Help wireing Chevy ignition module...

[Jamie Miles]

I converted my '72 Maverick from points to Duraspark II using a TFI coil a couple of years ago and have put 32,000 miles on it since with no problems. My junkyard DSII module finally died, and I decided to try the GM HEI module like it says in the tech section of this site. I wired it up exactly how the diagram shows, orange wire from distributor to the "W" prong on the module, purple wire to the "G" prong. C goes to the negative side of my TFI coil, and B is +12 volts.

When I go to start the car, the starter solenoid just goes "clunk" and the car does not turn over. When I disconnect power to the HEI module, the car turns over fine, but obviously dosen't start due to no spark. I reconnect 12 volts to the module, and it just goes "clunk" when I turn the key.

Any ideas???

 

[Bort62]

Well, I don't know what the letters on the module are off hand, but I can say that the signal from the reluctor goes to the small pin on the module, the other pin on that side goes to ground.

The pin directly across from the small pin goes to +12v, and the other pin on that side goes to the neg terminal on the coil.

So, if looking at the coil from the top so that the concave side of it is facing away from you, the farthers terminal on the right is the signal, the closest on the right is the ground, the farthers left is the +12v and the closest left is the coil Neg.

Clear as mud ?

Where did you get your +12v from ?

 

[Jamie Miles]

Here is the link I used to wire it: http://fordsix.com/tech/engine/duraspark/duraspark.php Scroll down to the GM module. I have two wires comeing from my distributor, one of which goes to the small prong like you say.

In your terms, the farthest on the right side is wired to the purple wire, the closest on the right side is wired to the orange wire, the farthest on the left side is 12 volts and the closest on the left side is coil negative. My power is being pulled from the main circuit that comes in under the dash, and goes through a relay which is switched on by the original low voltage points coil wire. Not had a problem with it wired like that in the 32,000 miles it's been that way.

I just went out and tried it again after double checking the wires. It now turns over, but dosen't start. If it dosen't get going soon, I'm going to have to throw a spare duraspark module back on it since the car is a daily driver and I have to get to work tomarrow.

 

[inline300]

Have you tried feeding the module/coil 12v directly from the battery?


Good luck, Ive done this conversion before, it works great, when it works.

 

[MustangSix]

I think I know what the problem might be. A couple of others have done the same.

On the diagram, there is a wire that says "12v switched". That does NOT go to the solenoid, if that's what you're thinking. It goes to a 12v source that is switched on when the ignition is ON. You can either run a wire to the switch, eliminate the resistor wire, or find another ignition-hot source of power.

 

[fordconvert]

Make sure your source is live durning cranking as well as in run mode. The DS2 modules had that extra (white?) wire that was for cranking. Also remember the GM modules ground through the case, usually one of the mounting holes has a rivet or metal strap on it so that is the one you would want to connect your ground wire to. If you get the purple and orange wires from the pickup reversed the timing will be mushey and off from where you had it so if you get spark but it dont run right check to make sure those are correct. Its an easy conversion that works well as long as you do the connections tight/right and mount the thing on a good heat sink and use the white goop.

 

[Jamie Miles]

I think I know what the problem might be. A couple of others have done the same.

On the diagram, there is a wire that says "12v switched". That does NOT go to the solenoid, if that's what you're thinking. It goes to a 12v source that is switched on when the ignition is ON. You can either run a wire to the switch, eliminate the resistor wire, or find another ignition-hot source of power.

That is the way I have my car wired, I'm not talking about the starter solenoid when I say I have the ignition on a relay. I mean I have a 30 amp relay, pulling power directly from the battery, mounted under the dash that puts 12 volts to the coil and module when you turn the key on.

I never used that white wire on the DSII module, I just cut it off flush with the box and had the red wire wired to my relay. The original resistor wire is what triggers the relay to turn on and put full 12 volt battery power to the ignition. The original resistor wire does not power any other part of the ignition anymore. The HEI module is screwed to an old Pentium II computer heat sink with the grease under it that came with the module. The heatsink is screwed to the inner fender of the car, and I am showing good ground between the module and body of the car with a volt meeter.


I am going to take the HEI module back and swap it for another one, or maybe another brand (this one is GP Sorrenson, from Advance Auto). Maybe I got a faulty module.

 

[mustang6]

I'm going to have to throw a spare duraspark module back on it

If you have spare I think I would do that at this point anyway just make sure you haven't inadvertently fried the pickup in the distributor or something. If the module makes it run you can disconnect it again and go back to trying to get the GM modules to work.

 

[Jamie Miles]

I'm going to have to throw a spare duraspark module back on it

If you have spare I think I would do that at this point anyway just make sure you haven't inadvertently fried the pickup in the distributor or something. If the module makes it run you can disconnect it again and go back to trying to get the GM modules to work.

I put a duraspark module back on last night and drove 60 miles to work today with no problems. The only reason I want to go to go to the HEI module, is I was told that the Duraspark II module was made to work with the resistor wire going to the coil still, and the full 12 volts is why it burned up in 30,000 miles. I was told the HEI module was much more reliable also.

 

[Jamie Miles]

I took the module back and exchanged it for one of a diffrent brand (got a Duralast this time), and what do you know, car fires right up! So I guess by some one in a million chance I got a faulty module brand new.

Car is running like the timing is way advanced, hardly idles and hard of starting. I will try reverseing the wires like fordconvert says. Also going to double check with the timing gun that it's at 6 degrees BTDC.

Thanks for the tips and suggetions.

 

[fordconvert]

If the pickup wires are reversed it will try and fire the coil when it is between the terminals on the cap and the other problem is that the peak pulse from the pickup comes 'somewhere' bewteen the points instead of exactally when the points line up like when its correct. I think I was reading something on MSD's site when i figured it out and when I went back to where I saw the conversion instructions and re read them the instructions were correct I just didnt read it correctly. I think there was a version of the instructions that were wrong but were supposedly corrected. GoFast instructions say G the skinney one is purple and W the wide one is orange. If I can get to my car later today I will double check to make sure its right. IIRC when it was wrong the timing was like 20* off and mushey. It would run but as soon as I gave it gas it would try and die because the advace would move it too far out of range.

 

[Lazy JW]

... So I guess by some one in a million chance I got a faulty module brand new...

Not all that uncommon really.
Joe