Poor life choices - C4 content

Just grin, knowing that the distributor in my Firefly is under the dash. The throttle body is under the cowl :)

this thread scares the E36M3 out of me...

stroker wrote: this thread scares the E36M3 out of me...

Except for the fire (because I really hate being on fire) this thread has seriously made me consider a C4.

Pete Gossett wrote: Maybe there's an intermittent problem with my garage-sale HEI distributor...can they even have intermittent problems? It sure looked new when I bought it though.

The ignition modules in them are failure prone, and do have heat related failure issues.

It suddenly occurs to me while typing that the module could be overheating in that timeframe if it wasn't installed with a sufficient amount of dielectric grease under it.

"Overheating" may not be accurate, but I know failure to use dielectric grease causes problems when hot, or complete failure.

Also, once they begin to fail they usually degrade to dead pretty quick.

Once while working on a 76 cutlass I discovered that the hair sized wire on the pickup had broken inside the insulation. When vacuum moved the plate the engine would die. We thought it was just flooding but after a carb rebuild we had to look elsewhere.

mazdeuce wrote:

stroker wrote: this thread scares the E36M3 out of me...

Except for the fire (because I really hate being on fire) this thread has seriously made me consider a C4.

It makes me realize how little I know about cars...

I am not standing there but it has been suggested that you replace the Module. there needs to be some legnth in the wires for movement of the plate it sits on. But you did do a nice looking repair job. there is a thin smear of Dilectric grease under the module right. be sure there is on the new one and for now just set the rear throttle plates so far closed you can only see a sliver of light when holding it up to the sun.on the fronts a paper clip wire should ALMOST fit some where between fitting and not fitting.but you sound like it is about right, Man you got to get another set of hands and eyes over to the house.

I picked up one of those $5 inline spark testers from Harbor Freight a while back, but haven't used it yet. I think I'll hook it up to #1 and see whether it's getting spark or not, and if it starts I'll monitor to see if spark continues.

I'll probably pull the cap, rotor & module after that regardless. I didn't pull the module before installing the distributor, so I have no idea if they used dielectric grease or not. I'll probably replace the module too while I'm in there.

Now dammit, you don't use dielectric grease under ignition modules. You use heatsink paste. There is a difference.

Try this

God dammit. I just paid that much for 8 rubber 0-rings for the Mercedes. I clearly need a Corvette or two.

You can connect the timing light pick up to the coil wire, it should then flash at every spark. Or not at all. It does sound like a lack of spark, and there might be many good options to just replace the entire distributor, and replace the coil as well. I have had coils that sort of worked, and one that quit when it was needed. The MSD red coil is a good one, but should be mounted vertically, since it has oil in it for cooling. They also have a high vibration coil that can be mounted in any position.

Pete, I would weigh the cost of that module against that NEW Dist. That is a heckuva good price.If you Buy a module they should have some of the paste with it,whatever it is.I just thought it was all the same with what it does and I have this really big jar of it.I know it isn't Vasiline and I know it isn't K-Y,But it does act like an Insulator. Keep it in the Shop Not your Bedroom

In reply to Cousin_Eddie:

That makes more sense, and I think I have a tube of it around...somewhere.

In reply to QuasiMofo:

That's about the same price I'm seeing for coils, or modules.

In reply to mazdeuce:

There's one in El Paso I can hook you up with...

In reply to TED_fiestaHP:

The coil is built into the cap on an HEI distributor, so there's no separate coil wire, unfortunately.

In reply to GTXVette:

So is a cheap HEI distributor(which is what I'm guessing mine is) worth the money, or is it better to buy a name-brand one?

Ive had cheap hei distributor go both ways. Some fantastic, some junk.

Did you disable the anti theft system in the car? Seems like it could be cutting power after a short run.

Cousin_Eddie wrote: Now dammit, you don't use dielectric grease under ignition modules. You use heatsink paste. There is a difference.

I stand corrected.

One test you can do without a remote start button. Make a note of the rotor position. Remove the distributor, connect a power wire and a ground wire. Then connect the timing light. Spin the gear at the bottom of the distributor, it should make sparks at all the plugs, and the timing light should flash. Once that is working. Reinstall with the same rotor position, if the crank hasn't moved then the timing won't be lost. Those modules do get hot, and need to transfer the heat. They can be mounted away from the engine on a heat sink, that might be the only smart thing they did on my Maserati Bi-turbo. Leaving the ignition on without the engine running can over heat some ignition systems, so that should be avoided.

In reply to Pete Gossett:

There is a 99% chance that there would be two challenge C4's if I could get a $1k C4. If the car has a title the percentages rise.

GTXVette wrote: I know it isn't Vasiline and I know it isn't K-Y,But it does act like an Insulator.

It is not an insulator. Heatsink paste/grease helps transfer the heat away from what's producing heat to what helps dissipate the heat.

Dusterbd13 wrote: Ive had cheap hei distributor go both ways. Some fantastic, some junk. Did you disable the anti theft system in the car? Seems like it could be cutting power after a short run.

I've not disabled it, and one time it did prevent the car from cranking. I suppose it could be flakey enough to allow cranking, but not spark, and I really should disable it anyway.

TED_fiestaHP wrote: Leaving the ignition on without the engine running can over heat some ignition systems, so that should be avoided.

Uh oh...that's exactly what I did while setting the carb float height.

In reply to mazdeuce:

It does. I'll PM you...

Id run a lead directly from tbe hot pin of the distributor to the battery. Isolate distributor from chassis electral entirely. Then we know which way to hunt.

Pete Gossett wrote: In reply to mazdeuce: It does. I'll PM you...

My wife's response: "solid buy, what could go wrong?" I love that woman so much.

In reply to mazdeuce:

I love your wife too. Go do it!!!!!!

Stampie wrote:

GTXVette wrote: I know it isn't Vasiline and I know it isn't K-Y,But it does act like an Insulator.

It is not an insulator. Heatsink paste/grease helps transfer the heat away from what's producing heat to what helps dissipate the heat.

I Also stand Corrected.