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1997 TBI 350 gremlin

B

Blackfin27

Contributing Member
Despite new plugs, wires, cap, rotors, oil change etc. I have an intermittent 'no spark' . The engine may start and run and then not start again within minutes or hours, or start again soon and then not....it has not stalled out yet while underway. Its not the starter which cranks. It wont fire up.

A new distributor is being recommended.

Any advice here?

I have a new alternator and fuel pump already as well.
 
Sounds like the trouble I was having with mine. In my case it was low voltage to the ignition. IF it would start, it would keep going.

Try this: When it won't go, take a volt meter and see how many volts is at the + terminal of the coil. If less than, say, 10 volts, that could be your problem.

Jeff
 
Like Jeff suggested, a bit of troubleshooting vs throwing parts at the issue will pay dividends in the long run....
 
fastjeff said:
Sounds like the trouble I was having with mine. In my case it was low voltage to the ignition. IF it would start, it would keep going.

Try this: When it won't go, take a volt meter and see how many volts is at the + terminal of the coil. If less than, say, 10 volts, that could be your problem.

Jeff
Click to expand...


We did try that and had a steady 13V.....still had intermittent no spark.
 
so that means the primary side of the ignition, up to the coil, is fine....so now you need to check the secondary side....is this an EST distributor?
 
makomark said:
so that means the primary side of the ignition, up to the coil, is fine....so now you need to check the secondary side....is this an EST distributor?
Click to expand...


My mechanic said yes, its EST. We installed a new ignition module last week also, hasn't corrected the spark problem.
Today it didnt start on first 4 cranks, then started about 6 times in a row. Its not an immediate vroom start though. It takes a couple cranks.

Plugs and rotor changed out last week with new fuel pump also. The plugs and cap were cleaner on the good engine, I dont know if this is an indication of the suspected distributor pick-up coil.....have a new distributor on order....GM.(I hope its not Chinese ).

Do you think the distributor sounds like the culprit ?

Jeff
 
what you're calling the vroooom start could be ignition or fuel....had to say...

Based on my experience, the module is the most likely candidate followed by the pickup coil....you can monitor the pickup coil's output but it requires 'high end' test equipment....swapping the pickup coil is cheaper than a new distributor....
 
makomark said:
what you're calling the vroooom start could be ignition or fuel....had to say...

Based on my experience, the module is the most likely candidate followed by the pickup coil....you can monitor the pickup coil's output but it requires 'high end' test equipment....swapping the pickup coil is cheaper than a new distributor....
Click to expand...

Thanks, so having installed a new Ignition Module, then the pick-up coil should be the culprit? I don't think this is a fuel problem because we saw the non spark on the tester...just about all the hang-ons are all original 1997 +/- .

I will post back results of the new pickup coil.
 
just remember you'll need to pull the distributor to change the coil....marking it's position and the rotor's will help for reassembly....also, you'll need a "timing plug" to reset the timing accurately...
 
So I thought I would check back in,installed new distributor kit with new pick up coil.
So far, problem fixed and firing right up.

Now, port RPM gauge flutters....this is a new gremlin.....I have new ECM installed.
 
may wanna check the connections at the tach....also, turn the selector switch on the tach back and forth a few times.....the physical motion will 'wipe' the contacts in the switch.....
 
So today I took a short cruise and experienced a backfire on the port engine with the RPM flutter.
Gauge seems to flutter and bounce when accelerating and then settle in....putting in a new distributor kit now on this engine. Has a new Ignition module.

I think switching the gauges on the twins might also give a better clue.......?
 
Check for a relay that controls fuel pump, ignition, and a few other things. Had this issue with my 454xli tbi. Seemed to be a super common problem, that took a lot of people forever to figure out.
 
twill23 said:
Check for a relay that controls fuel pump, ignition, and a few other things. Had this issue with my 454xli tbi. Seemed to be a super common problem, that took a lot of people forever to figure out.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the feedback. The problem was resolved by replacing the distributors, main culprit was the pick up coil.
I did this on both engines..wish I had done it sooner.
 
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