CRAZYCHUCK13

iTrader: (1)

I HAVE REPLACED MY IGN MODULE ON 6/12/04 & IT WENT OUT AGAIN TODAY 6/29/04.I'AM A FIRM BELEIVER ON NOT BUYING ELEC PARTS FROM AUTO ZONE OR OTHER SIMILAR PARTS STORES,I HAVE NOT HAD GOOD LUCK W/PARTS FROM STORES LIKE THESE.I GENERALLY STICK TO LOCAL PARTS STORES OR DEALERSHIPS FOR QUALITY PARTS.IN A PINCH I PURCHED A IGN MODULE FROM AUTO ZONE.LIKE I PREVIOUSLY STATED THIS MODULE WENT BAD.IS THERE A SERVICE BULLETIN OR COMMON ELEC PROBLEM CAUSING IGN MODULES TO GO BAD,SHORT OUT,GET ZAPPED?THIS PROBLEM ONLY SEEMS TO HAPPEN WHEN I TURN CAR OFF.BUT WILL RUN FINE UNTIL THEN.IF ANYONE HAS TECH I SHURE WOULD APPRECIATE THE HELP.

Trickster

Hello CrazyChuck13,

First of all, welcome to the board. I don't know the procedures that you followed when you installed your new ignition module. But there is one step that should be followed whenever a new or old one is installed. That step is to clean the mounting surface of any grease or dirt, Then apply a good coat of dielectric grease that should come with the module (if it doesn't ask for it) to the bottom of the module prior to installation. This grease is a protection against heat build-up that will cook the module in no time flat causing it to fail if the grease is not applied.

Second of all. kindly refrain from posting using all caps. This is considered shouting and is not looked upon favorably.

Tremo

I think your 89 uses the 8-pin module, no?

You can get aftermarket "high performance" replacement 8-pin (and 7 pin) modules from Accel, Pertronix and Dyna Mod. Just do a Google search for "8 pin hei module" and you'll get hits from the manufacturers. Jegs sells the Accel unit, I don't know who sells the Pertronix and Dyna Mod. Of course you can go to GM and get one (stock, and probably pay thru the nose), or maybe even a JY. These aftermarket modules claim to have more dwell than a stock module.

The advice above about using the thermal compound grease between the module and mounting surface is good, take it VERY seriously. Clean off any and all crap/dirt/whatever that will cause even the slightest air gap between the baseplate of the module and the mounting surface. Use rubbing alcohol to clean off the module baseplate and the mounting surface in the disty. Then apply a THIN layer of the thermally conductive grease to the bottom of the module (use a toothpick or razor blade to spread it) and put it down snug. The regular thermal grease that Rat Shack sells sux. The best thermal grease is the stuff used by the overclocker computer nerds between their CPUs and the heatsink, it's loaded with silver. I think the stuff is called Artic Silver or some such, it has much higher thermal conductivity. Keep the grease off your fingers or it gets all over everything you touch and makes a mess. The grease is not poison or dangerous in case you do get some on you, just messy as hell. And keep the grease off the electrical connections.

As a side note, does anyone have any direct experience with any of the above 8 pin aftermarket hei modules? Recommendations for driving a MSD external coil? I need a new one, my stock module works, but doesn't like to drive the low impedance coils, sometimes the car won't start!! Ouch!!