[B1rd]

So i tried to start the 455 69 bird again today. I had just solved my starter issues (pink wire on s terminal, red on big term with battery cable) and got the engine to crank. Now the next problem is that i am getting no spark. I have an M & H engine harness for a 69 v8 bird which is modified for hei and an internal regulated alternator. Used to be an external regulated straight 6 car but switched to a 1984 12si alternator. I have the pink wire hooked up to batt terminal of the new HEI. Top of the distributor got warm when cranking, but no spark. I dont think the wire is providing full 12 like it should be. Is it bad to hook up the distributor straight to the NEW Optima red top battery now in the trunk (to make sure it is getting full 12 volts...read this in another post)? Well I did for a second...but heard crackling and saw smoke from the distributor and quickly removed the wire. Also, is the spare black and other black/ yellow striped wire near the pink distributor wire of the M & H harness for anything? I thought they were for accessories. By the way, the wind shield wipers and windshield spray now dont work. They did when i had the straight 6 in months ago. Lights do work though. I also have a msd 6 al that is ready to be hooked up quick if it might fix the problem. Thought it would be better to start without it...not to add more complexity until I've got this current problem resolved. Sorry for the long post. Any ideas why I'm not getting any spark?

["QUICK-SILVER"]

Full battery power is all thats required for HEI to work.
If your not getting spark, something is wrong with the distributor or coil in cap.

Cap getting hot, crackling and smoke? Definitely time to repair or replace.

[B1rd]

So then it's ok to hook the battery straight to the hei for testing purposes?
Any idea what the spare black and black/pink striped wires are for or why my wipers dont work? Is it a good idea to hook up the 6 al box?

[jjscerbo]

Get out the volt meter and see what is available to the HEI feed wire...That is the place to start(No Pun)..If full 12V is available while cranking, Then the problem is in the HEI...

Here is a quick test...take your 12 volt testlight and connect the lead to 12v, then remove the cap while still connected..Take the probe of the testlight and and touch one of the pickupcoil terminals at the module while still connected and ignition on..What you are simulating is the triggering of the module like the pick up coil would normally do...You should here the snaping sound of the coil firing if the module is working...No noise? possable module..

Something else..you said the coil was getting hot while cranking...Not normal..something is keeping the coil energized and overheating it..Definately sounds like a triggering problem with either the pick up coil or module..

Good luck!!

["QUICK-SILVER"]

Originally Posted by B1rd

So then it's ok to hook the battery straight to the hei for testing purposes?
Any idea what the spare black and black/pink striped wires are for or why my wipers dont work? Is it a good idea to hook up the 6 al box?

One thing at a time,
Battery to HEI is fine for testing.
Cannot recomend hooking up 6-AL untill HEI is straightened out.

[B1rd]

still no spark!
Question, if the starter needs a shim (or two) would it totally prevent spark?
The starter goes but it seems sluggish…it is not normal yet. Would the fact that it is not spinning up fully cause lack of spark?
Well, I didn’t have any shims around so I continued checking the ignition system.

I found this diagram and used it to diagnose things.
http://jeepgarage.free.fr/OWN/igniti...tem%204.0l.pdf
page 11 i also attached it…highlighting the step I am at.
So, I started by checking the heavy pink wire to the distributor with my voltmeter. I got 11.6-12 volts. Then checked it while cranking…got around 9.5.
Then I tested the Tach terminal on distributor and read 7.2 volts, so i replaced the module. I then read less than 1 volt and replaced the ignition coil.
After that i was reading 11.7 volts but still wasnt getting spark. So i figured the pickup coil was fried (maybe from last night when the distributor was
smoking and crackling, I had found the capicitor was not connected to the module). So then I decided to just put in an old HEI distributor that I had which should be in working order. I did the tach terminal testing on it got 11.7 volts, internals seem fine but still no spark...

Now, see step four and five on website diagram…or start at the blue box on the attachment. This is where I’m currently at.
I skipped step four for now because I didn’t understand it and went to five, which I stopped at because I didn’t want to screw something up again. I don’t know which of the two pins on the module is the "P"…the bigger one, or the smaller one?
I think this step is the quick test you are talking about jjscerbo, which means i can touch either pin terminal with a lead.
This test and shims will be the first thing i do tomorrow

And that is where I’ve stopped for the night. Any thoughts or comments. I appreciate all the help thus far. Thanks.

["QUICK-SILVER"]

Starter being tight can cause it to spin slow. Starter drive normally doesn't want to disengage if starter needs shims. Probably need to see if starter is getting plenty of amps with the trunk mount battery.
HEI will fire at any speed.
I build my distributors out of the engine. Get it throwing lightining bolts before you put it in. Booster cables and a couple of jumper wires can really save a back.

[jku72]

Good thread, I like the chart, as I've got some troubleshooting to do myself. I have a no power to HEI while cranking, but I do when not cranking. I think my ignition switch is bad.

[mzbk2l]

If you're cranking slow and your voltage is dropping that far while cranking, you may not have enough capacity in your battery cables with the battery all the way back in the trunk, but that should not prevent your distributor from making voltage.

Have you verified that you really have no spark, or is the engine just not starting? (Have you put a spark plug in one of the wires and laid it against a good ground and had someone watch it for spark while you're cranking?)

[B1rd]

Yea im glad I found that chart too, it helped a good amount
i put shims in the starter and even with the proper spacing it still cranks real slow
It might be causing an unnecessary drain on the battery during cranking
so I have a new ministarter on order.
I am almost about to go back to the old 6 cyl harness (which looks like it will reach everything on the v8) and a points system I have , to get this thing running.
mzbk2l I did exactly that, didnt get anything, tried it with several different plugs
I think this 2nd hei is bad too

[B1rd]

I put the old 6 cyl harness, alternator, and coil in with a v8 points distributor and am now getting spark. It seems weak though. I also put in a summit protorque starter and put the battery in the front for now.

So now my problem is I can't get the engine to turn over. I put gas in the carb. Turn the key and it stutters. It sounds like it's trying to though. Also got a backfire through the carb
Any suggestions on what I should do now?

["QUICK-SILVER"]

Pull plugs and try turning the engine with the balancer bolt, see how tight it is.
If it feels too tight, smell the oil, rings may have gotten washed down with gas while trying to crank. If so, pull coil wire, squirt some oil on top of pistons and try starter with plugs out. If it spins good, change oil and start over trying to crank.

Make sure battery ground cable to block is good enough and making good connection. Same with positive cable to starter, good connections and not touching anything it's not suppose to.

If cables are big enough and connections are good but still no crank, take battery and have it tested.

If all checks good and still no crank, pull starter and bench test or have it checked.

Double check distributor timing, #1 a few * BTDC compression and plug wires are CCW in cap.