C4 Tech/Performance L98 Corvette and LT1 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine

Ignition Module

Old Nov 6, 2007 | 04:11 PM
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Default Ignition Module

How do you know if the ignition module is bad or not?
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Old Nov 6, 2007 | 04:28 PM
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take it to advanced auto, autozone or o'reileys and they will test it for you for free.
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Old Nov 6, 2007 | 04:33 PM
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so do I need to pull it off the car to do that or can I just drive up there and they can test it?
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Old Nov 6, 2007 | 04:41 PM
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Originally Posted by Erod579
take it to advanced auto, autozone or o'reileys and they will test it for you for free.
I took mine off my 92 to everyone of these places and none could test it.
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Old Nov 6, 2007 | 04:49 PM
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well the car runs get then all the sudden it will die and it will crank back an run,,,I have replaced the coil the opti new plugs new wires new fuel filter new fuel pump new water pump...and 2 new injectors,,,it is like it just looses fire and quiets so I figure it must be the ignition module....
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Old Nov 6, 2007 | 07:29 PM
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Originally Posted by Mitch92
How do you know if the ignition module is bad or not?

the car could start to run crappy as in a "miss" and then, just frankly not start at all. if it is indeed bad, you won't be driving it anywhere. i would get the ignition module anyway and if it isn't bad, you'll have a spare handy in case you are "stranded" and that calls to be the problem. follow the directions and remove all the old dried up thermo-conductive gel that is packaged with the new module, apply the new gel, and go from there. i keep a spare in my car as well as a spare cap, a few wires, and a few other things to get me up and running back home in case of a breakdown...
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Old Nov 6, 2007 | 09:38 PM
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I would agree with badabing9 and with your symptoms the only reliable check is by substitution. Any bench check of the unit will probably not show anything up.

With your problem, if the ICM is not bad and in consideration of what you have already said, I would think possibly the ECM is causing the problem. Those ECMs can cause many strange symptoms and running problems.
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Old Nov 6, 2007 | 09:41 PM
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Originally Posted by RRT vette
I took mine off my 92 to everyone of these places and none could test it.
I had the same problem, and finally one of the places looked a little harder and figured out how to test it with jumpers, it was in advanced auto's tester book. They got a loyal customer with that.
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Old Nov 6, 2007 | 09:42 PM
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Originally Posted by pcolt94
I would agree with badabing9 and with your symptoms the only reliable check is by substitution. Any bench check of the unit will probably not show anything up.

With your problem, if the ICM is not bad and in consideration of what you have already said, I would think possibly the ECM is causing the problem. Those ECMs can cause many strange symptoms and running problems.
the electronic spark controll module could also be a cause in conjunction with or in addition to the ignition control module or just by itself.
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Old Nov 6, 2007 | 10:06 PM
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Originally Posted by badabing9
the electronic spark controll module could also be a cause in conjunction with or in addition to the ignition control module or just by itself.
The ESC module functions only to inform the ecm if there is knock. It does not interface with the ignition system.
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Old Nov 6, 2007 | 10:20 PM
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Originally Posted by 69427
The ESC module functions only to inform the ecm if there is knock. It does not interface with the ignition system.
well, i don;'t know what to tell you other then that was the problem with my car in the past. replaced the electronic spark control module and the car started.
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Old Nov 6, 2007 | 10:21 PM
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Originally Posted by pcolt94
I would agree with badabing9 and with your symptoms the only reliable check is by substitution. Any bench check of the unit will probably not show anything up.

With your problem, if the ICM is not bad and in consideration of what you have already said, I would think possibly the ECM is causing the problem. Those ECMs can cause many strange symptoms and running problems.
especially if the ignition control module is thermally intermittant.
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Old Nov 7, 2007 | 10:11 AM
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Thanks guys I will order a new ICM and go from there the ECM is pretty pricey right...or would you just find a used one or new one..
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Old Nov 7, 2007 | 10:38 AM
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Sounds like a heat related issue? Can you get a can of Freeze Spray? Maybe just try a bag of ice on the ECM or the module and see if the heat is the cause? If you can fix it by cooling something off, that is probably the culprit?
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Old Nov 7, 2007 | 12:42 PM
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will that make the SYS come on in the dash cluster it flashes on and off
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Old Nov 7, 2007 | 01:37 PM
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Originally Posted by badabing9
well, i don;'t know what to tell you other then that was the problem with my car in the past. replaced the electronic spark control module and the car started.
ESC doesn't have that much "control". I don't know what model year you have, but if it was a late 80's or early nineties with a memcal, then I would suspect the problem was in the calibration chip there, rather than the ESC portion.
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Old Nov 7, 2007 | 02:55 PM
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I have a 92 and the dash cluster has the SYS flashing
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To Ignition Module

Old Nov 7, 2007 | 04:20 PM
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Originally Posted by 69427
ESC doesn't have that much "control". I don't know what model year you have, but if it was a late 80's or early nineties with a memcal, then I would suspect the problem was in the calibration chip there, rather than the ESC portion.
nope, i stand by my previous statement. no problem with ecm computer or contents thereof....it was the esc module, i was there!
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Old Nov 7, 2007 | 04:27 PM
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Originally Posted by kalister1
Sounds like a heat related issue? Can you get a can of Freeze Spray? Maybe just try a bag of ice on the ECM or the module and see if the heat is the cause? If you can fix it by cooling something off, that is probably the culprit?
i wouldn't bother with "freeze" sprays. by the time you buy the stuff and remove and reinstall the distributor cap/wires, based on the time, effort, and cost of spray, it would be better to just swap out the ignition control module and be done with it.

also, it would be hard to determine at what temperature the "icm" would become thermally intermittant and by the time you got it to fault, removed the cap, etc, the effort would be an exercise in futility. just replace the module. ice on the ecm is well .find a substitute and swap it out. any moisture that should intrude into the ecm will have undesirable effects.
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Old Nov 7, 2007 | 05:11 PM
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what does the esc do
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