help with no spark

4bangstangvert

Member

Jun 8, 2003

81

0

7

Pittsburgh

Aug 6, 2005

#1

• Aug 6, 2005

• #1

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

New Member

Aug 5, 2005

72

0

0

NW Arkansas

Aug 6, 2005

#2

• Aug 6, 2005

• #2

distributor is likely broken, and the aux shaft

unless its DIS (i dunno about the NA 2.3)

 

T

Touring23

Founding Member

Dec 29, 2001

294

0

0

Washington

Aug 6, 2005

#3

• Aug 6, 2005

• #3

Edit

 

4bangstangvert

Member

Jun 8, 2003

81

0

7

Pittsburgh

Aug 6, 2005

#4

• Aug 6, 2005

• #4

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

 

16vstang

New Member

Oct 8, 2004

100

0

0

Way up in Maine

Aug 6, 2005

#5

• Aug 6, 2005

• #5

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

 

4bangstangvert

Member

Jun 8, 2003

81

0

7

Pittsburgh

Aug 7, 2005

#6

• Aug 7, 2005

• #6

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

New Member

Aug 5, 2005

72

0

0

NW Arkansas

Aug 7, 2005

#7

• Aug 7, 2005

• #7

its the distributor...listen!

 

4bangstangvert

Member

Jun 8, 2003

81

0

7

Pittsburgh

Aug 7, 2005

#8

• Aug 7, 2005

• #8

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

Member

Jun 8, 2003

81

0

7

Pittsburgh

Aug 7, 2005

#9

• Aug 7, 2005

• #9

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

Founding Member

Jul 11, 2000

1,339

1

38

On a creeper, underneath the car

Aug 7, 2005

#10

• Aug 7, 2005

• #10

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

Member

Jun 8, 2003

81

0

7

Pittsburgh

Aug 7, 2005

#11

• Aug 7, 2005

• #11

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

New Member

Aug 5, 2005

72

0

0

NW Arkansas

Aug 8, 2005

#12

• Aug 8, 2005

• #12

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