720 z24 engine replacement and timing help needed

[datzenmike]

Pull the wire out of the distributor cap and  hold 1/4" away from any grounded surface.

 

[jagman]

I had a similar problem with my distributor until I found the condenser wire that attaches to the vacuum advance spade.  I now know that the condenser on my 86 is a black box on the inner fender under the aft coil. I tried to ground the vacuum adv spade directly to the engine and got a weak spark. The condenser seemed to make a big difference.. On my distributor I have 4 wires to the electronic module so they must have changed modules in 86.

[datzenmike]

Try the other coil and see if it gets weaker. Later distributors has 4 terminals on the module. The extra one was grounded by a switch that detected low vacuum under heavy throttle and this would de-activate the exhaust side coil to 'reduce engine noise'..... an interesting way to say eliminate spark knock from two flame fronts colliding. Under single plug operation the module automatically advances the timing so that no power is lost.

[Ab1997]

I have 4 wires also, what is the condenser you are talking about?  Which wire is that and where does it go.

 

Mike, I have tried that with both coils and nothing. 

[datzenmike]

I don't think the EI distributors have condensers, that's a points thing. Black box under the coil??? no idea. If this is a Z24i (fuel injection) the coils were not like the earlier round black ones.

[Ab1997]

No it's carbed , should I replace the coils again? Could I have 4 bad ones?

[datzenmike]

The chance of one bad stock coil is very unlikely.

 

OK to prove they are working briefly ground the - (negative) side of the coil with the ignition on. When the ground comes off the spark should jump.

[Ab1997]

Update. Still no fire. It does not spark when placed near neg. 

 

The only way I get power on coil is ground tester to the truck and then there is power to BOTH side of the coil connection. But NO power to plug wire coming out of coils. The same thing on both coils. 

[banzai510(hainz)]

If you have power to both side of coil means you got power there that is normal.

take the coil center wire from the distributor cap and place near ground.Try then starting and see if if you get spark. So maybe the distributor is not telling the coil to fire.

[datzenmike]

On 5/10/2020 at 7:17 PM, datzenmike said:

The chance of one bad stock coil is very unlikely.

 

OK to prove they are working briefly ground the - (negative) side of the coil with the ignition on. When the ground comes off the spark should jump.

 

The above will prove if the coil is making a spark or not.

 

Make a ground wire and ground one end. Bolt it to something on the fender.

 

Pull wire out of distributor cap and hold 1/4" away from something grounded like the mount that holds the coil. NOT the coil negative!

Touch the grounded wire briefly to the coil negative terminal and release. When released the spark should jump the gap.