I just received my new dizzy from RockAuto and it the newer style remanufactured by or for AcDelco. There's a sticker on the module that says "WARRANTY IS VOID IF MODULE IS REMOVED". I'm more concerned about whats hidden under the sticker or to make a long story short, am I getting a genuine AcDelco module.

I can't feel any embossed AC logo when running my finger over the label. Just need to know if I've been "hornswoggled" or not.
I think I'm going to peel the label back and take a peek.

Anybody been down this road before.

1986 2.8



Spoon

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"Kilgore Trout once wrote a short story which was a dialogue between two pieces of yeast. They were discussing the possible purposes of life as they ate sugar and suffocated in their own excrement. Because of their limited intelligence, they never came close to guessing that they were making champagne." - Kurt Vonnegut

Opps

[This message has been edited by Kevin87FieroGT (edited 09-11-2015).]

quote Originally posted by Kevin87FieroGT: Don't know about the latest Cardone distributors, but the Cardone(new style)distributor I git had a bad module in 1000 miles of use. I replaced the bad module with an AC Delco and no issues over 6000 miles. I like the newer style distributor over the OEM, just really diapointed in the module Cardone uses. This was on a 2.8 L V6, '86SE.

The ICM that came on my Cardone distributor also died after about 2000 miles... I also replaced it with ACDELCO but have only driven it about 300 miles since.

Don't bother the sticker. You should be able to feel the embossing if it's authentic GM. Just remove the module and replace it with one of your liking. Keep the one with the sticker as a backup. I think it sucks that you have to pull the whole distributor and return it if just the module fails. Especially if you're away from home and on the side of the road somewhere. Maybe a week to get a replacement. If the distributor itself ever fails, put the original module back in.

I think the sticker is on there as an improvement (?) in their quality control system. They must feel the type of module they specify and the way they put it on is 'what we like to call the Right Way.' Perhaps they are getting distributors back on warranty when the customer has already tried replacing the ICM. If it was me, I wouldn't take it off.

High resistance in the secondary (spark plug wires and spark plugs primarily) will cause higher than normal voltages to fire the plugs. If the voltage gets too high, that voltage will pierce a hole in the insulation in the ignition coil. That hole will allow secondary voltage to pass into the primary and then into the ICM. The repeated shocking of the ICM will cause the ICM to eventually fail.

Here is a lame video that explains it.



The bottom line - If you have had an ICM fail, you should measure the resistance of your spark plug wires - The max should be 20K ohms per foot. You also need to inspect ALL SIX (not just the easy 3) spark plugs and replace them if the plugs are too worn. Then if either the plug wires or spark plugs were bad, you need to replace the coil. There is no way to test the coil for bad insulation. The test would need to be preformed at working voltages (30,000v) to be of worth. Considering the cost of the ignition coil vs the cost of a tow truck, I'd replace the ignition coil every time I'd replace the ICM.

Never pull spark plug wires on a running engine with electronic ignition. This also will increase the voltage on the secondary and damage the insulation of the coil.

Yes you need to use a good heat transfer compound under your ICM. Without it your ICM will cook and fail. But when you see stories of people who have ran their original ICM (and the rest of the ignition system) for decades, and then all a sudden they had a failure and then they have failure after failure, there is a reason for it.

Definitely a CARDONE, or AC Delco is buying parts from whoever CARDONE's re-manufacturer is.

Okay guys thanks for all the info and the amusing video.
I was able to peel off the sticker without ripping it and underneath was absolutely nothing. Just a plain smooth surface. A no-name, a Clone, Orphan, Act-Alike, Copy, Knock-Off, Undocumented Surplus.

So I'd rather not take a chance being left along the road in the middle of the night so I'm going to replace this No-name ICM with the ACDelco one from my old dizzy. I'll put the sticker back on as a reminder and keep the no-namer in the trunk should a limp-home event arise.

Spoon

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"Kilgore Trout once wrote a short story which was a dialogue between two pieces of yeast. They were discussing the possible purposes of life as they ate sugar and suffocated in their own excrement. Because of their limited intelligence, they never came close to guessing that they were making champagne." - Kurt Vonnegut

Dielectric on the mounting screws and fresh thermal paste under for your AC. If I remember correctly, the AC came with paste. You will find Cardone used very little paste. Radio Shack, if you can find one open, has the paste in small tubes. Good to keep a spare paste tube with your new emergency module.

[This message has been edited by Kevin87FieroGT (edited 09-12-2015).]

quote Originally posted by phonedawgz: High resistance in the secondary (spark plug wires and spark plugs primarily) will cause higher than normal voltages to fire the plugs. If the voltage gets too high, that voltage will pierce a hole in the insulation in the ignition coil. That hole will allow secondary voltage to pass into the primary and then into the ICM. The repeated shocking of the ICM will cause the ICM to eventually fail. Here is a lame video that explains it. The bottom line - If you have had an ICM fail, you should measure the resistance of your spark plug wires - The max should be 20K ohms per foot. You also need to inspect ALL SIX (not just the easy 3) spark plugs and replace them if the plugs are too worn. Then if either the plug wires or spark plugs were bad, you need to replace the coil. There is no way to test the coil for bad insulation. The test would need to be preformed at working voltages (30,000v) to be of worth. Considering the cost of the ignition coil vs the cost of a tow truck, I'd replace the ignition coil every time I'd replace the ICM. Never pull spark plug wires on a running engine with electronic ignition. This also will increase the voltage on the secondary and damage the insulation of the coil. Yes you need to use a good heat transfer compound under your ICM. Without it your ICM will cook and fail. But when you see stories of people who have ran their original ICM (and the rest of the ignition system) for decades, and then all a sudden they had a failure and then they have failure after failure, there is a reason for it.

Again your post really has nothing to do with the question the OP asked,

To help th OP, the star type distributor is not an AC Delco part, the ac delco ones are the finger type, like the stock one. And the stickered modules are never AC either.

[This message has been edited by sardonyx247 (edited 09-12-2015).]

quote Originally posted by Kevin87FieroGT: Dielectric on the mounting screws and fresh thermal paste under for your AC. If I remember correctly, the AC came with paste. You will find Cardone used very little paste. Radio Shack, if you can find one open, has the paste in small tubes. Good to keep a spare paste tube with your new emergency module.

I have used the Syringe tubes from Radio Shack. Super expensive but good. I've since ordered them online.

Spoon

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"Kilgore Trout once wrote a short story which was a dialogue between two pieces of yeast. They were discussing the possible purposes of life as they ate sugar and suffocated in their own excrement. Because of their limited intelligence, they never came close to guessing that they were making champagne." - Kurt Vonnegut