Earlier today I heard some clicking every once in a while when my engine was running and when I start it up. It sounded like an electrical clicking like something was arcing(spelling?). It was definitely coming from around the distributor. Well my car started running like crap under load and wouldn't go over 2000 rpms. Shortly thereafter some popping occured and the engine quit. Wouldn't start again. I haven't been able to check for anything yet, but does a blown coil seem possible? I think that clicking was something destroying my coil.

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88 firebird formula
350 Vortec TBI
214int/224exh, .471int/.491exh
Edelbrock headers
SIX-speed
Eats LS1's with a 2.73 open rear and 2 1/4 stock catback

My Formula

 

i am by far not an electrical genius... but when summit mailed me a faulty coil one time, the car wouldnt even kick over, so.. it could be coil related, but i odnt think its bad. there may be a short somewhere(again, electricity is like greek to me.. so dont blast me if im dead wrong) around the distributor. if it does run, but not well... that would hint to me its more fuel related. so check your intake system.

 

Birmass,

You might have just found your intermittent miss and hesitation problem. A failing coil, cracked tower, failing distributor cap and/or rotor could be plausable. A failing coil wire would have a similar effect.

Sounds like it's time to test/replace the coil, cap, and rotor. Consider the condition and age of the plug wires as well. Open wires can contibute to coil secondary failure. Weak spark will definitely cause a miss under load and at higher RPMs.

The noise may have been the coil destroying itself. Open the distributor and find out.

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Later,
Vader
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"No matter how hard you try you can't stop us now"
Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0

 

Well, interestingly enough I went back moved the plug and coil wires around to make sure they weren't too close and check to see if there was fuel and when I went to see if the injectors were firing it started right up. I didn't hear any clicking, but that doesn't mean it won't be there at some time later. The coil is about 8 months old and is an MSD blaster, the plugs, rotor, cap, and even distributor are no more than a month old but the wires are about a year old. One wire does have a cut in it(by the header), but it's never given me problems before and it's one of those things I NEVER remember to fix. I know I know, I should but it always slips my mind. It's been like that for a while and I don't think it's ever given me trouble before. I also did some yinging around in the engine compartment this past weekend arranging the wires. I think this definitely has something to do with it because it just started happening. Is it possible that some of my wires can be too close and cause the clicking?

I'm not sure if this is related to my bad idle though because that seems to only happen in closed loop. I'll get new wires anyways.


[This message has been edited by Birmass (edited December 06, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by Birmass (edited December 06, 2000).]

 

I don't know if these are related but here's what happened to me:
Last week I was adjusting the TPS. While the ignition was on ( engine off ) I started hearing same kind of clicking sound around the dist. At the time I ignored it. A week later ( now) I have a bad hesitation and misfiring. Bad idle also. My car stalls while idling and cruzing with a low speed. ( The RPM drops suddenly ). It's like driving with a bad MAF sensor. ( MAF is fine ) Today I changed the fuel pump relay. Nothing changed. Tomorrow I'm gonna put my old ignition coil back and see what happens. (right now I have a MSD factory repl. coil)
Anyone has any comments ?