Now it's Petronix with flame thrower coil. I've tried swapping in 2 other OEM units with 3 different modules. I've tried 3 different coils.

I went through the Rave test procedure but I fear I have introduced more variables than I've solved.

I thought by buying the simplified 2 wire distributor I'd be doing a good thing. Now however since it eliminates the external amp module the RAVE tests aren't quite valid.

I've got power to the postive side of the coil when the key is on. I've got power to the coil even while cranking. But not with the key off. On the positive side of the coil I have key on, the condenser, and the + (white wire ) to the amp. On the negative side I have the ECM lead, and the neg side of the amp (white w black).

I hooked the two Petronix wires two different ways to see if that would help. First to the stock amp wiring and then directly to the coil. Red to + Black to -. Still no good.

One thing that I can't get out of my head is maybe I screwed up the physical install. Maybe I'm 180* out? I went to TDC on number 1 but maybe it was exhaust stroke ...even so...shouldnt it still produce spark?

 

It shouldn't matter where the dizzy is indexed, it should toss a spark off the trigger wheel. The issue of spark and no start or rough idle would be where it's indexed in the combustion cycle. Did someone update the ECU? Being an 88 is should have a 14CU for injection.

 

I know this sounds completely retarded, but is the coil wire to the dizzy in good shape? I had a friend with a 51 Ford Pickup with a flat head V8 driving him nuts as it wouldn't fire. He rebuilt the dizzy, changed it out, and nada zip nothing.

I came over and said did you check the coil to cap wire. He laughed and said no it's not that old and should be good. I removed it from the cap side and it looked okay, did the same on the coil side and once again it looked okay. Grabbed my meter and it completely failed showing open vs a short. Upon further inspection it was broken inside the boot on the coil side. Slapped on a new wire & the 51 fired right up.

Timing could be off sure, but it should try to do something.

 

Haha. I'll check. But I'm certain my spark problem is back at the coil. Another mystery was that I cannot verify the collapse of the primary circuit. The test light should be flickering on and off while riding on the neg side of the coil. It's not. Solid light.

This morning I pulled the Petronix out and replaced it w the stock unit and a module I know came out of a running truck. Now the test light rapidly lights up/turns off. Now I've got spark. WHAT. THE. F@$K?! I've tried this combo before to no avail. Now my problem is timing. Somehow I've fubar'd the timing. I've got to find true TDC now it cranks like it's too far advanced.

 

You can do the old dowel rod trick. Pull #1 spark plug, insert the dowel rod into the cylinder and have someone bump it over and watch the dowl go either up/down and after a few tries get it to stop as far up as possible. You can also use a breaker bar on the main crank pulley and get the same results just much more precise.

Then stab in the dizzy and grab the old timing light.

 

Got it. Runs now. Which would ordinarily be awesome. Now I've got valve train tapping. Which I expect on start up that hasn't run in a few weeks. Waited about 30-seconds gave a quick tap of the gas. Nope. Shut it down. Pulled the filler cap...bone dry up there. Verified oil level. It's good. Christ on a Cracker!!!!

I'm assuming it's impossible to fully seat the distributor with out it being fully engaged to the oil pump. Right? I'm trying to wrap my head around how I could have screwed this up.

 

Drugs.......

 

Lol. Nice. As far as I can see there is no way to seat the distributor fully (which it was ) with out engaging the pump also. GRRRRR. This experience is enough to make me run from Dizzy Rovers. Seriously. I'll take replacing a Crank sensors or coil packs all day over this nonsense.

 

One step at a time I guess. I never had any issues with removing/installing dizzy's in a LR V8. Only difference was they were all running with no oil pressure problems before it was removed. In your case you don't know what it was like before it was removed.

 

Mark your dizzy body to the front cover, rotor to the cap, lift the dizzy out (watch rotor rotation and mark once out of the cam gear, check the notch on the oil pump/dizzy spindle and adjust the oil pump with a screw driver. Your right it shouldn't, but it did...... patience is earned or learned.