The problem started with an intermittent miss. I could see the miss in the tack. The first suspect was the high output coil and 8mm wires. Of course I first took a good look at the cap, rotor and plugs. They looked good. I swapped the coil and wires back to original. The sooby seemed fine. I ran it for a day with no problems.

The next morning I hoped into it fired it up and off to work I go. I have about a 48 mile each way commute in a remote area. It was 4:30AM. About half way to work the sooby just died. No sputtering, missing or anything, just dead. I grab a flashlight pop the hood, can’t find anything. I pull out the ignition fuse and it is blown. I pop in another fuse and it blew before the sooby even turned over.

So I start walking to the nearest phone. It was about a mile and a half away and did not work. I walked to the next phone about a mile away and call my lovely bride. By now it is 5:30, she was very happy to hear from me....NOT! She is on her way anyway.

So now I walk the two and a half miles back to the sooby, put in a new fuse, pop the hood wiggle wires n such. The @#$% thing fires right up just as the wife pulls up. I drive it home [no miss or anything], blow off work and go bear hunting.

Next chance I get to work on it I change the cap, rotor, & plugs. I took a good look at all the wiring. It started right up and drove around the block.

I worked around the house for a few hours then got in and tried to start it. The fuse blew again. I went through 4 fuses & no start. I ate dinner went back out and it fired right off again.

So what am I down to here ladies and gentlemen?

Distributor pickup?

Ignition switch?

I am looking for ideas here....HELP! lol

Sounds like a really, really bad ground or short in some part of the ignition switch/ entire system.

The secondary ignition is not fused.(- side of the coil,distributor,etc). If the fuse blows when you turn the key to the on position,(not start) it could be door ajar system, fuel pump circuit, ecm or wiring to the + side of the coil, voltmeter, tach, or idiot lights, etc. If it blows in the cranking position, the starter is not fused in the fuse box, so I would think it to be in the fuel pump relay, or rev sensor, that supplies power to the pump only during cranking. Good luck

 

Kerry/Roo-Builders

I would also suspect the fuel pump is the culprit.

So you are thinking I have two problems?

The miss, possibly corrected by swapping the coil & wires?

Then you guys think the short is caused by one of the other circuits off the ignition side of the switch.

 

I bought a new Haynes manual today. I will be looking at the circuits.

the high ignition coil and wires is stressing the ignitor in the disty.

my rx with carb motor left me stranded in ohio one night, ran the battery out trying to start it. got a jump the next morning and she fired. i got as far as pulling out of the gas station when it crapped again. so i swapped back in the original coil and managed to get home. swapped the disty and he was fine

I believe I know where to pick up a ignitor pretty reasonable. I will give it a try.

Thank you

update!

I installed a new modulator. I have run it two weeks now with no fuses blown or ignition misses.

BTW I traced the obviuose [easy ] circuits on the ignition side of the switch. Did not find anything suspiciouse.

Now I have a water in the fuel problem to deal with.

Just curious what you mean by modulator. Is this something for the ignition?

yea me too? is that the little black thingy inside disty cause I'm sort of experiencing same issues kinda , no blown fuses or no starts just extremely poor perfomance especially at top end, its okay in town 40mph and lower but top end is like outa here, I have a hard time hittin 4g's in third, I need that to climb hill on way to/from work, yea I drive up hill both ways, I'm not kiddin either.this mornin the ol brat had everything in her to do 55

Yep, the module is the little black thingy inside the distributor. Some times called the igniter or distributor pick up.

 

There are all kinds of reasons for a vehicle to run bad. Start with tune up including Air filter, fuel filter, and PVC, cap, rotor, and wires, plugs. Do a compression test. Check for vacuum leaks. Try some fuel conditioner and a different gas station.

 

Then consider the modulator. While you are in there, pay attention to the play in the distributor shaft.