OK internet, I need your help. Yesterday I was leaving home in my '87 GL wagon (ea82 with carby) I let the car warm up for a few minutes, probably 5 or so, I made it out the driveway and about 1/2 mile down the road and it died. No coughing and sputtering, just died. I ended up towing it home and started looking at it today, with no success. It won't fire on starting fluid or anything, not even a single pop. I didn't have an assistant today, so I couldn't check for spark (tomorrow I should have one). I'm sure it's getting fuel. It got new cap/rotor/plugs/wires less than 2 years ago. This car has the brown colored cap. When I'm cranking the engine, the tachometer bounces a bit and gets quite high (3-4k). I'm wondering if the distributor is bad. Any input is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Tom

Maybe if you bought an LL Bean Outback (2001) like the rest of us you would only have to worry about full engine failure. 

Dead ignition module in the dizzy. Replace this AND the coil. If a coil dies it takes out the expensive ignition module. 

You wont have spark. No spark, no fuel pump operation due to the fuel cut relay doing its job.

Cheers 

Bennie

Edited November 8, 20196 yr by el_freddo

Check ignition fuse. I had this happen to my car was fine then cut out and wouldnt do anything some how that fuse blew while I was messing under the hood with trying to get it started. Still dont know how it happend but has been fine since I swapped the fuse and no issues 

11 hours ago, Tman1058 said:

. When I'm cranking the engine, the tachometer bounces a bit and gets quite high (3-4k). I'm wondering if the distributor is bad. Any input is greatly appreciated.

 Thanks,

 Tom

Usually,this means the distributor bushings are worn out.

Try wiggling the disty shaft.Anything more than barely perceptable movement is too much.

Eventually,the reluctor will hit the stator in a Hitachi distributor.

I just checked for spark and there is none. All the fuses are good, but I tried testing for voltage across the IG-COIL fuse and have no power in any key position, including starting.

Did you measure voltages on the fuses?

Check voltage at the ignition switch plug if you have no power on either side of the ignition fuse.(the plugs burn and fail sometimes)

Fusible link should be OK since it cranks,but,I would check them anyway.

There will be no voltage across the fuse.Put one lead on battery negative,the other to either side of the fuse to check.

No power does sound like an electrical problem. 

But the suddenness of the failure would have me checking the timing belts, just in case.

 

OK, I just re-checked. With the key in the on position I'm getting power to all fuses.

Where are all the timing belt suggesters?

Has it done the dizzy side timing belt?

You need to pull dist cap off

If auto , secure cap away from potentially spinning rotor , note rotor position, try start engine by key, has rotor moved or can you see it not move?

If manual, you can put it in 5th, hand brake off and push car back or forward in gear handbrake off , engine turns, but is rotor also?

The rotor turns as it should. I checked with a timing light, there's spark leaving the coil going into the distributor, but there isn't spark leaving the distributor.

Hmmmm, carbon brush under the centre of cap? I have burnt a few out on my mongrel which is NA

Yes, there isn't much else but that button contact.    Or if it were way off time mechanically, like if the distributor was pulled, and put back with wrong positioning like 45 degrees off.

OK guys, I figured it out. And I'm an idiot. I thought the rotor had turned, but it didn't. Left timing belt broke. Thanks for all your help!

Edited November 9, 20196 yr by Tman1058

3 hours ago, Tman1058 said:

OK guys, I figured it out. And I'm an idiot. I thought the rotor had turned, but it didn't. Left timing belt broke. Thanks for all your help!

Going to quote you on that !

Glad you figured it out.

Now, not just a belt, go both belts and tensioners

But before buying parts check integrity of tensioner bolts in case some tool has tensioned them beyond their rather low ..18 ? ft/lbs and stuffed the threads.

Maybe pull the four bolts, inspect all threads, bolts and holes, tension up .

And the idler with teeth, low down on drivers side.

Actually guys, I have an engine sitting in the shop with 40k on a rebuild that I've been looking for the time to swap in. So I guess now is the time. It'll get new timing belts/tensioners and a water pump before it goes in.

Sounds like a good idea.   I don't swap them just for timing bekts, but for a reseal, etc., that's how I do it.   Get the spare engine all fixed up, then swap it in.

The engine that's in the car has been down on power for a little better than a year and the oil in it is on the keep full basis, so it needed done anyway.

I have a full rebuild sitting beside my mongrel I am tempted to also slap a turbo on - already has the heads, so two spare engines sitting ...side by side gathering dust

Glad you got it! I love how easy these engines are, especially with a Weber. I have pulled the engine enough times now that i can go from running to completely out im 45 mins by myself. My wife and I have a personal team best of 33 mins. We timed it

Too much to ask to see a photo of your boss in action I suppose ??

Welp fellas, with the assistance of a buddy, we pulled out the old engine and dropped in the new one today. Only took 4 hours from pushing it into the shop to driving it out.

New engine was complete with carb and dizzy from sound of things. Good to see it fired up and none of the old Fink's issues carry over. It is a right pain when that happens !!