About fed up guys!!! HELP!!

[91fullsize]

got my 91 rcsb 2wd, 383 stroker put in last summer with carb drove it 300 miles weather got bad in winter so i parked it an started it ever so often, but anyways the problem started with my msd box or distributor so i picked up an msd hei an dropped it in, ive got it powered up off the origional coil wire and its just barely throwin a spark off the plugs, ive been readin that maybe its not gettin a full 12 volts to the coil, what can i do here cuz im lost??? any imput wuld be appreciated willin to try anything, thanks guys

[MarkV]

Get you a 12 guage wire, and run it from the battery pos. to the HEI, that way you can tell if it's the voltage, or the HEI. You just have to unplug it to stop the engine, if it works good for you, you can add a toggle switch to it.
Good luck.
Marl

[91fullsize]

shuld i go ahead an hook up the tack wire or will that not have an affect on anything ?? ive read thats sometimes the tach wire unplugged will make it run but idk im not a wiring expert, thanks for the help when i get a day off i give it a try an let u know the results.. thanks

[04SilveradoMykk]

Interesting, it sounds like you have it right. The positive side of the coil is switched 12 volts and should be enough to supply the power for the dist. It doesn't matter if the tach is hooked up or not.

Just to rule out possibilities. Do you have the engine, frame and body properly grounded to the battery? A bad engine ground could mess with an ignition system.

[addiction2bass]

if you think its not getting enough power then just quickly run a wire from thebattery to it dirrectly just to test it out. IF IT WORKS then but out a relay and wire it up. if you wire the stock wire into the relays turn ON and then run power from the battery for power on the relay and then run the output wire on the relay to the coil. that will give ya all the power ya need for it and the factory wire turns it off when you turn the key off ;)
very easy!

[91fullsize]

thanks guys. an yes the engine is grounded properly with a ground strap an also to the battery, i just picked up a switch an some 12 guage wire later today when i get time ima rig it up an c what happens i hope it works because i know the distributors in rite ive checked it 3 times, it doesnt even sound like its firin whatsoever but im gettin a real reallly small spark off the plugs, also what shuld the plugs be gapped at?? just to b sure?

[04SilveradoMykk]

Depending on compression, on a performance build I wouldn't run any more than a .045" plug gap. Higher plug gaps are for low compression & emission controlled engines.

[91fullsize]

still nothin guys idk wat to do now, its sparkin but its not hittin a lick, apparently i dnt know how to put a distributor in lol, can somebody walk me thru that because im pretty sure i know how but thats all it can b , ive put in a handful of distributors but never any any trouble, pretty agravated with this thing to be honest, msd not holdin a good record in my book! anybody.......

[04SilveradoMykk]

What part # dist do you have? What ignition wires & what plugs?

I usually remove the drivers side valve cover, spin the engine over by hand and watch for the intake valve on #1 to close. Turn the crank over by hand until the balancer mark lines up with the timing tab. Than install the distributor and make sure it seats into the the oil pump drive. Note where the rotor is pointing, and line up the distributor cap until which ever location will be #1, before tightening the dist base clamp try to get a couple degrees advanced from the rotor pointing at the #1 pole. Leave the base clamp a little loose so you can turn the dist with some force. I do it this way every time and it fires up in a couple revolutions. Than you can dial in your desired initial timing and lock the base clamp down tight.

Question, What kind of induction are you using? Carn TBI or other?

[addiction2bass]

if the spark is to weak why dont ya try a new coil? i got one in my 66impala hei and never had any problems with it. maybe you just got a weak/bad coil if the sparks just not there.

[91fullsize]

im thinking about picking up a new coil. but the carb is an 850 quick fuel(carb works flawless) msd hei streetfire distributor, streetfire 8mm wires an autolite ar3933 plugs

[87_305]

Go get some good plugs ala ACDelco and the same goes for the wires and coil. Accel also makes an excellent coil.

[richmond2000]

if you are running a "big cap" HEI MSD check the carbon post down from the coil in the cap to the rotor as I have seen them brake off causing more gaps to arc across

[addiction2bass]

dude... check dates ;) 4-23-2011 ;)

[HeavyChev123]

well I'm curious to know if he fixed it too! What was the problem?