Distributor modules

[boblx2a]

Is there a trick to buying a good distributor modules for a C4? I have bought two so far after my original went bad and so far no luck. In both cases I bought their "Top of the line" modules and one of them lasted an hour while the other one would not even start the engine.
My next guess is to buy a dealer module and see if my luck improves. Am I missing something?
I recently heard a rattle in the distributor which turned out to be the screws had come completly out of the rotor and it was loose. The engine ran okay at idle but got quite noisy when I goosed it. I replaced the rotor and cap with a dealer part but did not think of replacing the module. About 2 weeks later the module died then the above scenario took place.
Today I will try a dealer module unless someone can give me some advice as to what I may be doing wrong. Not much in the distributor other then the pickup coil which I don't beleive could be causing these modules to fail. The first part I used was made in the U.S. but the 2nd one was made in Hong Kong. Not sure if that has anything to do with their failures.

Anyone have any experience with this kind of thing.


Thanks............Bob

[Hrtbeat1]

Try replacing the module wiring harness. It happened to mine much the same as yours. The ground wire will sometimes go bad and cause the module to short out.

[boblx2a]

Well here is what appears to have happened: The original module, with 67K miles on it, appears to have died. I bought another module at a parts store (Chevy dealer was going to take 2 days to get one) and it lasted about an hour and also crashed. I bought another one at another parts store and it would not even start the car. By this time the Chevy dealer had one so I bought it too. It also would not starf the car. I finally took the top off of the coil and there was the reason, the coil was toast! I guess the module that only lasted an hour shorted and took the coil with it. At least I am hoping it is something like that. I made it to work with it today (but then I did that the last time! ) but I have not yet made it back home. Hopefully this issue is behind me. There is really not much in the distributor to go bad beside the module, the coil and the pickup coil. That capacitor in there is just for noise suprression but I guess if it shorted it could cause some problems.
The guy at the parts store where I bought the coil said he had heard of this happening but not very often. That was comforting!


Thanks for your help...............Bob

[oldace84]

Originally Posted by Hrtbeat1

Try replacing the module wiring harness. It happened to mine much the same as yours. The ground wire will sometimes go bad and cause the module to short out.

I agree.
Same thing I did on my '84.
Good Luck.