78z turbo swap- no spark

[Guest 1978 z]

I'm doing an 82zxt turbo swap into a 78z. I've followed the bumblebee guide to hook up everything, and i'm using an 82zxt harness with 82 turbo distributor with everything else on the car stock for both models. I bought the motor when it was running from the previous owner. I've finished putting together everything, and i'm trying to get it started for the first time. My fuel pump also works with it pumping fuel through the system as I crank the engine over.

 

So my problem is that I am not getting spark from my coil to distributor, this includes no spark from the distributor to the spark plugs. My ECU checks out ok since it has a green LED lit up when i turn the key in the "on" position, and it works in other working cars. Would it be a problem if I start and there is no light on the ECU? I get power from one side of the ignitor, and both sides of the coil terminals, but i'm just not getting spark from the coil to the distributor. I've tried several coils as well, and I've replaced my ignitor with a new one from AC Delco. I'm running out of ideas could anyone please help? Thanks in advance.

[ihatejoefitz]

Check to make sure the ignitor has a good ground.

 

I had the same problem on an 81 harness, and it turned out the ignitor wasn't getting a strong enough signal from the CAS.

[Guest 1978 z]

I will try sanding the engine bay down where the coil bracket touches the fender to ensure proper metal to metal contact. This is the only way I can think of grounding the ignitor. Also, shouldn't I be getting a spark from my coil before I can get a spark from the distributor? Thanks for your reply, and I will post my results of getting a good ground on the ignitor tomorrow.

[evildky]

are you sure youre getting a good signal to the ignitor? it's a goofy signal easiest totest with a snap on smart probe ro equivelant, and remember the distributor sends out 2 signals one for the injectors and one for the cas which triggers the spark, a bad dist can still be sending fuel, also is the fuel injector relay tripping and opening the injectors? same tool tests the injector signal ans the dist signal, toolwahrehouse sells the same tool for less under a different brand, can't remember what brand at the moment

[HadesOmega]

fyi the ignitor should have a ground wire coming out of it connected to the chassis

[Guest 1978 z]

Hadesomega,

I don't have the ignitor grounded with a wire. Which color wire needs to be grounded? There are two wires that come off the ignitor, a Blue wire and a Black/White wire. The BW wire is going to the (+) terminal on the coil while the Blue wire connects to the (-) and leads off to a bullet connector. This blue wire is the only wire that I can see that could be grounded, but this wire also has a voltage to it when the car is in the start position.

 

I tried to connect this to a ground, and my BW wire at the top of T connector got pretty hot. Let me know if this is the proper wire to ground.

[Guest 1978 z]

Evildky,

What kind of signal am I looking for toward the ignitor? I have a +12V at the top of the T connector at the ignitor. I would think the ignitor sends a signal to the coil, then sends a spark to distributor to send out to the spark plugs. The thing is, I'm not getting spark from the coil to the distributor.

 

I'm kind of confused about the smart probe as well. Could you elaborate on this some more. Thanks in advance.

[Kash]

There is no ground wire coming from the ignitor, just ensure that it has a good ground contact when you bolt it to the car (what you indicated above is acceptable).

 

Do not run the blue wire to ground. This wire goes to the negative side of the coil and also runs back to your tach.