No spark on my Riv

Hello, my 71 Riv sat for a while and battery died. When I charged the battery it still wouldn't start. I put other batteries in and still nothing. I pulled the #1 plug and grounded it. First I had no spark then later I had a spark, then no spark again. All ignition components were new when I got the car a year or so ago. Any ideas why the spark is intermittent? Any ideas how to troubleshoot and test individual components? Carb is giving fuel.

 

It has an HEI distributor on it, I don't know what model from. I checked the coil with the ignition switch on and I got 12 volts on the red positive wire. Also on the white negative though. Is the coil bad? What else could be wrong here?

 

I just read to measure ohms on coil positive and negative and I should get 0.7 to 1.7 ohms. I measured 0.7 ohms. Then it said measure either terminal to center high tension terminal? I'm thinking it meant the center terminal the rotor touches? I measured that and got open on my meter. Is my coil bad then?

 

I just watched a youtube video and it said to actually measure from the ground terminal to the center and I get 14,000 ohms.

 

You can OHM the plug to the pick up . Reading should be around 700-800 ohms. Be sure to move the plug around while taking the reading . Larry is right . those wires move with the vacuum advance

 

Recently had a problem with hard starting and then eventually, no start at all. Problem was the magnetic pickup, as Larry mentioned. This was on a MSD distributor less than 1 year old.

 

Thanks guys. Yeah the car has a HEI distributor and I don't know what year or model its from. I guess I can pull it out and get the ID numbers off it. Then from there I can buy new parts for it. Thanks again.

 

All 455 Buick HEI distributors have the same pickup . And the modules are either 4 pin or 7 pin but I don't think the 7 pin was used on the 455 distributor. You will have to pull the distributor to replace the pickup but not the module

 

Okay thanks that will make purchasing a replacement easier. Yeah it is a 4 pin. Do you recommend replacing the module as well? Is this the type of fix where I should do all parts together? Might as well huh.

 

Might as well . I've seen more Modules go than Pick-up coils . If you are pulling the distributor to replace the Pick-up , a new module sure wouldn't hurt . Name brand stuff like Delco .

 

Make sure all the parts fit well together, I had trouble with the HEI on my van, connector for the 12V kept popping loose....no fun with a doghouse engine cover.

 

Yes I got AC Delco parts to replace it. Thanks for everyone's input. Hopefully this was the issue. I'll be doing the swap this weekend. Parts took forever to get to my house.

 

Hello there, so I am working on my distributor and I ran into an issue. I replaced the magnetic pickup coil with a new AC Delco D1999D, I put a new Crane Cams adjustable vacuum advance 99600-1 and then put the distributor shaft in. As I turn it the gears are hitting the magnetic teeth. Should I just let them wear out or is the part wrong? The distributor number is 1112991 6E27. Someone on the thread said all HEI used the same pickup.

 

No, the shaft is not bent. A few teeth hit a few magnetic teeth just barely but enough to grab. What if I filed a little bit away, its such a small amount.

 

Okay thanks.

 

Issue was mix up from factory wrong pickup in correct box. Bought another, put it on and it works great. Riv started right up on second try and ran well. Took it to gas station and fueled up, then brought it home. Tried to do the Power Timing that Larry posted and had issues with timing light (Innova 3568 wont show RPM in real time, holds idle, then shows 2143, then jumps to 9990 and holds). Larry if I could send a direct message to you someday I have some questions, but I need to get the timing light fixed first. Thanks for all the help.