What does the Control Module do?

so does the module replace the points in the distributor?

 

Yes, the control module along with the magnetic pickup inside the distributor replaces the points and condensor.

 

Do you need to have a different coil with the electronic ignition?

 

so maybe my pick up coil is bad?

 

very possible

 

People seem to think you do, I don't know why... I ran my car for quite a while on the stock points coil with Duraspark II ignition, didn't have any problems.

 

I do know that there is less primary resistance in the electronic ignition coils. It may give a hotter spark than the standard coil. I have heard both ways but the manufacturer almost always says to use a coil for electronic ignition.

 

electronic ignition coils give a hotter spark, standard coils have a resistor to decrease the voltage to save your distributor points.

 

Some have internal resistors - some - like the Ford coils do NOT have resistors in the coil. Either do the Dodge coils. That is why they use external resistors.

 

the first thing to do without spending any or little money is take off one of the other spark plug wires and switch with the one not firing and see if it fires the cylinder, if so you may have a bad wire,or one that has too much resistance because of age or the conducting has broken down,or the electrical system is weaker than when new and can't fire through the wires resistance,if it still does not fire, then switch a plug with another cylinder, i have seen new plugs go bad in a really short time , if you cannot tell if the cylinder is firing then, while the motor is running then pull the plug wire off while the car is running and if the motor tone changes it is firing if the motor sounds the same it's not firing.I would reccomend that if the cylinder now starts to fire try the original wire back on that cylinder if it fires it was the plug if not it is the wire or a weak ignition system,in that case go purchase a cheap inline spark plug checker and buy the kind with a little light bulb,the kind that you plug onto the spark plug on one side and the plug wire on the other and this type will allow you to see the color of the bulb if it is orange color you have a weak ignition if it is bright you have a bad wire.The ignition checker is around 6-10 dollars the ignition box is 41.00 the wires are around 12-40 bucks so a little checking may save you some money and you still have a tool.I hope this helps you and sorry for for gigantic run on sentence.