spins but does not fire

[WZ JUNK]

The old truck has taken on an odd quirk.  After is sits for a few days, it will crank over as usual, but will not start.  When I hook up a battery charger to the battery, and then crank the starter, the engine fires immediately.  Afterwards the engine starts as normal until it sits for a few days again.

I am thinking that either the ignition coil of the HEI or the pick up module in the distributor is going bad.  It seems like something is needing that extra voltage to make it start.  The engine and ignition is your standard factory small block 400 Chevy with HEI.

Any thoughts?

John

[kb426]

Check the battery voltage 1st. I've seen a battery with enough power to crank but not enough volts to fire the electronic ignition.

[BFS57]

Hello;
Had a similar problem with my hot rod! I pulled a plug, hooked it to the wire and grounded it where i could see it then cranked the motor over, it sparked indicating that the fuel supply was the problem!
Found out that someone changed my fuel filter in the rear of the car (some * I had doing some work on it) and they replaced it with one of those Mr. Gasket glass filters and didn't tighten it and I also found a "split" in the hose as well! Suckie, suckie, get no gas!!!
Now that I fixed it, it's great!! Starts right up!!

Bruce

[papastoyss]

Check the battery voltage 1st. I've seen a battery with enough power to crank but not enough volts to fire the electronic ignition.

x2, unplug the 12v wire from the distributor & check battery voltage while cranking engine.