Left me stranded just a half mile from my house tonight.  I was driving under power and suddenly she just quit on me.  Tried to get it started again while coasting, no go.  Fortunately had enough momentum to get her into a grocery store parking lot.  Pretty sure it is a no spark situation.  I can see fuel squirting into the primaries and the cranking is very smooth and consistent, not catching at all.  This happened once years ago and I got it towed to my house.  It was the HEI module that time.  Since the symptoms were so similar tonight I took a chance and bought a cheap module from the parts store down the street (even had to borrow a 1/4" socket from them to get the rotor off) and replaced it i the parking lot, under the light of the sodium lamps.  Still no go.  I decided the parking lot repair was not going to happen, so I got it towed home.  All I've done so far is put a voltmeter on the primary wire to the dist and noted that it was 11.4 volts.  Is that low?  I'm assuming even if it is low, it should still be enough to fire the coil?  Other than that, I'm thinking the next two things to look at are the coil and the pickup mechanism.  The coil is only about a year old, but the pickup is original to this dist.  

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Pull a plug wire and check for spark before going any further.
The "Batt" wire on the dist cap connector should have battery voltage anytime the key is on, AND while cranking. Be sure to check voltage while cranking. You might have it there with the key on, but might loose it while cranking. Also, check it several time while turning the key on/off, and see that it gives the same reading each time.
Coils normally don't fail instantly like that, but it could happen.
The pole piece(pickup) can certainly fail like that, with no/little warning. Check the wires going to it form the module...if they look weird, or you can see bare wires, that's your problem.
Can't recommend any particular aftermarket dist., BUT...if you find the pole piece is bad, replacing it, and the coil, along with the new module you already replaced, would give you basically a new dist anyway. The mechanical part of the dist is just hardware....unless it's broken physically, there's really not much to fail on that.
Sorry about the breakdown, but glad you were close to home, and not 1000 miles away!


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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
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"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Thanks, Joel.  After having the batt on trickle charge all night I'm up to 11.6 with key on Run and it goes down to about 9.5 while it's cranking.  I pulled #1 plug wire at the plug and leaned the boot against the stearing gear box so I could see a spark while my wife cranked - nothing.  (embarrassed to ask, but what is the correct, safe way to check?  I've been shocked a few times doing it wrong).  So pretty sure it's a no-spark issue.  And I think it has to be the coil or the pickup or something else electrical in the dist.  I'm going to get the coil tested at the parts store and if it comes up good, I'm just going to get a new dist.  

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Sorry to hear of your troubles Dave. I can attest that getting towed home is not a happy experience. I bought a DUI this summer but have not used it yet. They are very well made and a great company to deal with. I think it will fit under the shielding. Look forward to learning from your misfortune if you don't mind.

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Hey Dave  I have a distributor you can use to test, if you what to illuminate that as the problem.

|UPDATED|10/23/2013 8:03:52 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

Thanks guys!  Greg, I'll definitely keep you posted.  Lesson #1 I've already posted: don't buy the knock-off Chinese HEI's.  Even if this one is not the problem, it's still not a very well made part.  I've always had concerns about things like the connectors on this unit - just not quality stuff.  Sounds like you've made it past that lesson by buying the DUI - it does seem like a very good unit based on stuff I've read.  And I think you're right that it will fit under the shielding, their FAQs say it has the same dims as stock.  How come you haven't installed yet?  

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I always use a #2phillips scredriver with insulated handle.  I insert into the plug boot and then hold the handle of screwdriver to get the metal a 1'4" or less from a good ground

|UPDATED|10/24/2013 6:17:51 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|


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http://www.vetteprojects.com/bmv

A battery that has been charged all night should have at LEAST 12.5 volts. Voltage under around 10v while cranking leans to the battery not being good. Doubt it is a ground problem, but you can check anyway. Also doubt the low voltage is causing it to die, and not run now, but the battery does need to be tested/replaced.
On the other hand...low voltage and electronics is a bad combo. If you can get another car up to it, and some jumper cables, you might give that a quick shot to see if the low voltage is keeping it from starting...


|UPDATED|10/24/2013 9:16:06 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|


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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

I used this company for my distributor on my 74. Seems to be a very well built unit and lifetime guarantees, and the best part very reasonable priced.

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DanT

Just thinking. If your Alt is not charging the battery properly, and the battery is now bad. if you where driving with running lights or lights the voltage would drop to a point the car will die. the battery can have a bad cell. once again at idle the alt may not be producing the voltage needed to keep it running. when you try to start it is it cranking slow?

Dave, I haven't installed the DUI because I haven't had an engine in it since August. I'm dropping a 383 in it next week and will be installing the DUI then. Good luck with your problem.

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I don't think there is a problem with the battery, but I didn't do enough checking last night and didn't give out enough info.  Battery is new (this spring) from Costco.  It has always cranked fast and always charged properly.  Last night I did not check voltage at the battery only at the distributor hot lead.   Tonight, battery is showing 12.76 at the terminals and now showing about 11.7 at the distributor with key at Run.  Still drops down to 9.5 (at dist) while cranking.  If batt was bad, I think cranking would have slowed down on Tuesday night quite a bit, considering the amount I did.  (Checking for fuel problems, messing around with distributor and then trying again multiple times, etc.)  It never slowed down.  Reason I was asking about a bad ground is it seems like losing a volt between the battery and the dist seems like a lot.  But I did check the engine ground tonight and it is all intact and the connections on both ends are tight.  Does it seem like I'm losing too much between batt and dist?  



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Dan, thanks for sharing this link.  Seems like a pretty good unit and cool that it's made in North America.  Good price, too.  If the DUI unit that my friend had at one time doesn't work out I will definitely consider this one.  One question: Do you have to use the cap that it comes with or will a standard HEI cap fit?  

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That looks like a standard base HEI, with an Accell coil/cover. The stock GM HEI cap & rotor should bolt right on, if needed. 

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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Yes, as Joel said it is a stock style cap that you can use a stock style coil and cover with.


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DanT

Wow, am I embarrassed.    It's fuel, not spark.  I checked again using Ben's method (thanks, Ben) and could see regular sparking on #4 while my son cranked.  And then I put a little fuel down the throat and it started and run rough for a minute or two.   I'm gonna be mad if I got it towed and it was just out of fuel.  But I don't think so - only gone 155 miles on this tank, I've gone considerably more than that on a tank lately.  Hmm,  maybe trip meter died on me and I didn't notice.....  But probably more likely the fuel pump??  My 9 year old daughter was riding with me at the time and she swears that the bump we heard (sounded like we drove over a loose man hole cover) is the source of the problem - we did hear it right before it died.  Could it have been the fuel pump grenading on me?  Do they ever have catastrophic failures that make a noise?  I ruled out fuel at first for two reasons: 1) it died very suddenly and wouldn't run at all after that and 2) I could see and smell fuel squirting from the primaries when I was doing the parking lot diagnosis.  Maybe it just wasn't getting enough to run?  

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I'm glad you found the reason for the problem Dave, Now to just find the culprit. :)

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you can take the line off the carb add a piece of hose if necessary. run it into a container (coffee can) have someone crank the engine to see if fuel is being pump by the fuel pump.

|UPDATED|10/27/2013 7:50:09 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

Had that happen to me once...it was the filter plugged inside the carb inlet.



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DanT

Yep, really embarrassed.  Poured five gallons in the tank and the  thing started right up.  Can't believe I didn't try that in the parking lot.  But I know I saw fuel going into the primaries, just must not have been enough.  $108 down the tubes.  Oh well, never will make that mistake again.

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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"