no spark. tried about everything...

[stangster50]

ok. 87' gt. no spark at coil. put a volt meter on both terminals at coil, and get 12 from both with the key on. tried a coil, tried a dist. module, and still nothing.

the car was sitting for a while, started was running at 2500 rpm and wouldnt come down... running while we were figuring that out.. i shut it off, and now no spark.

i tried a dist. i knew worked, plugged it in, and spun it by hand, while checking spark, and still nothing.. while plugging/unplugging the dist. connector it would arc the coil every once in a while, and prime the pump... i just dont understand why it wont make its own spark, after trying everything..

even plugged a different ecu into it, to make sure it was not a problem...

 

[HISSIN50]

HOw did you check for power and ground across the coil's electrical connector? A test light biased across the two terminals should pulse the test light while cranking.

See Jrichker's cranks but no start list in the Useful thread sticky.

Good luck.

 

[stangster50]

i also put a testlight in between the 2 terminals on the coil, and it lit while the key was on but didnt seem to flash too much... just kinda stayed dimly lit.

 

[HISSIN50]

i also put a testlight in between the 2 terminals on the coil, and it lit while the key was on but didnt seem to flash too much... just kinda stayed dimly lit.

You have to be cranking the engine over or letting it idle.

 

[stangster50]

sorry... wasnt clear enough... with the key on it was dimly lit, while cranking, it stayed the same, a flicker when i stopped cranking...

 

[HISSIN50]

It should not be dimly but constantly lit. It should pulse on and off very quickly. An LED is much better for this kind of diagnostic.

If you have this, but no spark leaving the coil, the coil is suspect.

Good luck.

 

[dastang2]

it sounds like he tested it by crossing the negative to positive, correct. not by checking the coil plug terminal to ground. do you have a good ground from motor to body of the car and to the battery.

 

[87AODGT]

might sounds stupid but if you have a tilt column in the car and you can move it around, take the plastic off that is around it, tighten up the bolt on the bottom to get rid of the play. I had that give me hell and I went thru everything else trying to find out why I had no spark, and then later why I had a no crank condition, tightened that bad boy up and never had either problem again, weird but worth a look at