No Spark. Is it the ignition-module (Mallory dist.), the ballast box/rev limiter (Summit) or the coil (Eccel)?

Know this: the car in question is a '66 Chevy El Camino with a 468CID Chevy running 621 HP 560 ft/lbs and everything (except trans) from the radiator to the Moser 9" is new. Had issue in June with no spark. Turned out my (one year old) coil was bad. About 3am Sunday morning the car suddenly stalled on a highway ramp. I chose to flag people coming around the curve with a flashlight, rather than dig into it as I'm basically on the highway. It was a good call as several drunks still almost hit me. Got a flat-bed.

Found out the battery came loose, jerked on wire coming from the positive battery terminal (1 of 2, other to starter). Fixed the broken wire and now no spark. The coil is only 4 months old and I seldom drive this car.....maybe 1200 miles this summer. I will figure it out when I dig into it again, and I actually have a replacement ignition-module, but I want to hear your opinions first because I don't get a lot of time to work on it right now. I'm pretty sure it's not any more of the wiring as that has already been looked over and tested w/a volt/ohm meter.

Serious responses only please, from motor head types. No advise telling me to bring to a repair shop either.

2009-11-19T22:54:24Z

Mitch, shouldn't you be answering questions in the "Games and Recreation" section? The car is NOT a flatbed!

Thank you, Jimbo and Chevyracerman, for the logical answers. Chevy, the car does shake some from the air-ride suspension being set to firm at times. I have heard the same about Mallory modules, but I think I may just try a new coil first. The first coil was a Summit and the current one is Eccel.

chevyraceman_3832009-11-19T22:09:12Z

Favorite Answer

**EDIT** Mitch, I'm gonna answer this just cause its so dumb. He got a flat bed wrecker/tow rig to come pick him up the 1st time the car broke down on him. In other more simple works he called a tow truck to come get him. The tow truck that came was a flat bed type like a roll back or ramp back and not an old beam style tow truck. WOW some people on here
**EDIT OFF*


Mallory dizzys are known to have probs with zapping the ignition module with the slightest amp of voltage spike or loose grounds. I was at the track on a T&T night and my friends chevelle had a prob like yours. His ground wire from battery to engine block loosened up just enough to not make connection and that killed his Mallory ignition module

So if you had a hot lead off battery come loose, you know they always spark when coming loose, that could have been enough to zap the module.

The coil is another place to look too. I never had much luck with accel coils. Most I have tested has been weak out of the box and didnt hold upwell to high vibes like in a car with big cam that shakes the whole car, or in a car that launches hard, or in high heat.

So my money is on one of those two

Anonymous2009-11-19T22:22:16Z

Dude..... You have a flatbed El Camino? What part of Arkansas do you live in?

As for your question, it does sound like there's too much voltage getting to the coils and it's frying it out.

that, or, when the battery got knocked around, it pulled on whatever wire you're talking about and broke it on the inside. test all of the wires again.... it's a continual process on old cars...

meanwhile figure out of spark is getting TO the coil....

Honestly beyond that i don't know...

Hey.. for the record, do you have an american flag mural on your back glass?

don't get me wrong man... El Camino's are cool as hell... i'm just.... still freaking out about the "flatbed" thing.... and honestly i'm surprised no one else caught that

Anonymous2016-12-14T20:31:13Z

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Anonymous2009-11-19T22:09:01Z

shorting out coils, too much juice. Had twin marine 454 omc boat motors that happened alot to the starboard side engine, could never figure it out. take the coil off the other motor, work just fine for about 3 weeks, than burn up, but only on the starboard side, both engines were identical in every way.