Mishka777 Posted May 17, 2023 Share Posted May 17, 2023 Picked up a dusty old '95 the other day. Tons of replaced parts: new (used) motor, ignition coil, ignition module, distributor, wires, fuel pump, slave cylinder, flywheel, etc. It will crank and crank but we only get one spark at the distributor when I stop trying to start it. Any ideas? I'm on my second coil, second ignition module getting here tomorrow but I feel like it's something with the ignition? Am I crazy? Thanks for any help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchy Posted May 17, 2023 Share Posted May 17, 2023 Almost sounds like a ignition switch. That said I would recommend getting a factory service manual and going to the symptoms troubleshooting before replacing more parts. Also there is a chance it's something very simple that you are missing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted May 17, 2023 Share Posted May 17, 2023 Sounds like the coil is getting power, but the computer doesn't know that the engine is spinning. The first thing I would do is confirm that the rotor in the distributor is spinning. That's where the one and only position sensor is in this engine, so if that's not spinning, you won't have spark. That would also mean a failed timing belt, so hopefully it's not that. Are the injectors spraying fuel? If they are, the computer knows the engine is spinning, and the problem is in the ignition circuit. If they aren't, that's another sign the computer doesn't know what's going on. Double-check your wiring and make sure nothing got pinched or smashed during the engine swap, and all the connectors on the passenger's side valve cover are seated properly. You can download the '95 manual here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mishka777 Posted May 17, 2023 Author Share Posted May 17, 2023 Thanks guys, this is super helpful, I'll keep you posted as I make progress. I only have $800 into it and the woman I got it from put more than $3000 in repairs into it in '21 so I'm guardedly optimistic that I can get it up and running without pouring too much into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamellott Posted May 19, 2023 Share Posted May 19, 2023 My vote would be on the ignition switch. I'm not positive how the contacts align on these, but I had this exact problem on a Mitsubishi truck in the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mishka777 Posted May 19, 2023 Author Share Posted May 19, 2023 6 hours ago, gamellott said: My vote would be on the ignition switch. I'm not positive how the contacts align on these, but I had this exact problem on a Mitsubishi truck in the past. I was thinking that, too, considering that it's only sparking when I release the key. Also, it's one of the few parts that hasn't already been replaced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mishka777 Posted May 23, 2023 Author Share Posted May 23, 2023 Ladies and gentlemen, we have spark to the distributor! The ICU/ amplifier and the ignition switch showed up today so I changed the ICU and that made no difference so I did the ignition switch and now I’m getting consistent spark to the distributor… but not out of it. Still, it’s progress. I guess I’m doing the distributor next. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamellott Posted May 23, 2023 Share Posted May 23, 2023 Spark to the distributor from the coil is progress. Not getting it out to the wires and plugs, means that there is something going on with the cap, rotor and/or wires, not the whole distributor. The distributor is a mostly dumb device that simply times the engine rotation to the spark and sends the spark to the appropriate cylinder as it rotates, through the cap, rotor and wires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mishka777 Posted May 25, 2023 Author Share Posted May 25, 2023 Welp, this one is on me. Ordered a new distributor and while I was waiting for it to show up, I decided to chase the wires and make sure there wasn’t a short. I started with the big clot of electrical tape coming off the positive terminal. There were three wires that had clearly been cut and then taped that had gotten disconnected. I reconnected them and it started immediately. Lesson learned. If your guitar isn’t working, plug it in before you take it apart. Thanks for the help, guys. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted May 25, 2023 Share Posted May 25, 2023 Good work finding it in the end! Hopefully it wasn't the fuse links that got hacked up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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