variant13 Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 OK, this has been driving me insane, and I just don't have the scratch to pay bubba $60 an hour to doink around with my car for two weeks, hand me a bill for $700 and say 'Iunno...' In June my 1984 GL wagon was difficult to start cold (not winter cold, just 8-10 hours cold). Crankcranksputtercrankcranksputtersputterfirestumblestumble catch. Run like crap for 45-90 seconds, zoom. I says to myself, 'sounds like the coil is preparing for that long, dark sleep.' I go buy a new generic coil at my FLAPS. Pop it on, doesn't even turn a full rev and it's running like new. Whew. Well, then four or so days later, it won't start, no spark; I check underhood, and the negative terminal is snapped off my coil. WTF, O? Replace coil, under warranty. Starts like new again. Go to drive to work in the am, car starts, drive off, get 3/4 of a mile down the road, engine dies, stone cold dead, no spark. Get towed back to the house. Folks here recommend buying the Hitachi coil, this isn't readily available here, but they have a 'top of the line' coil somethingsomething, I upgrade to that, and that never gets spark, period. This coil turned out to be a coil for a turbo, so for safety's sake, I replace with a Nippondenso coil (distributor is Nippondenso) that is unusually cheap. Now, still no spark. I'm starting to think it's something else. The wires look fine, newish, even. Cap, rotor and plugs are new, and gapped correctly (the best available here in the sticks, NGK plugs, junk off-the-shelf cap and rotor, but it ran GREAT with this combo for those first four days after changing the coil). Plugs are gapped to whatever it said in the book. Inspection reveals that the plugs look dry, with no dirt, oil or fouling. It's getting plenty of gas, though the accelerator pump may be getting ready to join the fishes it's still spraying gas. I could understand one bad coil. I could believe two bad coils, if fed enough beer. Four coils is just not possible. Does this have some sort of ignition computer that may have pooped the bed? Almost seems like a bad ballast resistor from my 1966 Belvidere? Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
variant13 Posted August 27, 2010 Author Share Posted August 27, 2010 I said to myself, 'bugger it, how much can a distributor be?' NAPA: $320, Subaru: $611; and the NAPA unit is remanned. So. All suggestions and offers of help are being entertained. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92_rugby_subie Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 If you are sure its the distributor... I could sell mine Its off my 1984 Subaru GL Wagon... It starts just fine and Pooparu will be out here later today to remove the carb, he might remove the Distributor for me...? Edit: Oops, youre asking for advice, but I will have Pooparu (Earl) remove the distributor just in case you do want it, the rest of the Subaru goes bye bye around 830 today so Ill get what I can off of it for ya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2manetoys Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 Check the vertical "play" in the shaft of the distributor. if there's 1/8" or more it needs replaced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92_rugby_subie Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 I will check the vertical play in mine and see if its still good. Mine gave me a little trouble starting it, but I think its cuz I have no gas in it now lol sister siphoned it out for her car since mine is leaving. Lemme know if youre interested Variant13, Im sure this fits into a Fedex "if it fits, it ships" slogan, so I wouldnt mind shipping to you if you need one, just offer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skishop69 Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 It may just be the module in the distributor. Take a test light and clip it to the negative battery cable. Touch it to the coil where the wire from the distributor attaches and have someone crank it over. The light should blink/flicker. Sometimes it can be hard to see the 'blink', so don't do this at high noon in the bright sun. If it flashes, disty is good. Also check to make sure you have a good positive connection at the coil and 12v. Another quick test is to intermittently ground the side of the coil that goes to the disty. Remove the coil wire from the disty cap only and hold it 1/4" to 1/2" away from a good ground. Turn the ignition on, connect a wire to ground and tap it on the coil terminal for the disty. It sparks, it 'should' be good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 Sounds like those aftermarket coils burned up the distributor module. Wouldn't be the first time. There's a reason we said to use the correct coil for your distributor. The module's are sensitive to use with non-spec coils. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatchsub Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 Sounds like those aftermarket coils burned up the distributor module. Wouldn't be the first time. There's a reason we said to use the correct coil for your distributor. The module's are sensitive to use with non-spec coils. GD Yea that would be my guess as well. Happened to me as well a long time ago. There is no gain in going to an aftermarket "high performance" coil. Just get a distributor and coil (matched set) from a board member on here and you should be good. Just make sure to get the wires on the coil correct! Been there as well too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92_rugby_subie Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 Yea that would be my guess as well. Happened to me as well a long time ago. There is no gain in going to an aftermarket "high performance" coil. Just get a distributor and coil (matched set) from a board member on here and you should be good. Just make sure to get the wires on the coil correct! Been there as well too. In that case, mine should be good right? If I pulled it off my Subaru 5 mins ago? I included all the wires as well and it is sitting in the garage. It started the car over and over and over so I know its good that way, but if you want it, let me know, PM with offer or whatnot. Or email, hell I trust it wont be spammed: Rugby_boy101@yahoo.com (real original to my screen name on here huh?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
variant13 Posted August 28, 2010 Author Share Posted August 28, 2010 Sounds like those aftermarket coils burned up the distributor module. Wouldn't be the first time. There's a reason we said to use the correct coil for your distributor. The module's are sensitive to use with non-spec coils. GD GD - Hey mate, I'm a fair smart guy. Next time someone has wisdom like 'don't mismatch x & y,' don't just end it there. For all I know you're just an OEM Nazi, and you like your underhood to look tidy. Now, armed with the knowledge that mismatched coil & distro can fry expensive things, I can make the educated decision. The morons at my FLAPS read the box: 'use with external/internal regulator/resistor,' and they just grunted. I asked 'which do I need?' And they grunted again. I don't even have a NAPA here in Opeyland; my choices are Carquest (blarg) and O'Reilly (for people who think parts stores only need to carry hooker-scented car fresheners and sun shades). O'Reilly USED to be Checker, and at least Checker listed the parts; O'Reilly = bubkiss. I had to order the ND coil online. Waiting to hear back from Rugby, hopefully this will get her rolling, snow flies in six weeks or so, and my 2WD Nissan pup is just not on for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted August 28, 2010 Share Posted August 28, 2010 GD - Hey mate, I'm a fair smart guy. Next time someone has wisdom like 'don't mismatch x & y,' don't just end it there. For all I know you're just an OEM Nazi, and you like your underhood to look tidy. Now, armed with the knowledge that mismatched coil & distro can fry expensive things, I can make the educated decision. I understand the confusion. It gets old after many years of telling people the why's and wherefore's of buying OEM parts. In defense of us that are brief about that sort of thing now - it's because we have covered it before (probably more than once) and a search of the forum would yeild most of that information. Sadly I find that I have to but a LOT of OEM parts. Mostly gaskets and seals but also a few other items like the EA series coils. I get them through a local import parts house that does a really good job of getting OEM parts through other supply chains. On the odd occasion that I actually buy a new one - mostly I just use junkyard coil's since the OEM (ND and Hitachi) coils last virtually forever. I've never had one fail on a car with a matched set, decent wires and properly gapped plugs. It just doesn't happen. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
variant13 Posted August 28, 2010 Author Share Posted August 28, 2010 I understand the confusion. It gets old after many years of telling people the why's and wherefore's of buying OEM parts. GD In further defence of the old-timers, after posting my whine about coils, there was a section down at the bottom that listed similar posts that gave essentially the same info you have given. SO what that means is I will, in future, search before whining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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