1998 Chevy Astro distributor firing problems

1998 CHEVROLET ASTRO
170,000 MILES • 6 CYL • 2WD • AUTOMATIC
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KRBMONGER
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
I have the distributor cap, rotor and ignition coil changed several times a year. It can all be brand new and the van will not start when it is even a little damp outside. Is there another component that I am missing when I change everything? Is this a design flaw with the distributor? Is there a way to swap out the ignition with the old HEI distributor? I never had any problems with my old Chev ('75 Malibu) and I am at my wits end. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Jul 20, 2010 at 5:24 PM
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JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • ASE Certified Mechanic
  • 110,194 POSTS
  • ASE Certified Mechanic
Something is getting wet... but what...? Try this trick. At night, start the engine and mist water all over the ignition components to see if you can find any arcs. Something is short out and if you do this at night, you may see where the problem is coming from.

Try it and let me know what you find.
Jul 21, 2010 at 11:39 PM
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