| No Spark / Ignition System |
Subject: No Spark / Ignition System by TommyT-Bone on 2008/11/16 16:02:34 91 Vert, 383, supercharged, automatic with an MSD 6AL ignition controller. I have an FSM but limited tool chest. I am a novice not a wrench so please play nice. The car would not start. After looking for the obvious a friend came over and we tested for fuel pressure and spark. Found we had no spark and he doesn't know enough about ignition systems or where to check so I had it towed to my local mechanic that has kept this car running for me over the past year. I had disconnected the battery, gave it a full charge and sent it to the shop for troubleshooting. We reconnected the battery, pushed it to the bay and I gave him the keys to try and start it. Vvrooom, the sucker kicks right over. He checks the wiring by the distributor and there is one loose but not disconnected wire in one of the connectors.  Since it's there, I have them do a couple of other tasks that I had planned for a later time. The alternator failed, probably because they tried to throw a charge on it and it backed up to the alternator. No big deal because they replaced the alternator in the Spring and it was still covered under the warranty. They whacked me a few bucks to change it out but not enough to complain about.I pick up the car. It starts fine. I drive it for several days to make sure it's not going to leave me stranded sometime when I least expect it. I park it and don't drive it for the next week. I grab the keys to take it for a nice ride and I'm back to square one. No spark. I disconnected cleaned and reconnected all the wires and the connectors up by the distributor in case it was just a bad connection. No luck. The distributor was rebuilt last January. So I seek the wisdom of the gurus. Can you explain and define the ignition system to a novice from the ignition switch to the spark plug so he can get a handle on this perplexing and agrivating no start situation and put it behind him once and for all. Thanks. Tommy T. |
