Well, about a month ago, I decided replace my valve seals with the positive type, and I installed some stock replacement springs while I was at it. It hasn't been driven since.

When started, the choke operates properly. It has a slight miss and runs pretty rich, just short of clouds of black smoke. As it warms up, the miss gradually gets worse and worse until it won't idle, and it will stall(All before complete warm-up). Now to me, these are classic symptoms of a vacuum leak. I've had a stethascope in my ear for the past 3 weeks, replaced every vacuum hose I've seen, and I can't find a definitive leak ANYWHERE!. I've also listened near each valve seal while running, and those aren't leaking either. After that I got some vac caps and removed each circut from operation one at a time, and not a single thing changed.

I've adjusted the valves 3 times with the engine running, and I even got a second opinion on adjusting them to make sure I was being done correctly.

About the only thing I didn't touch in the project was the timing/ignition system. So natrually, that is the last suspect on my list, and it had come to that. I hooked up the light to #1 plug wire, and while test firing the light, it only came on intermittenly. I reved the engine, stayed that way.
I first suspected the light, so I hooked it to my 88 LO3, and it was flawless. Hmm... I hooked it back to the L69 and there was that intermittent problem. It appeared the same on all plug wires.

So, after all that, my question is: Is it normal for these 84 HEI systems to trigger a light like this? Have I found something that is out of place?

I am lost except for this one possible symptom, and it's been sitting for about a month now. If anyone has an idea, I would love to hear it.

 

sounds like either your coil or ignition module, but definatley a problem that's for sure.
Maybe someone else can call it either way

 

I am fluent with a volt-ohm meter. Are there some ways I can test the coil at home.

 

You can sorta test for a weak spark... take a spark plug out of the hole, and plug it back into the plug wire. Rest the plug on a valve cover (so that its grounded) and have someone crank over the motor as if you were trying to start it, although you don't want it to start.

Watch the plug while its being cranked over.. when it sparks, it should have a white or light blue spark. That is a healthy spark. If its orange or red, then its a very weak spark.

You really should check the ignition timing though.. should be around 8* initial.

 

Bad wires? You had to move them around while working under the valve covers. Most likely and easiest to check by swapping out with your known-good wires on the '88. See attached for additional ignition testing procedures.

 

Wow that works. Thank you naf.

One last question before I fix things. When I did the seals, I also regapped my plugs to .045 before restarting. Could this have damaged my componets by drawing too much juice? I've since returned it to .035, but the damage may have already been done before, I'm not sure.

 

Larger gap requires more energy to jump and more likely to mis-fire if other components are weak. Mis-fire=damage? Don't know the answer to that one.

 

Not exactly the mis-fire causing the damage, but the extended plug gap. The mis-fire would just be a symptom.

The larger gap would draw more juice, like you said. I was curious if the componets will draw enough juice to damage themselves. I would like to extend the plug gap as much as I can, but if it's just gonna fry the ignition parts when I go too far, I won't push it.

I ran the engine in the complete darkness of night, and I did not find any spark leaking. Could the wires go bad without leaking the electricity??

 

Factory plug gap is .045" so that shouldn't be the problem.....maybe a bad cap/rotor or the coil is on the way out?

 

That settles that. I'll get some new parts, stretch my gap back out to .045, and see how that works. Thanks for your input guys(and/or gals).

 

hi dudes!

this is my first post on the board - hello all
i got into this forum some days ago and it really turned out to be a great enrichment of my knowledge about thirdgen-fbodies!

i also own a 84 TA L69 H.O., 5 speed..
i'm also having problems with it, can't figure out what it is but i'll check out the procedures naf posted and get back to this forum with some results later, in an appropriate, dedicated thread

someone please correct me in case i'm wrong, but isn't an ignition timing of 8° BTDC the right one for a L69? at least my VECI label says that, if i remember correctly