In my 78, there’s a weird box on the right side by the windshield washer fluid, and it had this sappy crap running out of it. We removed the bolts that held it in, and the pictures below show what I found. If anybody know what this thing is, or has any ideas of what problems it can cause, please help. Thanks!

 

That's Your ignition control module, is it broken?

 

You could probably tell me better. The truck starts just perfectly fine. But, when I get it going, at idle it is very rough. ive done some messing with my jet screws and that has calmed some of the roughness, but not all. Although it hasn't drove yet, if I give it throttle, and let off, it will bog and die. The roughness seems to sort itself out if im on the throttle though. And what im reading now, thanks to you David, is that this could be symptoms of a bad ignition module and mine seems fairly trashed. Whats the likelihood of that sousing my rough issue?

 

It probably is, mine got hot and melted but its still okay. i've heard of the, melting and getting moisture in them and killing them. if you have another one try it with that but other wise i would replace it because it seems to have gone pretty bad already.

 

You could remove the worst goo , and re- pot it , with something flexible .its only anti vibration and to keep moisture out .

 

If the Duraspark ignition module is working, I would leave it alone and not worry about the epoxy. Those were notorious causing a no spark at all or would break down when they warmed up leaving you stranded. Never heard of them causing a rough idle.If you decide you are detetrmined to replace it, make sure you get one having the blue grommet. The other colors won't work. Those modules were a dime a dozen in the department stores back in the 70's and early 80's.

 

Im not sure what you mean by blue grommet, but thats what was causing my rough idle. Replacing the ICM fixed most of the issues I was dealing with.

 

The grommet is the plastic insulator where the wires pass inside the ICM case. They're color-coded by application.