Still chasing the no start......

rocky

rocky

NAS-ROW Addict
Those of you who know me and my truck Nigel, know that from time to time, Nigel will point blank refuse to start. Everything short of the Distributor has been replaced. I swear multiple times. I've chased this gremlin for four years now. Its ignition not fuel related.

Most public time he did it was at WR 2016...ultimately he started but it was classic Nigel. One cylinder...then nothing then two then nothing...like the movies of WW2 bomber engines starting....

Currently it seems that anytime it rains or high humidity it refuses to start. Yesterday it poured but dried out by the time I got to him and he started on the button. Its frustratingly erratic. (I suppose I should go out and try him now....I know he is listening to me)

Been considering wholesale replacement of the Distributor. Its the only original part left.
I was talking this through with Brian at BDR, and without prompting, he made the same suggestion.

So before I order from my fav supplier, Zach-North, and drop another $200 on this frustrating problem, what do you think?
 
L

lordhelemt

Well-known member
rocky said:
Those of you who know me and my truck Nigel, know that from time to time, Nigel will point blank refuse to start. Everything short of the Distributor has been replaced. I swear multiple times. I've chased this gremlin for four years now. Its ignition not fuel related.

Most public time he did it was at WR 2016...ultimately he started but it was classic Nigel. One cylinder...then nothing then two then nothing...like the movies of WW2 bomber engines starting....

Currently it seems that anytime it rains or high humidity it refuses to start. Yesterday it poured but dried out by the time I got to him and he started on the button. Its frustratingly erratic. (I suppose I should go out and try him now....I know he is listening to me)

Been considering wholesale replacement of the Distributor. Its the only original part left.
I was talking this through with Brian at BDR, and without prompting, he made the same suggestion.

So before I order from my fav supplier, Zach-North, and drop another $200 on this frustrating problem, what do you think?
Click to expand...


Replace your cap/rotor with a known good one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
R

Red90

Well-known member
Let start with what engine we are discussing. Does it have a points distributor or electronic ignition? If you do get a new distributor, make sure it is a modern HEI electronic unit.

I'm "assuming" the cap has been replaced as he stated every else has been replaced.
 
MountainD

MountainD

Technical Excellence Contributor
Are you getting power to the coil during the cranking? If not, check your ignition switch. Mine showed power on ACC key position but during the actual cranking it dropped out. And occasionally while driving--just for a second or so. Drove me nuts. Finally when it wasn't starting, I was able to trouble shoot and that is what I found. turned out the ignition switch was separating--simple fix, but difficult to find and I had started throwing parts at the truck to no avail. at least check it out...
 
Uncle Douglas

Uncle Douglas

Well-known member
Callsign: delete
I dont have patience for slow and methodical.

I'd swap that beootch distributor in a New York min- ok usualy takes me more like 10.

FWIW I have had a couple of brand new ignition parts fail in alarmingly short periods of time,
like a week, usually rotors shorting down the shaft of the distributor.

I'm now running the cheap crap blue plastic stuff as I had horrible luck with oem Lucas.
Down to three 4.2 powered trucks with distributors. Hate a distributor.

What MountainD said about switches as well. Trey's 110 died recently. If he held the key in a certain position it would run. New switch was $12 and fixed it.
Rant over.
 
rocky

rocky

NAS-ROW Addict
I have been delinquent in circling back on this thread after the problem was found.
I pulled the ecu out one day and low and behold water dripped out. One of those jeezlouize moments. So I swapped in my back up. Admittedly my ecu is BH mounted so now I have to trace and eliminate the source of water ingress.... it?s a Defender.
This could take time.
 
Jeff B

Jeff B

Well-known member
Uncle Douglas said:
What MountainD said about switches as well. Trey's 110 died recently. If he held the key in a certain position it would run. New switch was $12 and fixed it.
Rant over.
Click to expand...

Ha- my RR Hunter did this exact same thing.
Replaced with another switch and was good but now have put in a Carling switch ala Lavender.


Rocky, is there a battery in the engine ECU or is it just a circuit board?
I’ve swapped many out but never opened one up.



.
 
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