Ever since we rebuilt my motor, I have been having distributor problems. It worked perfectly the very first time, and a couple times after that. But one day it just wouldn't start. Replaced some parts(don't remember exactly which ones) and got it working. Then when we'd go to start it a couple weeks later, same problem. So we replaced some more parts(probably just put the old parts back on), and it started and ran perfectly. Then again, wouldn't start. Replaced parts, and it worked.

Finally yesterday, we said "screw it" and bought a module and pickup. Nothing. So we tried some used parts. We tried many combinations of 3 modules(1 new), 2 pickups(1 new), 3 coils, 2 condensers, 3 caps, 2 rotors, and new dizzy harness. We replaced everything on the distributor at least once. And there's power at the BAT terminal but not at the plugs.

The motor is not hooked to the cars wire harness, there's a direct route to the motor and gauges.. So we unplugged the tach, and nothing. We then tried to manually ground it... nothing. The distributor does turn when the motor turns.

The coil gets hot so that leads me to believe that it's a ground problem. Possibly a bad module from autozone or its ground somewhere it's not supposed to. I have no clue what it could be...Any one have an answer?

 

Ground the coil manually and check for voltage jumping to the plugs? Thats gotta be a grounding problem somewhere just today my starter wouldnt go, turns out the ground on my block was enough to power everything fine and even the oil pan was grounded but the starter was just far enough away that it wouldnt turn.

 

I'm assuming you're using a big-cap vacuum advance distributor right? The small cap dizzy won't work without the computer.
The big-cap HEI isn't that hard to make work. Check the voltage on the "BAT" terminal while the engine is cranking. I bet you'll find it goes away when the key moves from "on" to "crank". Also the wire to the "BAT" terminal needs to be heavy gauge (larger than #16).
Get that thing running! I bet it's a horse with: Isky Cam 252* @ .050, .510"(.541" with 1.6 Roller Rockers) 108 LSA, Patriot Performance Aluminum Heads...

 

Alright, thanks, I'll try that first tomorrow. See what happens.

Hmm... it might have something to do with the wire going from the battery. Since the car doesn't have its own battery yet,i use one from another vehicle for now, but it seems every time I disconnect the battery and the next time I go to start it, nothing. May not be the distributor at all.

A horse is on the small side, to be comparing it to that motor, lol. But yeah it's pretty beastly, I'll have to take some video of it when its done.

 

I want to see it shredding the meats at 6500!
Now that would be good audio and video.
Take some time to build an electrical system that isn't temporary and do I need to send you $45 to get it its own battery???

 

Haha, nah, Im waiting until I get everything else in order before I get a battery. Don't really need a new one quite yet, it would just sit there.