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Which Ignition Component Is Bad/Malfunctioning?


Connor280ZX

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It all started when i was getting random ignition cuts while driving. Not something you'd normally expect out of a "cut". For a split second, it would appear as though my ignition system lost power or something, but then continue running. Sometimes at low speeds the car would lurch HARD when this would happen. The tac needle would also flicker/drop when this occurred. I could make this occur purposely by slowly pumping the throttle while driving the car. Dizzy is a rebuilt unit from A1Cardone which i installed 13,500 miles ago or so.

 

The expiriments began. Drove the car with no TPS; Besides the lack of power, car acted the same, so i plugged it back in.

 

Then, I unplugged the vacuum advance and what do ya know... The car started running perfectly. No more cutting, and the tach doesn't flicker/drop, though i am getting worse MPG now. (Been driving the car like this for 500 miles or so). 

 

I'm not to sound oblivious, but does this mean my vac advance is bad? I talked to my mechanic after i did this and said that it could be the advance weights, or pickup coil. but i'm not sure. 

 

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Take the cap off the distributor and look at what happens when the vacuum advance moves the breaker plate.  The pickup wires flex a little bit and might be touching something or losing contact.

 

Your mechanic should have suggested this.

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Take the cap off the distributor and look at what happens when the vacuum advance moves the breaker plate.  The pickup wires flex a little bit and might be touching something or losing contact.

 

Your mechanic should have suggested this.

Hmmm, that's interesting. Another thing to mention was during testing the car was getting 56* total advance... It's supposed to be 40* IIRC. The car is in the shop getting rust repaired until thursday, so i'm trying to gather as much info as a can to be ready to work on this when i pick the car up.

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Ok, so I opened up the dizzy, and figured out how to manipulate the advance with a screwdriver, and the green wire to the ICM was moving very slightly. I re crimped it, plugged the advance back in, and now the car runs fine again, no more weird lurching/cutting or tach jumping. I still don't know what the max advance is (Before it was 56* total), because I don't have a digital timing light like my mechanic does.

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