No Sparky Spark * I Think *

Everything's back together, now, when i turn the key the engine turns over and turns over, sounds pretty good too. However there's no spark. The car was halfway disassembled when I got it, so I'm not sure if I'm missing something or not... I pulled the wire going from the cap to the coil and let it sit near the chassis and I didn't get any arc. I think that means that the coil is not putting out spark, right? How can I test to see if the coil is good or not? assuming that the coil is good, what should be my next step to test?


_ Justin

the easiest thing to do is to spray just a little bit of starting fluid into the intake port while someone else is turning the engine over, (do not step on gas pedle)this isnt really a good way but as long as you use the least amount of fluid, its ok. anyway if it tries to start and then dies, your not getting any fuel. if it doesnt do shit, its your ignition. check all fuses and make sure your timing is right. again this isnt recommended but it is an easy way to trouble shoot. just a suggestion

timing could be a culprit as well, I set the timming as to the books instructions.... set the flywheel to the + sign, and the cam corrently... put the T-Belt on and tried to start... I don't have any way to check the timing really.... do I? I'm far from a beginer, but even farther from advanced :)


_ Justin

go to the parts store and get a chilton and a timeing light, for a newbe a chilton is your starters book but doesnt have all the info needed half the time. when in doubt, you could always ask the guys at the parts store when buying your light, most times you will get somebody that knows what they're talking about, the ASE sticker on there shirt is a good giveaway. these guys are the ones in it like us, for the hobby. they know all the short cuts and trouble shootings and very knowledge able cuz all they do is talk parts all day about people problems. i know this cuz i was one for 2 years. lol

I have a timing light and a book, how am i supposed to time it without it being able to idle? I don't get it... :)

well do you have you iginition on time with your compression stroke? and you need to find out for sure if your not getting spark or fuel to find out why your car isnt running and if it isnt fuel than you need to make sure that your timeing is to the spech in the book (i dont know cuz i dont have a book with the spechs with me, some one help me out on that one) and to make sure you are on you compretion stroke and the top dead center dergree you are supposed to be on and if that is all right you need to probly replace your coil i think, at least that is where i would start AFTER i found out if is the fuel or the ignition

and you cannt really test a coil, you cant put an om metter or whatever but that isnt always right. you pretty much have to get another one.

Have you checked your rotor cap and rotor? Take the cap off to see if your rotor is turning. If so, then it most likely is the coil. Could be the ignitor circuit in the distributor is not working and not sending a pulse to the coil. You can measure the resistance of the coil to see if it's open. It won't tell you if you have a slight short on the high voltage (secondary side) though. You can measure the pulse coming from the ignitor circuit going to the coil on contacts A & D of your coil connectors.
Hope this helps

is power getting to the coil?

The rotor is turning... that's bout all i know now... i'm really not looking forward to having to buy another coil... oh well... any other ideas?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by damnthesenames

assuming that the coil is good, what should be my next step to test?


_ Justin

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Check to see that power gets to the + of the coil with ignition on ,no power to coil,no spark, if power is getting there, then suspect a faulty ignitor

So my first test wasn't a very good one... I don't know all that much 'bout the electrical system... anyway, I pulled a plug out with everything attatched and found spark... Pulled the fuel line off the rail... dry as a bone. I checked the fuses i know 'bout (under the dash an in the engine bay) but i didn't find any that would even resemble what i'm looking for.... would is it that I am looking for? What causes a fuel pump not to pump maybe?

do you hear the main relay click on?

Ok, I followed the procedure in the book, that told me to pull the plug off the fuel pump and test the yellow/black and black wires for voltage... I found voltage... Here's my problem
How the hell does a fuel pump go bad sitting in my back yard???? When I bought the car and was doing a compression test the previous owner had undid the bolt that holds the fuel delivery line to the fuel rail. It squirted fuel everywhere untill I fixed it... Now I test the fuel pump and its dead? WTF?


_ Justin

Battery voltage was it? Try giving the pump direct power,terminals not corroded?

yeah it was battery voltage... i don't know what else it could be
the terminals are in great bright and shiney condition

You could have blown a seal in the pump. Does it run when power is applied? If so, you may have a bad internal seal or a blocked fuel line or filter.