Several times , months apart, when the car has set several weeks, the car fails to start. Engine turns over fine. I have 12 volts to the distributor with key on. Put spark tester on plug wire and no spark when cranking engine.  Each time this happened I have done the same procedure. Disconnect Tach and battery wire and wire connector from distributor. Pull coil out and clean contact and rotor bushing. I stretch the spring a little on the rotor bushing to ensure good contact. The rubber bushing sits on top of the rotor bushing so it is installed properly. Ensure the grounding strap is secured. Put it all back together and it has fired up on first crank each time. I know there is two different rotor bushings that comes with a tune up kit but I don't remember which one I used. Distributor cap and components was put in last fall. It's an Accel kit. I'm leaning towards the rotor bushing spring is the problem. Any suggestion on a high quality cap and coil components that's worked for you or what else may be the problem?

Go to yer local dealer, or parts house, and get an AC/Delco cap, and a new rotor. No reason to buy Accell crap.

^^+1

|UPDATED|6/3/2014 4:39:18 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

Thanks for replies. Changed over cap and rotor to Delco/Remy, checked distributor (1 year old) for play, and module has good coat of di-electric. Will let you know if problem persist. Thanks again...

You need a new coil pick up in the distributor,that's the one that has the wires going to the modual and "sees" that distributor pulse to fire the engine the wires are bad that connect them together

Can the coil pick-up be intermittent like I'm experiencing?

I agree with Per4mance I would be willing to bet the pick up coil in the distributor has a broken wire I have seen it several time it can be vary frustrating. You replace stuff and it will fixes for a while then all of the sudden no start. Check the plug and the wires going into it 






|UPDATED|6/5/2014 2:57:59 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

If the PU coil does prove to be the culprit and I have to pull the distributor I think this would be a good time to just replace the Accel distributor. Steer me to a good reliable brand that has worked for club members. Thanks

AC Delco…..I had this same distributor in my old crate motor since 2000. It's still out there running that same engine just in another car now. It never gave me a problem. the only thing I did was put a looser set of advance springs in it.