I'm not a 3.0 expert, but I may be able to make a rescue party as well.

This is a "poster thread" for the differences between here and pIrate. Don't mean to say they are all bad, just living in a different place. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

this may have been metioned way back on the thread,,but what about the ingnition switch,,,not the keyed part but the switch that bolts on the backside of it. There's like 5 Big wire going into it. I had a worn/bent terminal inside the switch that gave me some wierd behaviors. It's been awhile and I'm getting oldtimers so I don't recall details tonite. If that fat black with a white tracer had a break in it your starter would still turn over-(black/yellow wire)-, and -blue/white- wire would feed acces. but ign. system wouldn,t get juice.
Sorry if this was covered already.

Sorry for the hiatus. Between sister's wedding, no internet access, work, and sick kids I have had to lay low.

Still in the same place. Though I bought some a couple toys:

probe

spacers



Very true. You guys are awesome for sticking with me. I would have otherwise given up long ago. I'm going to give it one more weekend, then I might want to take the cavalry up on the rescue offer.



This sounds like something to explore... I can't seem to find a diagram in the fsm (that I can understand at least) that shows this relationship. One is oversimplified and only shows the starter circuit, and another shows ecu connections but I don't see the actual ignition components. Which diagram should I be looking at? I will at least poke around at those connectors, and use my new piercing probe to test some more of the harness.

Thanks again.

I have 2 tips for you.

#1 Poke some LED's down into the backside of the injector clips. You should be able to get them to contact the leads, and still have it installed on the injector. This will give you a visual of when / if the ecu is firing the injectors. If it doesnt light up when you first try it, flip the LED around to make sure the polarity is correct..... Tis a diode afterall. This will tell you if the ECU is firing the injectors or not. If not, you have some sort of issue in the ECU, or wiring, or sensor. If it IS firing them, then you have a fuel system issue. Clogged lines, clogged injector screens, pump that is not putting out enough pressure, clogged filter.... etc. I know you said you pulled the line off, and it pumped fuel, BUT, it may not be putting out the required pressure.

#2 There's no replacement for a fuel pressure gauge in this instance, BUT, try to "kink" the rubber line on the return from the motor.... to make it build up higher pressure inside the rails. You should be able to "feel" the pressure build up inside it.

On my switch it was the starter that wasn't ingauging as I recall. I got a new swith at NAPA for like $25 and it cured it.
I took the switch apart and nothing was too obviuos. The terminals could be wiggles a bit(which may not be abnormal) and I belive the contacts were worn thin.
I'm picturing your contact cracked or snapped off(if I'm still understanding your problem as no juice or intermitant juice at coil).
The diagram for the switch is in simpler diagrams like "starting curcuit; lighting curcuit; , etc. In vol. 2 I think. I still use paper books, the computer <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" /> stuff is for you young smart guys with newish computers.
I don't have my book with me.

Aahh. Finally some spare time. I'm home alone today, no kids, coffee'd up, got a short hike in on good old Rufner Mtn, and now headed out to the driveway. Hopefully back with some good news. THANKS guys for keeping the ideas coming...

1) No change. No longer getting "TPS, etc" code.

2) I have continuity from coil connector (primary side) to the connector that goes to the LC (square metal thing). I DO get high resistance (2.2k ohm) if I put DVM leads on the 2 wires coming in and out of the LC. Is that ok? Someone earlier (Dave?) said they bypassed this component with no problems. Should I try that?

3)power transistor tests good. I was not able to make this second part work with my DVM--wasn't fast enough. Probably an analog one would be handy here. However, I hooked up an LED as described and I got pulsing illuminations on the LED. So PT is getting signal from ECU it seems.

So what component specifically sends tach signal to dash tachometer and ECU?

And Dave, I took the steering column cover off and poked at the ignition switch. I don't see anything that comes apart. there are several thick wires going into the back of the cylinder. I did not see a way to take those out. Should I be tracing them down to a connector somewhere? Did not see any connector downstream, it looked like it continued on into the dash. There WAS a small connector coming out of the side of the ignition switch right near the keyed part, but it looked ok and jiggling and snugging of all above wires during cranking didn't yield any new behavior.

Sigh...my wife is running out of patience with me. Its to the point where I have to work on this thing when she's asleep or away in order to avoid "wifely comments" <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />. Thank you, son, for taking a long nap for me...

LR: No signs of life from the injectors. I can feel pressure building up inside the fuel lines. I kinked the return line as well as I could while neighbor cranked but no difference.



Also...I cleaned all the main chassis grounds I could find. To be SURE, I retested for spark at several ground locations. I feel pretty darn confident there is no spark.

OK well.. If you have no spark, and no "injector signal", AND the ECU is priming up the fuel system..........

I'd be willing to bet your ecu is not seeing the motor spinning. I'd guess Crank position sensor, or distributor pickup, or however the ecu sees that the engine is spinning, is broken, or damaged, or disconnected somehow.