86 2M4 - No Spark
Printed From: West Coast Fieros
Category: Technical Topics Forum
Forum Name: Technical Questions and Discussions
Forum Description: Got a technical question about your fiero? ask it here.
URL: http://www.westcoastfieros.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1148
Printed Date: 23 April 2025 at 4:13pm
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Topic: 86 2M4 - No Spark
Posted By: Matt
Subject: 86 2M4 - No Spark
Date Posted: 03 February 2009 at 1:53pm
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Here is the picture... 1. No spark to plugs. (with new cap and rotor) 2. TBI is not spitting fuel when iginition is turned on nor when it's being cranked. 3. Distributor spins on engine crank. 4. Distributor pick up coil is rusty 5. Ignition coil is still magnetic but 4 prong white and black male imputs are very corroded. 6. No codes Have yet to use Ohm Meter on pickup and ignition coil. Will post results when I find them. The funny is, it was running great on Dec 29. Then sat since Dec 29-Jan29. Tried it on Jan 29 and it would not start. Any other suggestions on what to look for, check, etc. ------------- I wanna go fast. |
Replies:
Posted By: D_sensitized
Date Posted: 03 February 2009 at 5:35pm
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have you checked the fuel filter? it could be clogged |
Posted By: Dr.Fiero
Date Posted: 03 February 2009 at 6:36pm
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Meter across the 2 p/u coil wires. Should read about 7-800 ohms. If that's crusty/rusty/etc swap it out - it'll just fail shortly anyhow. If it does check out OK though, replace ignition module. Make sure the base is CLEAN and FLAT. Use the correct heat sink compound, and don't pile it on. edit: forgot to mention... if the module is shot, the coil needs replacing, and there's any question at all about the rest of it - I've recently found it's a better economy to pick up a complete reman dist assy. Might be a few bucks more, but cheaper in the long run. |
Posted By: Buddy
Date Posted: 03 February 2009 at 6:38pm
| Oh Boy, check fuel filter for a no spark? Time to start interviewing first Cap! |
Posted By: Matt
Date Posted: 03 February 2009 at 7:59pm
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Checked the Ignition Coil, it's good. I think I'm going to get a whole distributor from a wrecker tomorrow. First I'll just change the module, but if that doesn't work I'll change out the distributor coil as well. Does it make sense that the TBI would stop working if the module was dead? I can hear the fuel pump working, just no spray. There is some dripping though. Again this car was fully running beautifully when I parked it on Dec 29, and was not touched until Jan 29 when I tried to start it and found this whole mess. *EDIT* What is the approx size of the distributor o-ring for a 86 2M4. And this heat-paste. Would CPU (Computer) heat-paste err I mean..*cough*thermal compound*cough* work? ------------- I wanna go fast. |
Posted By: D_sensitized
Date Posted: 03 February 2009 at 7:59pm
I was thinking for the no fuel part, guess i got my mind mixed up with something else. |
Buddy wrote:Posted By: Patrick
Date Posted: 03 February 2009 at 8:32pm
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Yes, thermal compound for CPU heatsinks is perfect.
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Posted By: Dr.Fiero
Date Posted: 03 February 2009 at 8:46pm
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Yes, the injector will stop spraying if the module goes out. The ECM picks up it's "the engine is rotating" signal from.... ready? the ignition module! No rotation, the ECM figures "why squirt?". BTW - you say you can see dripping from the injector tip? That's not a good thing. You might want to get in there realy close and see if it's actually coming from the tip, or if it's leaking from the O-ring at the top of the injector where it meets the body. Either one.... fix it.... |
Posted By: Matt
Date Posted: 03 February 2009 at 9:33pm
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Yes after about 6x key on, key off, key on it there is one small drip that appears to be coming from the tip. I'll get in there tomorrow and see exactly where it's coming from though. Thanks for the tip. Any ideas the size of the distributor o-ring? ------------- I wanna go fast. |
Posted By: Dr.Fiero
Date Posted: 03 February 2009 at 9:35pm
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Go to GM - ask them for the 'brown' o-ring. Don't try to just use a jobber type one, it'll fail in no time flat. Learned that one early on! |
Posted By: Matt
Date Posted: 04 February 2009 at 2:59pm
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Let me bring you all up to speed. 1. TBI is not leaking. 2. Put in new module, nothing changed. 3. If I ground out the left prong on the bottom of the module that hooks up to the distributor pick-up coil, the TBI will spit gas. Does this mean my Distributor Pick-up Coil is not completing the circuit and thus dead? ------------- I wanna go fast. |
Posted By: Dr.Fiero
Date Posted: 04 February 2009 at 4:38pm
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Did you meter the pick up coil? As I was saying... it should read about 700-800 ohms. It should also NOT be shorted to ground! If it's crusty - just replace it. They're cheap. |
Posted By: Matt
Date Posted: 04 February 2009 at 5:43pm
I have bought a new pick-up coil. But I've never taken out a distributor before. I've pulled it out and marked the gear cog to the housing and marked where the rotor cap sits. But I have run into a snag. I don't have a punch set!  I just want to drive my car.
------------- I wanna go fast. |
Posted By: Dr.Fiero
Date Posted: 04 February 2009 at 6:08pm
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And here lies where I said.... just pick up a reman distributor.... :( |
Posted By: Matt
Date Posted: 04 February 2009 at 9:19pm
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From where? I've been looking for them.
------------- I wanna go fast. |
Posted By: Dr.Fiero
Date Posted: 04 February 2009 at 9:39pm
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Lordco: P/N D2098 Napa: p/n NRD 481454 Make sure you "know someone" there before you go shopping. This is one of those things I'm pretty sure is well inflated. |
Posted By: Matt
Date Posted: 04 February 2009 at 10:14pm
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Really? What kind of a price tag are we talking about?
------------- I wanna go fast. |
Posted By: Patrick
Date Posted: 05 February 2009 at 12:22am
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Sitting down? Maybe $250 or so at Lordco.
Improvise. My punch was broken. I used a machine screw instead. Worked fine when used as a punch. I just held it with a pair of pliers and hit it with a hammer. It doesn't take too much to pound out the roll-pin. You can read about my initial distributor rebuild http://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/093385.html - Here . When my plugged cat then cooked my ignition module, I was poking around in there again http://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/095917.html - Here .
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I hate Lordco.Posted By: Matt
Date Posted: 05 February 2009 at 4:25pm
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Put in a new pickup coil and she started right up. But I gave it some throttle after it warmed up and it died. I think it might have stale gas in it. And now it won't start because my starter is weak and on the verge of dying. So my next question.... What is involved in changing the starter on a 2.5L? I have another starter for it. Is it pretty easy? **EDIT** Scratch that... heatshield, shims, etc, etc ------------- I wanna go fast. |
Posted By: Dr.Fiero
Date Posted: 05 February 2009 at 5:11pm
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Make sure to disconnect whatever is left of your battery. ;) Note the # or absence of shims. Pull the bracket off the back that goes to the block first or it's a pig to remove after. Install the bracket after installing the starter. 'Bout it! Pretty straight forward. |
Posted By: Matt
Date Posted: 07 February 2009 at 5:52pm
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So in desperation to get the car running before I get the starter I get my brother to help me push the car down the block to jump start it. As we're doing this a small child sticks his head out his window and says, "Mommy their pushing Hotwheels cars." Which I thought was humorous. I got the starter in the car last night and it started right up. Although my new starter seems to be a hair longer and my rear mounding bracket doesn't line up. I just have to widen one bolt hole about a half an inch and it should be good. It idles very nice, so I guess I didn't screw up the distributor placement. But the when in gear and moving the car accelerates very slowly (bogging) through 1-2800rpm and then takes off at around 3000rpm. Which is what it was doing when my fuel pump had a hole in the (in tank) gas line. Also 3 minutes into driving I get a "Check Engine Light". I'll try and pull the code tomorrow and check the fuel pressure from the line to see if my fuel pressure is low. And I'll check the fuel filter. This just seems to be never ending.. What symptoms would I be having if my catalytic converter was plugged? ------------- I wanna go fast. |
Posted By: Matt
Date Posted: 19 February 2009 at 10:42am
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Finally got a chance to do some work on the Fiero today. I pulled the code and got a 12 and a 13. To my understanding 12 is the general, it's all good code, and 13 is oxygen sensor error or could bethrottle position sensor sticking or bad wiring connection. I'm not exactly sure what wiring this is however. Also is says in my book that: "The oxygen sensor, if open, should set a Code 13." Does this mean it's probably the oxygen sensor rather than the throttle position sensor. Also is the exhaust sensor not supposed to be open? Is there a way to fix this? Or do I just buy a new one. ------------- I wanna go fast. |
Posted By: Capt Fiero
Date Posted: 19 February 2009 at 4:58pm
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This is one I don't have an exact answer for, hopefully the good doctor can offer some advice, however from a V6 standpoint, there is an O2 sensor ground on the drivers side, firewall head that must be attached or it will set an O2 error. I would look for the engine to harness grounds and check for any that are broken or corroded. ------------- Capt Fiero 88 Fiero GT 5spd V6 Eight Fifty Seven GT V8 5spd. |
Posted By: Dr.Fiero
Date Posted: 19 February 2009 at 5:12pm
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You've entered a world... where working blind with no scan tool is a 'no fun' zone. Where are you located? I might be able to find the time Saturday to scan your car if you can drive it far enough to get here (north delta). I really don't make house calls anymore. |