Re: No Spark Problem

While working on figuring out [new] my no spark problem, I found this info on the StarQuestClub.com site. Much of it has been posted to my [current] "Need Help" thread (thanks to all), but there is also some new stuff too. Thought I'd add it to here...

[color:"red"] I just went through this myself on an 88 Starion. Since you have power to the coil, you should check the power to the igniter (knock) box that sits on the wheel well behind the coil. It's on a different circuit than the coil. The red wire should have 12 volts. If it does, and you have no spark, it could be your ignitor box or the distributor. Put a voltmeter across the magnetic pickup leads at the ignitor connector from the distributor (b, w), and see that you're getting a trigger voltage when you crank the engine. If you don't, distributor is bad. If you do, ignitor is probably bad.

If you don't have 12 volts, then check the orange fusible link first. If the fusible link is okay, then check the red wire at both the MAF and Wastegate solenoid for 12 volts. If all three are dead, then the whole ignition circuit is dead and the next item to check is the ECI solenoid relay next to the ECI computer under the glove box inside the car. To trouble shoot it, you'll need a schematic.

Also check your grounds. There are two that are notorious for corrosion. On the drivers side of the engine block, below the compressor is the first one, and the second on is under the battery tray where the ground cable connects to the body. Then there's the positive cable junction where the hot side cables all come together, and you should also take apart the black connecter off the white cable that houses a fusible link. All of those contact points have to be clean and corrosion free to get the right voltages. [/color]



Here's another post that was in response to one I made on SQC:

[color:"red"] Do you have +12volts on one end of the coil? The ignitor (knock box) grounds the other post to fire the ignition. The distributor has a simple wire coil inside it (pick-up coil) that can be replaced easily. If you open up the round connector from the distributor you can ohmmeter the two wires for continuity; a good pick-up coil reads about 1000 ohms. Wiggle the wires as you test; sometimes they fail right at the distributor body.

If that's okay, and you know the ignition coil is okay, then likely the knock box itself has crapped out. The black plastic ones (used on 84-87 cars) is fairly notorious for this. The metal boxed ones on later cars seems to be much more reliable. Roll up a napkin and wedge it between the fender and the connector on your 87 box - so that it flexes the connector a bit - and see if your truck magically starts. The failure is a wire that fatigues and no longer makes connections... but flexing the outer connector sometimes will "line it up" enough.
[/color]



Also, here's a thread I started here just a short while back that I ressurected for this problem. It has some good stuff in it Look towards the later posts with dates consistent with this post. Thread