The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Won't start! HEI Module?

Hi, bought an HEI dist (6 cyl, 261) a couple years back. I don’t have an ignition switch yet and usually disconnect the battery after running; however I left town for a weekend and forgot, leaving the lead to the coil hot. Now, after recharging the battery from 2.5V, the truck won’t start. I am getting a spark, and it does seam a little weak but certainly seems like it should ignite the gas. I put my commuter car’s battery in parallel just in case and still nothing. Coil resistances read fine. Do you think I damaged my HEI module?

Dave, here's an explanation of module troubleshooting.

http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=190703

Also on this site a guy named Ignition Man tells you more than your will ever want to know about GM HEI ignitions.

http://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/showforum.php?fid/72/

Have fun!

Thanks, yar a couple links were gone already, but I got the gist of it.
I took it to Autozone and had it tested and the load tester said it failed, but i had doubts. Took it to Napa and it passed "both high and low". I assumed that meant frequency.
I pulled a plug and got a better ground to test the spark and it was sparking much better. I got it running (very rough) and adjusted the timing slightly and it helped a little but still nothing near normal. My next guess is gummed up fuel in the carburetor making for sticky valves/ports, because when I pulled the spark plug it was caked with black soot (too rich, right?). Also it can't stay running without the choke almost closed.
Any more input is appreciated.
Thanks,

Wanted to update this in case it can help someone in the future.

After taking apart the carb one last time and reinstalling it, I was checking to make sure everything was right and the nice shinny brass fitting for the vac. advance line caught my eye like porch light to a moth... oops. Connected the vac line and it's running fine.

thanks for the update, a lot of folks never get back
glad you got er done