help with no spark

[4bangstangvert]

Cruising down the road tonight and the engine died on me. I still have full power and it cranks when i turn the key but won't start up. I know that I have gas so I pulled the plug wires and there's no spark. I'm thinking coils but i wanted to get some insight from you guys first.
Thanks in advance

 

[Mr. Merk]

distributor is likely broken, and the aux shaft

unless its DIS (i dunno about the NA 2.3)

 

[Touring23]

Edit

 

[4bangstangvert]

tried a new coil......still no spark

 

[16vstang]

Have you Checked inside the dizzy and se in what shape the rotor is in, and se if its spining?

 

[4bangstangvert]

Put a new distributor cap, rotor, plugs, and wires on yesterday, too....still no spark. I'm going to try an ignition module today

 

[Mr. Merk]

its the distributor...listen!

 

[4bangstangvert]

it was the ignition module.......but now it's tapping, which it wasn't doing at all before this mess started the other night. :damnit: I double checked to make sure that I have the firing order right. Oil level and oil pressure are fine. It taps faster when the engine is revved higher and I think it sounds like a stuck lifter but I really don't know given my lack of mechanical knowledge (although this is turning into a good learning experience). Any suggestions?

 

[4bangstangvert]

just a thought, sorry ahead of time if this sounds stupid...to get the old module off the distributor and the new one on we had to loosen the distributor and twist it a little. My dad swears he put it back where it was when we were done but you never know with him anymore . I know that this could be what is making it seem like the engine isn't running full strength, but could this also make it tap? I tried searching for what the timing should be set at on here but had no luck for the N/A 2.3 , just turbo.

 

[HyYoSilver]

4bangstang, most likely the tapping is from a sticking lifter. You could try adding some Marvel Mystery Oil to it; sometimes that will work.

The timing specs are listed on the emissions label under the hood. I think there's a particular timing mark on the damper that is supposed to be aligned with the pointer. If not, just set the timing to 8-10 degrees btdc. (If it dosen't ping at that setting, you can go up in 2 degree increments until it does ping, then drop it back down 2 degrees and leave it.)

 

[4bangstangvert]

I put in some oil stabilizer and it immediately started to quiet the tapping down. Then, I figured while I was at it, I cleaned out the Idle Air Controller, reset the idle speed and re-adjusted the timing kind of by ear and its actually running pretty smooth now. Thanks for the advice HyYoSilver, my emissions sticker has disappeared somewhere over the years (should've seen the trouble figuring out the spark plug gap) but I'll give your method a try if it gets rough again.
Thanks

 

[Mr. Merk]

def invest in a timing light, it'll save you much heartache and money