What are the symptoms of a ignition module starting to go out?

What are the symptoms of the pickup coil starting to go bad?

My car will be cruising along, then it will stumble a little for a couple of seconds, then you just continue on your way like nothing happend. I searched and found that a failing module can show these signs, but what happens when the pickup coil is bad?

Thanks!

Sadly, I think the symptoms are very similar.

The ignition module is easier to change out, you just have to pull the distributor cap and rotor. To change out the pickup coil, you need to pull the distributor, change out the pickup, reinstall, and then re-time the engine.

I always start with the ignition module. If that fixes the problem, great. If not, I just accquired a spare module for next time. BTW, even if it doesn't fix the problem, I personally have both the new and old modules tested at the parts house before I pull the distributor. So far, I have purchased two new modules that were bad when first installed, and I've never had a distributor completely fail like an ignition module does.

It's the intermittent problems that are hard, and may indicate either the module or the distributor.

Good luck.
g2

yep, same symtoms. If its doing that, its usually the only sign that one or both are going out. In my experience anyway. Had them also go out completely without any warning whatsoever. Driving along fine, then car just says sorry, im done

The only other thing that the module will sometimes do is cut off when hot or not start when hot, then start fine when it cools down.

I'd bet on a module.....but it could be other things too.....like a plug wire for instance, in fact bad plug wires and/or plugs usually contribute to a module failure.

Phil

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GTDude
OVER 25 years GM experience

Everyone here has pointed you to the right place. Read my thread: https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/028310.html

GTDude and roger posted in there also. They were dead on.

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REMEMBER: stoplights synch'd for 35mph are also synch'd for 70mph.
(and for 140mph, now that I think about it.)

One other sign to look for is a tachometer that wobbles when the engine speed is constant. I had my tach wavering last time I drove my 88. The next time I went to take it out, the ignition module died.

Good thread Blake... What part # AcDelco module did you buy?

Thanks again!!

You don't have to pull the distributor to get the pickup coil off!

All you do is remove the rotor, then remove the magnet, then you can get the pick-up off.

For the stock Fiero distributor, you **have** to remove the distributor to change out the pickup coil. The spindle shaft has to be romoved to swap out the pickup coil, and the spindle shaft is held onto the main assembly by a pin in the lower ditributor shaft. Its not hard to do, only take you 30 minutes the first time (if you have the right size punch for the pin). I've done this several times, and can swap it out in about 15 minutes these days.

When the pickup coil begins to fail, you'll lose all spark when the engine is really hot. After it cools it will work again, but it will fail progressively quicker until its completely worthless.

Hope this helps.

I beg to differ with you. I have done it on a stock 85 GT Distributor and a stock 88 Formula!!