HEI conversion trouble! NEED HELP ASAP!!

[TRIPLE-GREEN]

I will try to get a tester/volt meter. Or I will chuck it as fare as I can without hitting anyone.

I went with the HEI because I wanted to take out the rats nest that is the current system. I have what looks like 2 ignition box's, a ballest, a coil, some strange little relay and a whole mess of wires and unused leads. I wanted to clean out all this old crap and go with something that was all in one. Lets be honest, it seemed like a good idea at the time. Everyone I talk to that has used one on a AMC or GM says it gets a hotter spark, better responce, and better fuel eco. So I was whoo'ed.
   I will be honest I am seeing now why no one on this site seems to be using one. 

[BruteForce]

So it works on the bench and not on the car. Here's what I'd do. Set it beside the car, and with test leads hook it up to power and ground, spin the rotor by hand and see if it sparks (if it works on the bench, this should work no different.) Then, keep spinning it by hand while you stick it in the distributor hole. When it stops working that should be where the problem is!

[71chally416]

I don't know who made the one you have but the DUI (Davis Unified Ignition) has a very good reputation and has all the inherent weaknesses of the stock GM ignition that CP stated rectified. I considered getting one for my 416 but went with the MSD because I needed a rev limiter.

[TRIPLE-GREEN]

 
   I think I have to give up on this thing.
I have had 2 mechanics I know look at it now and they say the dist. is bad. I go back to the shop where I got it and it works out of the car fine. So both parties think the other is wrong. I'm at an impass. The car just will not allow me to use this thing. (I have angered the ghost in the mechine) I think I may just get a electronic ign. and rewire in the ballist. Go back to the old system. 

   I cannot efford to send the car to a garage and I have exhausted everyone I know trying to get this thing to work. I'm at the point where there is nothing I can do to make this work I guess.
 

[72cudamaan]

have u tried hooking up a ground wire directly to the body of the dist?

[TRIPLE-GREEN]

Yea, I even went so far as to clamping a jumper cable from the frame to the body of the dist. No Dice.   

[Chryco Psycho]

Ok so to be sure you have installed the dist without the cap on it & cranked over the engine & watched the rotor turning while cranking ??
 if so then the dist has to be the issue even though it works out of the engine

[TRIPLE-GREEN]

Correct! Strange Right!!
Turns during cranking.

[quagmire]

The fact that it works fine on the bench and is confirmed to be turning in the car makes me think you have a wiring problem on the car.  Have you used a meter yet to read actual voltage while cranking with it still hooked up?  I think you may have high resistance somewhere in the 12v side of the circuit.  A confirmed 12v reading with the connector disconnected could easily drop to 0 when connected if you have a connection problem somewhere.  Check for this, if voltage is too low while cranking the module can not operate.

[TRIPLE-GREEN]

I don't have a volt meter but I was thinking wouldn't this have been bypassed by connecting it streight to the battery. I mean at this point I am sure it is the car that is the problem. I just can not figure out why. 
 
  I am pretty sure I am going to just give up on this thing. I have to call monday to order the stock electronic dist. The car just does not want to run with GM parts. I don't really blame it. Just don't know what to do now.

 

[quagmire]

You can pick up a cheapo meter for under $15.  Everyone should own one.  It will eliminate a lot of head scratching.  What voltage is the battery at?  Without a meter you don't know.  If you are jumpering to a low battery, it still won't work regardless of the connection quality.  I'm sure the voltage is not at 12.6v anymore since you have likely cranked it quite a bit by now trying to get it running.

[426HEMI]

You can pick up a cheapo meter for under $15.  Everyone should own one.  It will eliminate a lot of head scratching.  What voltage is the battery at?  Without a meter you don't know.  If you are jumpering to a low battery, it still won't work regardless of the connection quality.  I'm sure the voltage is not at 12.6v anymore since you have likely cranked it quite a bit by now trying to get it running.

   A cheap meter is better than just guessing what is going on because without one there is just no way to know what is happening.  I wish you the best and hope you get it fixed.  Even if you put the electronic on it you should still have a meter to know what is going on.   

[71chally416]

Ezact

  A cheap meter is better than just guessing what is going on because without one there is just no way to know what is happening.  I wish you the best and hope you get it fixed.  Even if you put the electronic on it you should still have a meter to know what is going on.  

Ezactly. You might even have 11-12 volts when there is no cranking load on the drained battery, but have 8 while you're cranking it over. That might not be enough to make the HEI work. 

[TRIPLE-GREEN]

 

[ntstlgl1970]

Is there a ground connection terminal in the cap? do you have a ground wire attached to it?