no spark

torso25 · #1 12-17-2003, 02:57 PM

i have an 83 chevy silverado with a 350 in it. it was running fine and then one day it just wouldn't start. i found out that it had no spark. so i changed the spark plug wires, the distributor rotor, the distributor cap, and the spark plugs. before i had the truck it sat for about a year. i only drove it two days before it did this. does anyone have any idea of what this could be?

met7az · #2 12-18-2003, 08:39 AM

Check your coil, it sends the spark to the Dist

torso25 · #3 12-18-2003, 10:46 PM

I just replaced the coil, and i had the ignition module checked. so i know that they are both good. however where the distributor cap stems off (this is where the coil plugs in) there are three places to plug in wires. but i am only using two, i cannot find the other one. i checked out one of my friends 350's and he had all three being used. i noticed that the one that he had that i didn't was comming out of the fire wall. But i also just learned that the motor in my truck is not a 350, it is a 305. this seems as if this could be the problem, but i'm not sure. i don't work on cars much. could someone tell me if what i am thinking makes any sense.

met7az · #4 12-19-2003, 07:20 AM

you might have the wrong coil if you replaced it with one for a 350 eng.

torso25 · #5 12-19-2003, 08:35 AM

before i bought the coil i found out that it was a 305, so i'm pretty sure that i have the right coil. but i still cannot find the other wire that i believe is supposed to plug into the distributor cap. it is one that plugs into the yellow wire of the coil.

jkinney · #6 12-20-2003, 07:08 PM

Are you saying the Module has three female connectors on it? How many did your old one have? And does both your and you buddies truck have tachs?

torso25 · #7 12-22-2003, 09:32 AM

I just reciently got my hands on a Chiltons and found out that the other plug is for a tach. My truck has no tach. However i believe that i have a short in a wire somewhere. I just started it and thought that it was fixed, until i tried to start it again and it would not start.

met7az · #8 12-22-2003, 09:37 AM

check your ground strap from the engine to the frame. Also check your fuse block located on the firewall. I had a bad terminal on mine which was causing a battery drain. Fuse block generally runs about 12 bucks and is a dealer only item ( Napa, Checker Auto etc etc does not carry )

met7az · #9 12-22-2003, 09:39 AM

P.S. Are you having problems with your ignition switch or have you in the past ?

torso25 · #10 12-22-2003, 09:53 AM

I just got the truck about a week ago so i'm not sure about its past. The person that i bought it off of told me that it had a 350 in it so i'm not sure how truthful he was about the truck. but i havn't had any trouble with the ignition switch.

torso25 · #11 12-22-2003, 10:02 AM

I haven't worked on these types of things too often. Never on a vehicle with the H.E.I. system. So i'm not too sure of everything that is going on or how the system works. So i have a question. Would it be possible for the vaccum to go bad and this be the problem with it. Sorry if this is a stupid question, but like i said i have never worked on this system before. I am only 18 years old.

met7az · #12 12-22-2003, 10:08 AM

naw no question is stupid, it a learning process trust me. I dont think you have a vaccum prob, when you go to start it is the engine turning and not starting or is it just dead like a bad battery ? Im at work so when I go home at lunch I'll double check my manuals

a1supersport · #13 12-22-2003, 02:18 PM

Check to see if you're getting 12 volts to the coil. Unplug the wire that plugs into the dist. cap and turn your ignition switch to the "on" position. Take a voltmeter/tester and check to see if you're getting 12 (or more). Turn the key ignition to the "start" position and check to see if you're still getting 12 volts (the engine will crank over but won't start because the coil is unplugged). If you're getting 12 volts in both positions, it may be the coil...even if you did replace it.

torso25 · #14 12-23-2003, 11:10 AM

my engine will turn over, it just doesn't have a spark. And i did check to see if i have 12 volts going into the coil, and i do. the first time i checked it and it did, it started right up like nothing was wrong. now i still have the 12 volts but it is back to not starting. it only ran for about an hour. and during this hour i didn't touch anything under the hood.

itsbroke · #15 01-22-2004, 07:39 PM

I assume the problems already fixed by now, but I would have had the ignition control module looked at any good automotive sstore could test it.

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