Why do I have to keep replacing my control module? It seems to be getting very hot and it's causing my car to not start and die at idle.

 

short

 

Are you using the special heat sink grease under the module?

 

Yes, I've put the grease on it. Where would the short be coming from?

 

Could be your pickup coil going out.

 

How do you know if the coil is bad?

 

I am guessing your pickup coil wires are stripped, and the spark is grounding itself out.
I am sure you hear clicking from the distributor vicinity when you try to start the car.

A shot coil could do this as well.
As from my personal experience the distributors in these cars are good, but sometimes pickup coil wires tend to get brittle and crack and peel. This causes many problems that are hard to diagnose.

So, I'd say to get a new distributor and be done with it. 100 bucks for a new one at pepboys, or autozone, or checker whatever you got. Just bring them you'r old one and you are ready to go.

 

You can check the pickup coil with an ohm meter, I believe it should be around 600-750 ohms. Inspect the two wires going to the module for insulation problems and possible grounding to the housing. Voltage coming from the pickup is very small, you can also test the pickup by connecting a LED and spinning the distributor by hand, the light will flash.
Since there is no vacuum advance on these distributors the pickup coil stays stationary and the wires do not get the same stress but on them as the older HEI units.
Do you have the small cap HEI with external coil? Are you using name brand control modules, such as GM?
Another problem that can occur is if a spark plug wire or plug has very high resistance the spark looks for the path of least resistance which sometimes could be inside the distributor cap/housing itself and a spark to the housing can jolt the module into cardiac arrest.
Check the cap/rotor and carbon button for carbon tracks or any signs of sparks going where they shouldn't.

 

How do you replace the control module?

 

By 'control module' I am talking about the the module you said you put the special heat sink grease under when you changed it.
Are we not talking about the module under the cap mounted at the base of distributor that has the pickup coil plugged into it?

 

Yes, thats what I'm talking about but I just meant that the guy that changed it before I bought the car put the grease on it. I was there when he changed it.

 

Well, it's fairly easy to change, two screws and the connectors and that's it! Plus the heat sink grease, make sure you use the right grease, new one may have a small amount with it.
I try to use the GM stuff for this part, may cost a bit more but I feel it's worth it here, unless you but a performance one like Accel which are O.K. also.

 

I guess I'll buy a new one when I get the other tune-up stuff. Hopefuly one of these will fix the problem.

 

If the grease is clear, it's not the right stuff. Dielectric is not the correct stuff for the application.
Search for a post or three of mine, I've posted the Wells part number for the right spooge.

 

Betcha $20 that his pick up coil is bad,they'll eat modules left and right.For my money,I'd replace it while I'm in there just to know for sure.

 

How much do pickup coils usually cost and how hard are they to change?

 

I had the module checked at a parts store and they said it was good. So now I'm back to square one trying to figure out why my car dies after about 10-15 of running. Runs strong, no hesitation, fires on the first try but when it gets warm and dies, it won't start again for a good while. Any ideas out there please?????

 

Could still be the control module. When bad they will sometimes only act up when they're hot. May only know by replacing it.

 

How about the main ignition coil...

They will also do the "work fine until warmed up" jazz.

 

Sometimes you can verify a bad part which fails when hot by getting a can of spray coolant and hitting the part when it's in a failure mode. Because the ICM is inside the distributor, this may not be so straightforward. You can still give it a shot and spray the distributor base for a longer period of time. If the part begins operating properly again when cooled, you can bet it's at fault.

The GP Sorensen Pick-Up Coils sold @ Autozone are $10/each. On some distributors, you need the pull the entire distributor and drive out the pin which holds the drive gear onto the shaft and pull the shaft out the top. This should be pretty easy, but yeard of use leave the shaft caked with crap from the engine and if you force it may damage the bushings. If you have the money, spend the $100 and get a new distributor. It will come with a new Pick-Up Coil & ICM and probably will be of a new design which will allow the Pick-Up Coil to be replaced without removing the distributor. I tried replacing my Pick-Up Coil last weekend and ruined the entire distributor -- the trigger wheel cracked in half.

 

Have you actually determined that the car dies due to lack of spark?

 

Before I go buying a new distributor is there any other ideas of what might be wrong? I'd hate to buy a new one and the car still die on me.

 

And can you post the actual symptoms clearly? May help us determine exactly what's going on.

 

When the car dies after driving it for awhile, be ready to do some troubleshooting when the problem is in fact present. Carry a spare spark plug with you that has a ground wire with clip attached to it, use it to test for spark. I have seen various types of this tool available for purchase in tool catalogs, or spend $3 and make one.
Have a fuel pressure gauge connected to the fuel rail to watch the pressure for any changes.
If you don't want to throw money and parts at the problem, and who really does, then you need to be inventive to try and think your way through it.
If you do find that the spark is the problem, or better put, lack of it, now you need to focus on why! If you want to change the distributor to fix it that is up to you but did you really figure out what in the distributor was the problem?
Didn't you post that changing the module fixed your problem before?

 

Yes, changing the module fixed the problem before but I had this one checked at an auto parts store and it was said to be fine. Could it still be bad?

 

So, are you saying the problem is loss of spark? You are positive?
Modules are usually the suspect when failures occur due to heat. Note the word 'usually'. When the guy at the store checked it, was it hot? Did the tester heat it up?
They are not hard to replace, so if you have a spare give it a try. I have had problems with non GM modules not performing well or lasting long. The one you have installed, what is the make?
Ignition systems are very reliable these days, usually, there is that word again, wiring is more the problem, get the car running and do a shake down of the harness.
Good Luck!
Coils can also go bad with heat but the odds are against it, usually, they go bad due to an open wire inside and they just don't work. They are easily checked with an ohm meter.

 

Have the guy test the ICM while you heat it to ~240* with a hair dryer.