Learn from my Experience.........

[kwhizz]

Started up the Yellow 66 Chevelle and after running for about 30 seconds it quit running..........Humm!!.....Wouldn't start....No Spark.....So, because I had a HEI distributor, I figured the Module went out.....So.......I go out and buy a new Module and Install it..........Still won't start....So, I do the next Logical thing and buy a new Coil, Cap, and Rotor...........Still won't start.......Still no Spark..... Checked Voltage to the + side of the cap...12.5 volts......I pull the cap off to make sure the rotor is turning.......Turns.........Humm!!.........I was talking to Mark Webster and he mentioned that since I had a Vacuum advance HEI that it was possible that the wires that went from the Vacuum advance plate to the Module might be broken from the plate moving over time.........
O.K.......So I go digging around and find a new HEI from an earlier project, but....this one did not a Vacuum advance set-up on it........I switched everything including the V.A. to the new dist and installed it in the car.....Gotta start now Right??..........Wrong....No Spark........I run a jumper wire from the + terminal on the Battery to the + Terminal on the cap........Still no spark...........WTF.........
So.....I figure that I screwed something up along the way.......Had enough of thinking that I knew what I was doing.........So........I order a brand new Distributor set-up ....Complete...........It shows up a couple of days later and I put it in.........Crank it over.......WTF.....No Spark........Check Voltage again....12.5 Volts............Double WTF.....
Hummm!!!.........Did I really see the dist turning last time I checked??.......Humm!!.......Only thing left that won't let it start is a Broken Timing chain or Cam....I pull the cap off again and spin the engine over and the Rotor spins.........Triple super Secret WTF.......
Put the Cap back on and turn the key and the car starts right up.............Huh!!..................Set the Timing and it runs like new...........WTF...........I'm looking around and notice that the Tachometer wire from my Knee Knocker came off when I last removed the Cap.......Go to put the Tach wire on the Terminal and the Car quits running....Humm!!.......Try and start it and Nothing......Pull the Tach wire off and the car starts ....
Ends up the Tach took a Dump and was Shorting?? out the system.............Just passing along the info in case someone has some Issues in the Future.......

Ken