Help- ignition problem - I'm stumped!!

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Dec 10, 2001 | 02:49 PM

Wheelman

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Le Mans Master

Joined: Jun 2001

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From: Less Talk, More WOT | Houston TX

Re: Help- ignition problem - I'm stumped!! (Denny McLain)

my car is in the shop for ignition problems right now...haha its a good idea to replace the cap rotor, and even coil as preventative maintenance even if theyre not bad. From there if it still doesnt start i would check the fuel pump. The pressure is good ( check with a fuel pressure guage at the shreader valve on the intake - looks like a tire valve stem w/ a metal cap) if you have an l98 it should read about 41 or 42 in run w/ car off and drop down just a few psi after you start it.) If the fuel pump is fine, replace the pickup coil - what was wrong with mine - by pulling the distributor and taking off the gear at the bottom and sliding the shaft out. If you look at the part you bought from the auto parts store (should be around 18 dollars) youll know how to replace it from there, its just three bolts on the dist. Just make sure you put the gear on the same direction as you took it off, or you will spend 2 days trying to figure out why the dist wont go all the way in when its really a two minute job. Good luck, you can post here for any other questions you have on this procedure.
:smash:

Dec 10, 2001 | 03:01 PM

Mez

Safety Car

Joined: Jun 1999

Posts: 3,570

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From: Austin, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Houston, Dallas, Hong Kong, Elgin, etc.. Texas

Re: Help- ignition problem - I'm stumped!! (Denny McLain)

Denny,
Sounds like a bad wire in the coil circuit. I assume you checked power to the coil.

By the way, we met when I was having my Red LT4 dyno'd at speedworks a couple of weeks ago. If there is anything I can do to help, let me know.

Tom

Dec 10, 2001 | 03:25 PM

Exotic Muscle

Heel & Toe

Joined: Dec 2001

Posts: 16

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From: Tempe AZ

Re: Help- ignition problem - I'm stumped!! (Denny McLain)

Does it only sputter and die after the car gets warmed up? If so, It definetly sounds like an Optispark went bad. Also, What year is your Vette? The early (92-94) Optisparks didn't have a breather to release moisture from inside the unit. What happens is when the car heats up, the moisture in the Optispark causes it to misfire and eventually die. Most common way this happens is people either wash the engine with water or they have a waterpump leak dripping onto the Optispark. Hope this helps.

Trevor@ Exotic Muscle

Dec 10, 2001 | 06:22 PM

Mez

Safety Car

Joined: Jun 1999

Posts: 3,570

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From: Austin, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Houston, Dallas, Hong Kong, Elgin, etc.. Texas

Re: Help- ignition problem - I'm stumped!! (Denny McLain)

Denny,
Go to Radio Shack or Fry's and buy a cheap multimeter to read volts, amps, ohms.

Dec 10, 2001 | 06:25 PM

NoWorries

Race Director

Joined: Oct 2000

Posts: 16,477

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From: Enter Post Count Here

Re: Help- ignition problem - I'm stumped!! (Denny McLain)

Its the fuel pump.

Dec 10, 2001 | 09:02 PM

AquaMetallic94LT1

Safety Car

Joined: Mar 2000

Posts: 3,620

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From: Hillsboro OR

Re: Help- ignition problem - I'm stumped!! (Denny McLain)

This sounds heat related so maybe the ECM just get too hot and stops sending the ignition signal to the module. Make sure you don't have any bent pins in the ignition circuit connectors. Look for codes in the ECM too.

I was ready to say opti spark till I saw the part where there is no spark at the coil.

Dec 10, 2001 | 09:54 PM

POLO94C4

Intermediate

Joined: Dec 2001

Posts: 27

Likes: 0

Re: Help- ignition problem - I'm stumped!! (Mez)

Had this problem just a couple weeks ago and the opti spark distributor was bad. I had also replaced the module earlier. After replacing the ditributor i kept getting code 42 in open loop traced that problem to the module i had just put in. thanks to (dualnic) that problem was fixed pretty quick. :smash: :smash: