Ignition problem resolved
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 220
Likes: 0
From: Alberta, Canada
Ignition problem resolved o NNNNOOOOTTTT
I had an extremely lucky day today. I was about 200 miles form home today at a meeting and I took the 88 vette. For about a year now it has been missing, stumbling, coughing or what ever you want to call it very spradically. It happens at steady throttle, both city and highway speeds. On the way down to the meeting it ran fairly well with a few stumbles but not bad. On the way home it was noticebly worse and more frequent.
When I got home I took the distributor cap off, having come to the conclusion that it was ignition related. The little button on the top of the cap fell out. The plastic around the button was melted and crispy. I realized at that time that I was lucky to make it home. That distributor was a failure waiting to happen. By the way it was an HEI Accel cap and rotor. Now to find a replacement. No more ACCEL.
When I got home I took the distributor cap off, having come to the conclusion that it was ignition related. The little button on the top of the cap fell out. The plastic around the button was melted and crispy. I realized at that time that I was lucky to make it home. That distributor was a failure waiting to happen. By the way it was an HEI Accel cap and rotor. Now to find a replacement. No more ACCEL.
Last edited by Snuffy; May 30, 2006 at 02:43 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,620
Likes: 206
From: Orlando FL
Just read a post where a guy had the same symtoms and found the same related problem with the center contact button. Except I think the button was assembled wrong by someone else. Not a bad job repacing the cap and contact and doing it right. 
Pro
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 509
Likes: 5
From: Edmonds WA
Sounds similar to what happened with mine, but it was a loose/missing screw on the rotor, which sounded like an engine knock from the driver's seat. Boy, was I surprised to find that was the noise... and, like you, was that close to being stranded... all for the price of an easy fix.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 220
Likes: 0
From: Alberta, Canada
1988 stock.
OK, the dirty rotten &^%$$#@@## is at it again. I thought I had the problem fixed with the new cap. I was out last night and blasted off the line when the light turned green and was almost totally embarassed. Sputter, sputter, pop, pop then go.
When I got home I did like one forum member suggested and hooked up my fuel pressure guage and drove around. The fuel pressure stayed constant and even rose a bit as I accelerated. It did not drop when the stumble happened so I am sure it is electrical/ignition related.
Has anyone lost a pickup coil in the distributor? If so does it just die or will it cause intermittent stumbles?
I am feeling very uncomfortable driving it until I get this fixed.
OK, the dirty rotten &^%$$#@@## is at it again. I thought I had the problem fixed with the new cap. I was out last night and blasted off the line when the light turned green and was almost totally embarassed. Sputter, sputter, pop, pop then go.
When I got home I did like one forum member suggested and hooked up my fuel pressure guage and drove around. The fuel pressure stayed constant and even rose a bit as I accelerated. It did not drop when the stumble happened so I am sure it is electrical/ignition related.
Has anyone lost a pickup coil in the distributor? If so does it just die or will it cause intermittent stumbles?
I am feeling very uncomfortable driving it until I get this fixed.
