OK, I just put a custom programmed prom into my 350 TPI car.

The car was running great, drove it around a few times up and down the street and no problems.

On the way to get gas I noticed what seemed like either a miss or wierd surge while cruising through town in 4th gear doing like 40mph.

I wasnt quite sure what that was, so I got home, dropped off some stuff for my wife, and went to go back up the road to see what the scoop was.

I No more than pulled out of the driveway in first gear and the car died and would not start. My battery was barely cranking the car over the last time I started the car, but even when Jumping the car, it would crank and act like it wanted to fire, but nothing.

I havent really checked anything yet, not sure where to start?

Should I check for spark first? then fuel?

To me, it almost acts like its not getting any gas, but i dunno.

I have been having a phantom code 34 that happens once and ahwile. was going to swap some relays when I got home to see if that fixed it, but i think thats a whole nother problem. Car would run (crappy even) when in the code 34.

Anyway guys, I need some guidance here, not sure where to start.

Thanks in advance!

 

I'd start with putting your old prom back in and eliminate the possibility of a defective prom.

 

JB22,

When this happened to me, it was a loose coil connection. The coil connection to the dist is usually held on decently by the wire boot but because my msd boots are a bit long I trim the bottom of them and place some dialectic grease on the tips of the terminals just to be safe. The connection that was the problem, for me, was the two wire plug to the coil either from your msd box or the stock ignition box. I would make sure this has not wiggled loose for whatever reason. This would be an easy check then if this is not the issue do check your stock chip like PneumaticTire mentioned.

Rabi C.

 

Well, the car ran fine after starting 3 or 4 times with the new prom.

I have had the dist. apart, replaced the ignition module, nothing, made sure all the connections are good and still nothing.

Its getting fuel, i can smell gas up front after cranking some.

I could see very faint spark with the #1 plug out, but very rare.

occassionally it will backfire a little bit, but thats about it...

im lost here guys... bad coil? Its a fairly new MSD coil, has less than 500 miles on it.

Im feeling very frustrated at the moment.... please help!!!

 

if your old coil worked i would try putting it back in to see what happened. MSD does make awesome stuff but sometime poop happens. the next thing is did you let car fully warm up the few times you drove it before this happened. if not maybe the new prom is bad and when it went into closed loop it went into limp mode in stead. it happens sometime that new parts are bad. belive me i know it's what do for i living and it will make you pull your hair out when they are. start with the last thing you did to it before this happened and go for there.

 

Well, I figured out what the problem was.

Turns out it was a vacuum connection had came undone under the throttlebody.

ugh!! what a hassle!

If only I had found that before I replaced ignition modules, coils etc...

thanks guys for your feedback, much appreciated.