1st Time @ Track... Missed Shift, Lost Power, No Spark, No Start...Doh!

[86Notch5.0]

So my first time ever to the track and I was on my last run of the night. I missed my 1st to 2nd shift, bounced off the rev limiter and immediatly lost power. I pulled off the track and no start.

I have an MSD 6AL and an MSD coil. I got back to the pits and checked first that the rotor was turning to rule out the timing chain; looked fine. Then I checked for spark...nothing. Put on my spare stock coil... nothing.

Got the car home, pulled the 6AL and put in a new one thinking I had fried it. No spark. Dicided to check the coil one more time. Shocked the crap outta me and finally spark. Started the car and it was running very poorly. It would barely idle and it almost died everytime I gave it gas. While it was running I checked the timing... fine.

I shut it off and since then no spark. Where do I go from here? I am thinking maybe I fried the distributor (pip? or whatever) by over-revving. I am running the original distributor and bypassing the TFI with an MSD harness to my 6AL.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. And by the way... I was very dissapointed with my results at the track... But man was it fun!!!

 

[maverick0716]

So....what did it run before you broke it?

 

[281pony]

sorry to go offtopic, but i saw you have the crower 15511 cam with SD and thumper heads.

how is that combo? does the cam have a lopy idle? any major tuning issues? im going for that cam/heads combo soon and would appreciate the feedback. thanks and good luck with your car.

 

[86Notch5.0]

Well..

I was dissapointed. It's harder than it looks, let me tall ya. I don't have my slips handy but I think my best run was 15.03 @ 93 . I am running rock hard firestones and I was spinnin' in the first 3 gears. I think my 60's were in the mid 2's. I was also leaning out at the end of the track so I bumped my Fuel Pressure up to 45lbs and droped 2 or 3 10's. That was the run right before I broke her. I obviously have some tuning and some learning to do. And some tires!!!

Anyone got any ideas why I can't get spark? Distributor? Ignition switch?

 

[86Notch5.0]

Combo

sorry to go offtopic, but i saw you have the crower 15511 cam with SD and thumper heads.

how is that combo? does the cam have a lopy idle? any major tuning issues? im going for that cam/heads combo soon and would appreciate the feedback. thanks and good luck with your car.

Like I said, my first time ever at the track, so the jury is out on performance, becuase I am still learning and I absolutely could not hook up.

I love the combo. No tuning issues at all. Torqey as hell. Very snappy throttle response and a total blast to drive on the street. Fuel pressure is the key to tuning this combo I think. I am still messing with it, but it seems to like 40+ pounds. I have been running it at 40 with no drivebility issues on the street at all. Seemed lean at the track going all out so I bumped it up to 45 and it really responded well.

The idle is mild. You will have trouble with lopey cams and SD because of the vacuum drop. But I tell you what... It sounds pretty damn bada$$ when you get on it... I always turn heads.

 

[jerry beach]

Is the positive side of the coil getting power? If so, go to whatever is feeding it. I am not familiar with the 6AL system, but I would have to be the ignition box or the dist. You may be getting a weak spark when it is running, causing it to run poorly. The PIP in the dist. can and will cause an intermittant problem like that. Look at it to see if it is clean, if there is trash in there it will cause a prob. Check simple stuff like connections first, that is what gets by me sometimes. Good luck, and glad to see you are having fun at the track. I will be getting back there soon I hope.

 

[281pony]

thanks for the input on the heads and cam. my car is a street car only, so that sounds like a good combo for me.

 

[85fastford]

yes check all connections I have a 6al some times the coil wire comes lose

 

[Js5ohLX]

You would really benefit from a mass air conversion, also off topic, what kind of firestone tires are they?? I've never seen a 255/40/15 before. They have to be old.

 

[86Notch5.0]

Dang

You would really benefit from a mass air conversion, also off topic, what kind of firestone tires are they?? I've never seen a 255/40/15 before. They have to be old.

OK... <note to self> Never type up your mods off the top of your head while half asleep.

I just went and checked... The tires are Firestone Firehawks, 235/60/16. I was WAY off. Oh well. They suck for the track, that's for sure.

Thanks for pointing that out

 

[maverick0716]

You sure they aren't 235/60/15??

 

[86Notch5.0]

Followup

Just thought I would post a followup. So many times you search the board for a problem and you never see the solution.

Seems as if it was the distributor. My guess is the PIP. Dropped a new distributor in and she fired right up. Seems to run a hell of a lot better too. Maybe that had something to do with my times. Nice excuse anyway

Thanks for all who helped out.