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

[mockingbird812]

Takes a big man Ken!

P.S. For the record, NOTHING like that has ever happened to me before.

[Mr. Chevy]

Ken, now you know that your complete electrical system is overhauled and new!! Boy what a BUMMER!! At least you figured it out.. That would have driven me to insanity!!

Rich

[SuperNovaSS]

Well, it was the long way around but you found it. I have a 67 Bronco with a stroked 302(327) that I took out the other day for the first time in at least a year. Ran great at first but as the day went on I started losing my idle. After a while the idle was gone. I had to keep the car at 1500 or high for the car to run. A while later 2000 RPM to run. Ran great at higher RPMs but low RPM was gone. It has an accel electronic distributor so I was thinking module as well. I will have to take a look at the vintage Faria tach as well, just in case. Thanks for the heads up Ken. I enjoyed the write up but WTF does WTF mean?


Jason

[jeff morocco]

Ken...im sure everyone on this site has had their own version of a WTF moment. like me at SCR this year. we could not figure out why we kept getting that pesky little oil leak. it started blowing oil out the dipstick tube...sealed that up..then started pushing oil out the valve cover stud holes..sealed that up...then started leaking out the front of the intake(at SCR)took intake off and re-sealed that up..then started leaking out the BACK of the intake...keep in mind that i have the aerospace 3 vane vacuum pump.....so i bought a boost/vacuum guage and at idle was making 7 lbs of boost..my WTF moment...should be at least 2-3 in. on the vaccum side of the guage..called aerospace and they didnt really have an answer for me..i sent some pics to them for the heck of it and then they had my answer......normally they mount on the pass. side of the motor..mine is on the drivers side 'cause it wouldnt work with the aerospace elec. water pump....go figure..what they found was when you have it mounted on the pass, side you use hole A for inlet to pump..and on the drivers side you use hole B as inlet to pump..well.....we used hole A so we were actually making boost instead of pulling vacuum......remade new lines and now make 4 in. vacuum at idle and all dry underneath...whew!! but unlike you......i only used WTF 1 time.....

[Xplantdad]

Wow...that's crazy. Thanks for the heads up

[ORIGLS6]

Ya think that was the problem in August prior to the Monmouth/LaHarpe run?

[CC Rider]

Experience makes us better motorheads.

[pSYCo]

...at no point in your story did i see ''stop and have a beer '' !!!!....WTF ??!!

[kwhizz]

[ QUOTE ]
Ya think that was the problem in August prior to the Monmouth/LaHarpe run?

[/ QUOTE ]

Hummm!!!........I don't think so

Ken