2.3 ignition hassles

[rusty hingepin]

Hi
I am currently trying to beat my sons 89 into some kind of shape, he was having starting trouble and it sounded electrical so we threw a new coil, dist cap and rotor arm, plugs and leads at it, and it won't start. i have a spark on the end of the king lead where it joins the cap, but nothing at the plugs, any ideas?
cheers
pete

 

[Dr_EluSivE]

Hi
I am currently trying to beat my sons 89 into some kind of shape, he was having starting trouble and it sounded electrical so we threw a new coil, dist cap and rotor arm, plugs and leads at it, and it won't start. i have a spark on the end of the king lead where it joins the cap, but nothing at the plugs, any ideas?
cheers
pete

Incorrect cap or rotor? Or VERY bad timing.

Dr.

 

[rusty hingepin]

thanks for that, the new components look to be the right ones, as for the timing, before we changed the parts out, it was having a helluva time starting but ran once it did start although from what he says with a bit of hesitation and occasional lack of power

 

[RustBucket]

If I understand correctly, you've got spark at the coil wire where it plugs into the dist. cap. but nothing from the distributor cap to the plugs. I'll ask a dumb question here so bear with me. You're grounding the plugs when you check right, or at least using the old "screwdriver in the end of th e spark plug lead with the screwdriver held above an unpainted bolt head" test?

This may sound like an odd thing to do, but put the old cap and rotor back on the car and try to start it. Keep all else the same. It wouldn't be the first time I've seen defective parts right out of the box.

 

[rd]

Sounds like two separate problems.

The original hard starting sounds like a dying tfi or a similar electronic problem. Could be a fuel pump or fuel pump check valve.

You need to pull the codes before doing anything else or you will chase your tail for a long time.

The easiest way to check for spark at the plugs, other than pulling one and grounding it, is to just put a timing light pickup on the wire while you crank.

 

[rusty hingepin]

ok
well i am grounding the plugs as i test them, i have tried old components back in the set up, and as far as i can make out, he bottom half of the distributor is ok or i wouldn't be getting a spark frm the coil right? or not neccessarily?

 

[rd]

Make sure the button on the cap and the spring on the top of the rotor are making contact and not otherwise grounding.