Ignitor Schematic

[Vicm]

Grant: Got mine hooked up as per your instructions, but, she still will not crank. Starter spins her fine but she will not crank. Coil is good, as I checked it with VICM procedure. I am doing something else wrong or there is some other problem. Getting fuel to carb, but she will not even attempt to crank. What am I doing wrong or do you have any other thing that I could check. Thanks.

Frank, I got your message,
I see that you have recieved the Ingiter/coil I sent you.
It is absolutely good. Put it on when you have a chance and it should fire, you can post pics and results, the guys here may spot something that will help understand your problem. There maybe a simple thing going on there that you are over looking.
Very best.

 

[grant5127]

The GM module trick will work on anything breaker-less that uses signal rotor ~ pickup coil........I've even install it on motorcycles and a few boats.........

gibgoaz8; sound like you may have trouble elsewhere, check the dizzy signal output with a ohm meter........

 

[FJ40Jim]

When the engine turns, it CRANKS.
If the engine cranks, and there is fuel and a spark, it FIRES.
When the engine fires repeatedly, the engine RUNS.

That needs framed and hung on the wall.

Earlier I asked if there was an aftermarket heat sink mount for the common HEI module. Apparently there is not. But it occurred to me, there is a nice hunk of finned aluminum encasing the ignitor circuit board. The HEI module might fit inside there. If not enough room, then screw it down on top. The ignitor case is grounded, so that is also covered.

 

[gibgoaz8]

Pin-Head: I have a spark from the coil only if I use VICM schematic of testing the coil. I have no spark anywhere else in system; including no spark from a ground wire held about 1/4 inch away from hi input on coil. No spark to distributor cap. No spark on plugs. VICM sent me another ignitor to try and I am going to put it on Wed. Plug going to ignitor has 12v on both sides of plug with ignition on.

Engine will crank very well, but will not fire, and therefore certainly it will not run. Any advice other than replacing the ignitor to get fire out of the coil and on through the ignition system will be appreciated.

 

[Pin_Head]

Electronic ingitions aren't that complicated. You know the coil works and you have replaced the ignitor with no joy. That leaves the pickup coil in the distributor, like Grant said. I think it ought to have a resistance of somewhere around 140 ohms. If it is shorted (zero ohms) or open (infinite ohms) then it is no good.

 

[gibgoaz8]

Well fellows, don't know what else to do. Replaced Ignitor and coil, checked ohm reading across pick up coil and got 168 ohms. Still nothing. Motor cranks fine, but no fire. Even bought a gm ignition module from autozone for $14 and tried the conversion, still no fire. I know it is something probably very simple that I am overlooking but I am just too d**n dumb to figure it out.

Have pulled cruiser to the side of my yard. Plan to plant flowers around it and keep it as a reminder of just how bad things can be at times. So, in the future when things get bad, I can look outside and see the d**n cruiser as a reminder to myself that my present situation is not as bad as it could be. Have owned several cruisers in my life but they were all pre electronic ignition. Just your ole points and condenser. No problem. But all of the electronic equipment sux in my opinion. Please, for all of those that have tried to help me, I am truly thankful and please don't take offense to this email, just really pissed right now that I can't figure this thing out. Just too d**n dumb to pick up on all of the electronic ignition stuff. Thanks gentlemen for all of your help to a rookie that is evidently not ready to move on yet. Thought I was a pretty good mechanic and this is the first vehicle that has ever really stumped me, but this cruiser has whooped my ass. I have probably worked a full two weeks on this b*****d. As much as I have liked the cruisers in the past, will stick to my ole Chevy Silverado; 300,000 miles and still going strong. Have bounced off every pine tree in middle Georgia with it, so a few more beats and bangs won't matter. So, again thank you gentlemen for all of your help. It was greatly appreciated. And, again, I thank you for taking up your time to be gracious and helpful to a rookie that right now feels like he does not know his ass from a hole in the ground.

 

[Spike Strip]

Ah, come on - it hasn't beat you -- Just let it sit for a week and maybe some of the minds on here can have another go at it. When you're less frustrated (no hammers in the meantime), get back to it...

 

[grant5127]

checked ohm reading across pick up coil and got 168 ohms. Still nothing.

Ok, so you have a reading of 168........

Check the air gap between the signal rotor and coil, should be .008 or a little over........

Inspect the pick up coil area for rust or metal particles that may be stuck to the magnetic pad on the coil causing interference, touch it with a screwdriver to verify that there is a magnetic feel present....

Next, with your ohm meter connected crank the engine over; the meter should jump from 168 or so back to zero every time the spinning signal rotor passes by the pick coil, if not and all of the above checks out the pick up coil has gone bad......

 

[Vicm]

Did you by any chance forget in install the ground strap from the frame to the starter??
That is about all I can think of ..

 

[gibgoaz8]

Grant: About the gap between the signal rotor and the coil, someone on this post told me to use a dime for the gap setting. There is a lot of difference between the thickness of a dime and .008. Let me make sure where we are talking about: Are you talking about the distance between the end of the fins on the rotating shaft in the middle of the distributor and the metal tab that sticks out on the coil? Or, are you referring to some other distance. Kind of confused as to what setting to use. Thanks for your help

 

[Coolerman]

Here...

 

[gibgoaz8]

Coolerman: Thanks very much for the picture. It helps tremendously. Could you possibly tell me at what feller gauge gap to set it at? Thanks.

 

[donny paradise]

Why not gauge yours and post up the reading. You think by looking at coolermans pic you could fit a dime in the designated area?

 

[gibgoaz8]

Donny Paradise: No, I don't think that you could fit a dime in the area circled in the picture. One gentleman, Grant5127 was kind enough to give me an approximate setting of .008 or a little larger. I have had a good bit of ignition problems as you can see by my posts. I am just trying to get an accurate gauge setting for this gap so that I can set mine to this setting and then I can rule out this part of the ignition system as the problem area and move on to another area to try and find my problem. If you or anyone else out there in Cruiserland can give me an accurate reading for this gap, it will be greatly appreciated. Grant might be right on. Would just like to get another view point or two if possible. Thanks for your response and input.

 

[Coolerman]

According to a good source the gap should be in the range of .008 - .016...

 

[Vicm]

For the gap
.008 to .016 inches
or
.2 to .4 mm ,
You should always check the gap before you adjust it.
It is clear ,you are missing something, but you are not following what has been mentioned by few people here.
If you post some pics of all related parts of the ignition "someone" I repeat ,"someone" might spot the source of your problem. You have a good igniter/coil and a good pickup coil ,so you gota have spark somewhere in the HT circit or something missing or screwed up somewhere. It is that simple.

 

[grant5127]

Any Progress?

 

[gibgoaz8]

No progress yet. Just thouht I would let it sit for a couple of days and go back to it. My next step will be to take VICM advice. I am going to take pictures of my entire ignition system and post them. Maybe someone will see something that I am missing. To all you fellows that have helped, thanks very much. When I post my pictures, please look them over and see if you can find something that I am missing.

 

[grant5127]

Did you do the ohm meter fluctuation test as suggested in post #28 ?

 

[gibgoaz8]

Grant: I tried the test as follows: Unplugged connector going to distributor. Rechecked pick up coil by checking ohm reading at disconnected plug. Got 168 ohms as previously checked just to make sure. Then, I got some long jumper wires and hooked them up to the plug and my ohm meter so that I could read my meter from the switch as I had no one to help me and then I cranked over the motor. Never got a reading of 0. Ohms jumped around a good bit, but no continuity reading. Just tried this a while ago. I hope I did this correctly, there was nothing else hooked up to the pick up coil plug, just the ohm meter when I was cranking it over. So the pick up coil may be the problem. So, I then removed my distributor and plan on getting a pick up coil. One more question. Just as a recheck, how can I check the pick up coil with the distributor out. Do I just hook up the ohm meter to both sides of the plug as before and turn the distributor shaft and when the fins come to the gap setting at the metal tab, will I get a reading of 0. Or, do I have to ground the distributor some how, or just what. And, thanks so much for your guidance and the help of all of those that have responded to my posts, especially you and VICM.