Ticking sound from distributor...?

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

SirRobyn0

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2019
Posts
6,746
Reaction score
11,347
Location
In the woods in Western Washington
First Name
Rob
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
C20
Engine Size
305
Thanks everyone for your help.

I went ahead and replaced all the plug wires… still ticking.

I waited till almost dark in hopes of seeing an arc. Took the cover off of the coil to see if I might see anything. Sure enough it is arcing all over place across the coil posts. This is clearly the ticking sound.

The coil that was on it when I bought it, one of the wires was almost burned through, and the video is of the new coil, so clearly something is shorting.

Here is a video of it.

https://youtube.com/shorts/XUV_zwDVjxM?feature=share

Well I was just reading through this and I was going to post that the only times I heard a ticking that was truly coming from the distributor it was the rotor hitting the cap. I've seen those coils leak like that, but not to where you could hear it. As to your other question do you need the middle ground, I have no idea. You should be able to tell by looking at the plug part on the harness to see if there is a terminal and wire there. If there is no wire the little ground arm wouldn't do anything anyway. Regardless that's the hot part of the spark in the video and it's not because that ground is or isn't there. That is suppose to be going out the coil and into the rotor. You have a defective coil, it's likely leaking spark through a fine crack in the housing of the coil. Take it back to where you got it and get it exchanged. You can check take the coil out to double check that you have everything install correctly like in this picture. https://content.speedwaymotors.com/...on_M_07f5b2ca-746b-456c-99ee-1edb003f8787.jpg But I've never seen misassemble cause what you are experiencing, usually an assembly issue results in a no start.
 

AuroraGirl

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2019
Posts
9,252
Reaction score
6,242
Location
Northern Wisconsin
First Name
Taylor
Truck Year
1978, 1980
Truck Model
K10, K25
Engine Size
400(?), 350
The original coil did not have a middle ground post connected to the coil outer edge.

The new coil indicated the middle ground post was for ‘early models’, so I did not install the middle ground post. Maybe that’s the problem???

Is that supposed to be installed in a ‘75?


You must be registered for see images attach
Thanks to sir Robyn for this previous reply item
This is what I said. I noted my caps some of them had wires and 1 or 2 had that tab you noted. Seems you understood well. As long as it’s present and not corroded on the connection I’m sure it’s good my current coil actually has the tab because my coils I looked at with. The wire had severe corrosion on the perimeter so i I used the clear one which had the strap with it already(newer I guess)
You must be registered for see images attach
 

AuroraGirl

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2019
Posts
9,252
Reaction score
6,242
Location
Northern Wisconsin
First Name
Taylor
Truck Year
1978, 1980
Truck Model
K10, K25
Engine Size
400(?), 350
That's funny.


Omg dude posted a KICKASS video!

:waytogo:

:cool:



Bro. Listen to me... Is this the OEM distributor you're throwin parts at? Consider an entire new unit with a new pickup and coil and a cap that fits good with fancy grounds and stuff.... It's not $100.
Take that **** you got and throw it away.
I mean if it’s not worn to **** it’s not worn to **** but if like you said needs anything beyond the old tuneup maybe.

Im having impure thoughts over this
You must be registered for see images attach
 

7900_Blazer

Full Access Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2021
Posts
151
Reaction score
105
Location
Texas
First Name
Francis
Truck Year
1975
Truck Model
Blazer
Engine Size
350
Fixed…

Even though the original coil did not have the ground post adapter, the new coil requires it.

Simple fix.

Much thanks to @AuroraGirl !!!
 

AuroraGirl

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2019
Posts
9,252
Reaction score
6,242
Location
Northern Wisconsin
First Name
Taylor
Truck Year
1978, 1980
Truck Model
K10, K25
Engine Size
400(?), 350
Fixed…

Even though the original coil did not have the ground post adapter, the new coil requires it.

Simple fix.

Much thanks to @AuroraGirl !!!
seriously? so you needed the band type ground is what you are saying?
im not saying i hate being right i eat that **** up but im really puzzled how the sparks came from where they did and the solution was the ground on the outer frame. weird.

but this leaves a good thing to note, your coil is gonna probably have some reduced life like severely depending on how long it did that.
and your carbon tracks will be conductive and i feel youll have stray energy leaving the coil and not all of it properly collapsing and grounding out for the plugs like intended. I think. Could be wrong i guess, but i would suggest another coil maybe part store will take itb ack if you say it arced itself like mad and show the video and just say if its that defective then you should be able to replace it(if it was a no warranty or strict warranty already)
 

7900_Blazer

Full Access Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2021
Posts
151
Reaction score
105
Location
Texas
First Name
Francis
Truck Year
1975
Truck Model
Blazer
Engine Size
350
seriously? so you needed the band type ground is what you are saying?
im not saying i hate being right i eat that **** up but im really puzzled how the sparks came from where they did and the solution was the ground on the outer frame. weird.

but this leaves a good thing to note, your coil is gonna probably have some reduced life like severely depending on how long it did that.
and your carbon tracks will be conductive and i feel youll have stray energy leaving the coil and not all of it properly collapsing and grounding out for the plugs like intended. I think. Could be wrong i guess, but i would suggest another coil maybe part store will take itb ack if you say it arced itself like mad and show the video and just say if its that defective then you should be able to replace it(if it was a no warranty or strict warranty already)

AuroraGirl, It only arc'd like that for a total of probably 5 or 6 minutes...

The whole truck is basically pieced together so I'm watching and listening for a lot. As I mentioned in another thread (harmonic balancer issue). I've replaced every body panel, floors; upgrade to a 1 ton axle in the rear (see the uploaded pic of the original) - upgraded the 14 bolt FF to disc brakes, upgraded (8 lug) Dana 44 in the front, replaced cracked bell-housing and once in there realized I needed a new SM465 (see pic of the output shaft below)... so new pilot bushing, clutch assemble etc...

Now I'm on to adding a tach, mechanic oil pressure gauge and manually wiring the temp sensor and fuel gauge.

I say all that because I don't really know what's going to work and what isn't yet, until I can actually put some miles on it.

I very much appreciate all the help.

You must be registered for see images attach


You must be registered for see images attach
 

AuroraGirl

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2019
Posts
9,252
Reaction score
6,242
Location
Northern Wisconsin
First Name
Taylor
Truck Year
1978, 1980
Truck Model
K10, K25
Engine Size
400(?), 350
oof that looks rough, but, im glad you said it was only short time. i thought you drove on it. like for a day or two

youre probably safe to send it you wont see the the damage probably knocn any measureable time off its life expectancy its already made somewhere they dont like to put on the packaging easy to find most often

surprised you arent going for a d60 front axle, just a d44. With your heavy duty setup you got going youre not detrimental to your ability with it im sure but its just usually people are ditching that for the kingpins. not sure if its tougher off road or just handles a heavier truck better or has stronger shafts or what have you but i seen what they sell to beef up a d44 too
 

7900_Blazer

Full Access Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2021
Posts
151
Reaction score
105
Location
Texas
First Name
Francis
Truck Year
1975
Truck Model
Blazer
Engine Size
350
oof that looks rough, but, im glad you said it was only short time. i thought you drove on it. like for a day or two

youre probably safe to send it you wont see the the damage probably knocn any measureable time off its life expectancy its already made somewhere they dont like to put on the packaging easy to find most often

surprised you arent going for a d60 front axle, just a d44. With your heavy duty setup you got going youre not detrimental to your ability with it im sure but its just usually people are ditching that for the kingpins. not sure if its tougher off road or just handles a heavier truck better or has stronger shafts or what have you but i seen what they sell to beef up a d44 too

Dana 60's are so difficult to come by - at least around here.... I've looked and looked. I finally found one in a salvage yard but out of the 6000 or so vehicles in his yard, the owner didn't want to part that vehicle - so still on the hunt but I'm tired of working on it and want to be able to drive it a bit.
 
Last edited:

shiftpro

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2012
Posts
4,855
Reaction score
6,086
Location
BC Canada
First Name
shiftpro
Truck Year
73-87
Truck Model
1500, 2500, 3500
Engine Size
350, 383, 454, 496!
oof that looks rough, but, im glad you said it was only short time. i thought you drove on it. like for a day or two

youre probably safe to send it you wont see the the damage probably knocn any measureable time off its life expectancy its already made somewhere they dont like to put on the packaging easy to find most often

surprised you arent going for a d60 front axle, just a d44. With your heavy duty setup you got going youre not detrimental to your ability with it im sure but its just usually people are ditching that for the kingpins. not sure if its tougher off road or just handles a heavier truck better or has stronger shafts or what have you but i seen what they sell to beef up a d44 too

Much stronger all around, but you must upgrade to D70 stub shafts. Stock 60 stubs neck down to the same size as a D44. Muito important if you want a locker up front.

Nice work Taylor on the dizzy advice :waytogo:
 

AuroraGirl

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2019
Posts
9,252
Reaction score
6,242
Location
Northern Wisconsin
First Name
Taylor
Truck Year
1978, 1980
Truck Model
K10, K25
Engine Size
400(?), 350
Much stronger all around, but you must upgrade to D70 stub shafts. Stock 60 stubs neck down to the same size as a D44. Muito important if you want a locker up front.

Nice work Taylor on the dizzy advice :waytogo:
It’s kinda funny my old coworker and buddy has a 68 mustang snd first thing I told him trying to hunt misfire and poor performance under load at rpm was his distributor for advance weights and not sticking and also his points gap and for wear as he prob had original or close to original points with less than 40k miles

few weeks later, he’s was like, “so what’s this distributor stuff you said again” after he checked Everything else lol
 

Forum statistics

Threads
42,329
Posts
913,810
Members
33,828
Latest member
builder100
Top