night so I didn't check anything out. The next day I went to try and start it and after cranking for 5-6 seconds then it started to spit and sputter and finally fired up. It idled an revved just fine. Stupid me I didn't actually drive it as I didn't have anywhere to go. The. Come Sunday I went to start it and after idling for a couple minutes it just shut off and wouldn't start back up. Only cranked. Checked fuel pressure and I have have 0psi at the rail. I checked voltage at th fuel pump relay connector and there was 12v. Checked voltage at the body connector by the rear end and there is 0v with key on or cranking. To my knowledge there's nothing between the two is there? I'm kind of stumped here.

aaron_sK · Posted: Mon Sep 02, 2013 5:04 pm Post subject:

Have you confirmed the relay is functioning?

The stock fuel pump harness is undersized, so an upgrade isn't the end of the world.

DBL_TKE · Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 6:33 pm Post subject:

Well ladies and gentlemen, this is why you should always make sure that your diagnostic equipment is actually functioning correctly. I have a MAC fuel pressure tester kit and I was using the 90* adapter for the fuel rail since it fits on easier. Just for the hell of it before I dropped the tank I wanted to check the fuel pressure with the straight hose connection to double check, since I noticed that the gauge went from 0 to a few PSI after several minutes. Once I hooked up the straight hose connector I turn the ignition on and the gauge jumps right up to 45 or so PSI. Apparently there must be something wrong with the 90* fitting. I never did check for spark yet since I had determined that there was no fuel pressure anyway. Well guess what, no spark. Turns out that the pick up coil went out...AGAIN. so I ripped that distributor out and warrantied it for a new one. But this is my 3rd one now. I would advise to stay away from Richporter distributors.

chevymad · Posted: Tue Sep 03, 2013 6:36 pm Post subject:

I love finding out theres something wrong with my equipment.. Especially after actually allready calling the customer. Makes you look like an idiot. At least this was on your own rig and you figured it out before doing all the work.

DBL_TKE · Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 9:33 am Post subject:

I'm thankful that I double checked it. I would have been in a pretty bad mood if I put a new fuel pump in and still had a no start condition. With that said, what usually causes a pick up coil to go bad? I mean besides the obvious fact that I'm using an aftermarket brand, is there a common culprit that could be the root cause?

Twilightoptics · Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 4:27 pm Post subject:

Small cap dizzies don't dissipate the moisture like the larger ones and cause more internal arcing. Throw a sexy ignition coil in the mix and it's worse. They're crap. Doesn't really matter what brand you buy. Most remans though, if they component works, they leave it in. Be it pickup coil or ign module.

chevymad · Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 5:33 pm Post subject:

Anything that could make the pickup coil go bad is in the distributor. The pickup only hooks to the module. It's basically a low voltage AC generator. The module is an amplifier that amplifies that signal and sends it out to the ecm and coil.

So most likely the pickup coil was crap to begin with. Other posibility would be the module somehow frying it. But I don't think that likely.

DBL_TKE · Posted: Thu Sep 05, 2013 9:48 am Post subject:

Well the reason I went with Richporter in the first place was because it was a brand new billet distributor with a new ICM, rather than remanufactured. And I've already noticed a random miss here and there while cruising on the freeway. Looks like I'll be looking for either an MSD, Mallory, or AC Delco one pretty soon.

fiveoformula · Posted: Thu Sep 05, 2013 12:44 pm Post subject:

Why not just get change the module? the mechanical part of the distributor hasn't failed. You just keep having trouble with the aftermarket electronics right?

DBL_TKE · Posted: Thu Sep 05, 2013 2:46 pm Post subject:

Because the ignition control module isn't what keeps failing. Its the pick up coil. I don't exactly feel like spending the time rebuilding a distributor when I can just purchase one new.

fiveoformula · Posted: Thu Sep 05, 2013 4:16 pm Post subject:

How do you know the pickup coil is failing? If you keep replacing the whole dizzy, and it keeps having problems, I think its time to try something else.

chevymad · Posted: Thu Sep 05, 2013 4:46 pm Post subject:

One comment about rebuilding an original distributor. The distributor shaft in the small cap HEI's is a common fail item. The trigger wheel is a laminated piece that cracks. A crack becomes another trigger point for the pickup coil causing a misfire. They also have issues with magnetism.

You can buy a new distributor shaft with the better trigger wheel, but its usually $15 more then a complete rebuilt distributor.

aaron_sK · Posted: Thu Sep 05, 2013 8:22 pm Post subject:

This is not worth screwing around with.

A rebuilt factory unit is $70, just buy it and go.

No Chinese "billet" BS, just a distributor in the car that works.

I have seen the wheels crack as B said, and seen the modules burn up. On a Chevy it's not worth replacing individual distributor components because the price of total replacement is so low.

Alphius · Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2013 7:25 am Post subject:

My blue truck: Got a $40 eBay "BrAnD NeW HEI LQQK" about 8 years ago. Been perfectly fine since except for a bad vacuum advance can about 7 years in.

An SBC distributor is not rocket science. Don't spend a ton of money on one. A Cardone reman is $70 from RockAuto, or a brand new Delphi is $156.

fiveoformula · Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2013 9:26 am Post subject:

Shortly after I bought my car, I had a module go out, then another. I was on my third aftermarket Knechts module when I was at picknpull one day and grabbed a spare that was a GM OEM module, well when the knechts module went out the third time, I put that GM one in and its still in my car to this day... Its been in there for years now.

Twilightoptics · Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2013 10:10 am Post subject:

Mechanical large cap hei doesn't have near the problems the small cap cc dizzy does.

fiveoformula · Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2013 10:48 am Post subject:

91RSVert · Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2013 6:14 pm Post subject:

DBL_TKE · Posted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 10:12 am Post subject:

DBL_TKE · Posted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 10:14 am Post subject:

Last time I priced out an OEM distributor when I was working for Chevy I remember it being so expensive ($3-400) that I decided to go aftermarket. Where are you guys finding good cheap distributors?