Help Dist Wizards, My 87 died yesterday-no spark at all .We 've replaced the coil,the ign.module, the cap ,grounded the coil directly to neg. battery terminal-no spark at coil or the 1 cyl. We 've come to the conclusion only two things left -the pickup coil or the computer ,the question is how to determine if p/u coil is bad ?? anybody know what the ohnms reading should be -or it dosen't matter as long as its not open ?? If p/u is bad how difficult to chage it-does it need to be pressed off & new one back on ?? if its not p/u coil how to determine if computer is faulty. And if all else fails is it possible to remove this dist & install older HEI setup --the stock one has the external coil I had to leave the elky 120 miles away so I'd like to be equipped to repair & get in & dive home , any help would really be appreciated, --what do you think of going up with a used dist same as whats there now ?? good idea or bad thanks Paul

600 - 1500 ohms. Dizzy has to be removed - drive out roll pin and remove gear - pull shaft out. A small circle retainer holds the pu coil to the housing. If you have access to another dist I would take it , drop it in and deal with yours when you get home.

464 thanks for the info , to replace the coil is it a easy deal --does everything have to be aligned or is it just as you say remove pin ,remove gear & pull shaft out is there any exact alignment of these parts ? or is pretty simple once the dist is out-- if pickup is ok & computer is maybe bad any test for that ? If all else fails can a older hei be inserted or will there be troubles with clearance to firewall ?
464-thanks again Paul

Alsocheck for 12v at your distributor just to be sure you don,t have an ignition switch going bad.Pickup coil is most likely the problem though. Also if you ran an aftermarket tach, be sure the line from distributor can be shorting out.

If the pick-up coil reads the resistance that 464Elky described, it's likely OK. I suppose you could hot-wire 12 volts from the battery to the coil, to see if spark is available from the distributor.....

Update, there is no tach used, there is voltage to the coil (test light-no voltmeter on hand ),wiring harness from coil to dist is ok. A friend will be testing ohm reading of coil today-hope its bad --a least we'd know what the problem is. Its a real bummer to break down on the road let alone have it happen 100 miles from home-tools & such not available . Makes me wonder if modern tech stuff is really better- old days you got gas,compression & no spark odds were peel the cap see if ya had voltage at the points file them ya get spark put the cap on & away ya went --------------ya I know quit your whinning !!!:dontknow: I''ll let ya know how the saga turns out. Paul

Sounds very much like the problem i had about 3 weeks ago. With all you checked the quickest way to get back on the road is switch out the complete Disturber New or used to get you home. I Bought the New Summit Complete Distruber for around $100.00 that is less than buying all the Parts together. Also Double check the Plug connectors on the Coil Cap Have to zip tie mine up to keep them on. Replacements are a bear to find.Good Luck Bud

The saga continues, just heard from mr buddy in Wisc. pick/up coil tests 865 ohms --deft. not open-- I'm having him check for possible short to ground-- I'll know more later hopfully. I'm thinking in the direction of the ECM or perhaps a broken wire to it, Would anybody have any other things to check on-- like I said this is 100 miles away , Would the car run without the ECM ? I'm running out of ideas HELP MR. WIZZARD !!!! (PS Mr Bud thanks for the thought but dosen't look like the dissy)):dontknow::secret::dontknow::let_it_all_out :

I just remembered something about the HEI on a Caddy I had. The spark was intermittent. It would quit running, and a few minutes later I could get it running again. Turned out to be a break in one of the wires inside it's insulation, in the harness on the distributor. Tugging on all the wires may turn up a problem in that harness, if the conductor is broke inside the insulation....

Another thing I've seen done, is mixing the red & yellow wires from the coil, where they plug down into the edge of the cap.

Thanks for the input Steelybill , that thought did ocurr to me, I've checked the harness from coil to dist & p/u coil to module in dist. they're ok . My buddy says no short to ground ckd with ohmmeter---the saga continues !!!. Down to ECM,harnass to ECM or ??. Is it possible something could 've gotten between p/u coil & shaft in the dist ?? I'm thinking not but ?? intermittent break finely went open ??
Got a fella gonna look at it after work today we'll see what he comes up with -- at least hes got some tools to check the electronic componets so we'll see . This checking out car by remote control REALLY SUCKS BIG TIME !!! (sorry frustation just setting in I guess) :twisted: :let_it_all_out: :twisted:

If I remember correctly You can unplug the 4 wire ecm connector and isolate the distributor. This is done to set timing anyway. The dist should work as a stand alone.

Thanks for the reply 464elky, I was wondering if it should run w/o ecm connected ,kinda shoots my last line of thought---guess we'll have to see what my guy come up with tonight this is turning into a real puzzle for me !!--& it'll turn out its something simple or the new ign module is bad .
Anyway thanks for the input. :dontknow: :secret: :dontknow:

AAAAHHH the final chapter on this no spark thing.
Sp I go up to Wis. but this time I'm prepared--got a complete dist. & coil from a running car & after checking with so knowledgeable people find out this year has a electronic spark timing module --so I'm got a used one & a new one & a new ign. module & if all else fails a HEI out of a running car.Get there double check ground & 12 volts at coil decide I've threw screwing around , crank engine over to get timing marks lined up & dist. rotor at # 1 cylinder, pull dist. & replace, hook up harnass to module & from coil , place a spark tester clipped to stud on carb & crank it up-- NO SPARK DAM !!
must be the spark timing mod. --change it out NO SPARK--change it out by intalling the new one I've brought alone NO SPARK DAM !!! . Time to chill out (beer time), ok whats left --I take the used coil I've brought along ,run a jumper to case & ground ,plug in the wiring harnasses hit the key --SPARK FINALLY !! NEW COIL IS A PEICE OF JUNK !!!, Finish changing out coil set the timing by ear & I'm done !!! I also checked to see if the ign. spark module can be unhooked & engine will run its true the four wire plug contols timing advance but engine wiil run with it unplugged. So lessons learned---
you don't need 4 wire harnass connected for engine to run.
you do need p/u coil-ign.mod. & of course a GOOD COIL !!!
just because its new don't mean its any good !!!
I did check the coil just because after it was changed out with a ohm meter & it doses check out ok ---BUT will not fire when installed !!!
If in doubt check by using a known functioning unit !!!
So much for coils never go bad ! :twisted:
A big thanks for those who offered insight & or advice thanks again Paul :nanawrench: :nanawrench: :nanawrench: