88 Camaro Iroc engine dies

[shmy]

I have a 88 Iroc 350 TPI. It starts fine, drive it for a while and it just dies. At first when this started to happen I could just put it in neutral, start it and continue on my way. Then it would take a cool down period of about 10 to 20 minutes, then it would start. Now it took until the next morning until it would re-start. The last time it happened I unhooked the #1 spark wire and inserted another plug, ground it on the manifold and turned it over. There was no spark. So it is ignition and not fuel issues. I have put on a new coil, new ignition module in distributor (and since put old one back in as the new one did not help), I also did the wiggle test on wires while it was running to see if it would die. It did not. Could it be the ECM?

[Genopsyde]

change the cap and rotor? I had a similar problem years ago, first it was the coil. then the problem came back and it turned out the new cap and rotor I had put on wore out quickly. replaced them and never had the problem again.

[shmy]

Thanks for the response. I did put on a new cap & rotor, plugs and wires in April. This was happening before that. I was thinking of putting in a new/different distributor. Next time it happens, which will probably be the next time I drive it, I am going to check if power is getting to the coil, if not I thought I would hot wire directly from the battery to the coil. Is that a problem due to the electronic sensors?

[Morley]

Did you put in an AC Delco ignition module? If not I'd bet the module is bad, the aftermarket ones are absolute junk. If you did use a Delco module, check the pickup coil.

[shmy]

No, actually it was not an AC delco. I can get a complete distributor to try from an '85 IROC. I assume it is the same as from the '88. I will try that. Thanks for the reply.

[Morley]

Originally Posted by shmy

No, actually it was not an AC delco. I can get a complete distributor to try from an '85 IROC. I assume it is the same as from the '88. I will try that. Thanks for the reply.

You assume far too much. They are NOT the same distributor. Yours uses a remote coil and small cap. The 85 is a large cap with the coil in the cap, just like the Corvette distributor.

[shmy]

Thanks for that. I had not looked at it yet, but I believe you.

[Morley]

I would still suspect the ignition module BUT, you must use an AC Delco unit. The aftermarket modules are junk, many don't work right out of the box and others last between a week and a month before they go bad. After that, I'd look into the pickup coil.

[trod27]

I have had the same problem it turned out to be the pick up coil.

[shmy]

Thanks again for your help. I have changed the pick-up coil. It is a whole lot better. But it still seems to shut down within the first 15 minutes of driving, put it immediately in neutral, start it up, and then it seems it is good for the rest of the drive. I will try the AC delco module.

[shmy]

Just a note to let everyone know where I am with this. Been driving the car almost everyday for the last week and has not died once????? Don't know what has changed. Does the computer need driving time to relearn the new parts put in? Anyways all seems good. However, went racing on Saturday, did about 14 runs. It did die once on the way back from one run. Put in neutral, started it and that was it. Hope it keeps working. Thanks for all input.