Cascade Crew

ChrisB · Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2009 11:40 am Post subject: TA still won't start...!

Here's the deal, bout the car about a week ago, car ran great all week, always fired on the first crank etc.

Yesterday morning I was taking the car down to get registered, I stopped at a light and out of nowhere the car died on me and wouldn't restart. It didn't sputter or bog, just literally cut out and that was that.

Car has new battery, plugs, plug wires, cap, rotor etc. Today I replaced the ignition control module and was fairly certain that was it. Still no luck. So I went ahead and picked up a coil and replaced that. Still no luck.

Car will just crank and crank. I know it's not getting spark. I'm about to pull my hair out, I really need to figure this out today if possible.

chevymad · Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2009 12:13 pm Post subject:

How do you know its not geting spark? Have you pulled the coil wire and had someone crank it while watching for spark?

If it really has no spark while cranking theres only a few things that can cause it. Check for power with the key on at the heavy pink wire going to the coil. Hook a test light to the white wire at the coil and crank the engine. The light should flash. If it flashes and theres no spark you have a bad coil. If it doesnt flash then its either the pickup in the distributor or the module. Be sure to disconnect the EST wire to the ecm as well. There's a slim chance that it could be shorting the ignition. The ecm isnt supposed to have anything to do with spark though until over 400rpm.

ChrisB · Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2009 12:17 pm Post subject:

Yea, I checked for spark and there was none.

I was thinking it could be the pickup, but really hoping it's not because I don't want to pull the distributor out if I can avoid it, but if I do I do. Like I said the coil and module I replaced this morning, but I'll try the test light thing, maybe I got a bad coil, but I doubt it..Thanks

iansane · Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2009 12:17 pm Post subject:

You have gas in the car, right? Very Happy

ChrisB · Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2009 12:18 pm Post subject:

chevymad · Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2009 12:37 pm Post subject:

One other stupidity to watch for.. the rotor is turning when you crank the motor isnt it?

ChrisB · Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2009 12:41 pm Post subject:

Twilightoptics · Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2009 12:46 pm Post subject:

When you were checking for spark.... how did you do it? Tester? Held over the engine, etc?

Checked on a plug wire or the coil wire?

Do as said above. Sounds like Pickup coil now or power supply.

aaron_sK · Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2009 5:33 pm Post subject:

Have you verified that there is 12V at the 'batt' wire on the coil itself?

kutison · Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 6:11 pm Post subject:

You said in another post you couldn't hear the pump prime? I had similar symptoms in the Camero and it was the ECM fuse mounted next to the battery in a relay looking thing. I don't know if a TA is wired the same way though Confused

aaron_sK · Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 6:13 pm Post subject:

kutison · Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 6:14 pm Post subject:

what he said

iansane · Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 6:55 pm Post subject:

I can't remember but doesn't the stock relay setup have that red wire hanging off so you can test the FP? Apply power and it should bypass the relay or something to turn the pump on?

Edit; The diagram doesn't show it though....

aaron_sK · Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 7:11 pm Post subject:

Never heard of a test wire on those. Best way to test the relay is to remove the plug, and jump the two fat wires with an equally heavy jumper wire.

iansane · Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 8:15 pm Post subject:

My bird had a short red wire with spade terminal on it hanging off the FP relay that when power was applied the FP came on. Don't remember if it bypassed the relay or not though.

kurfbird · Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 8:24 pm Post subject: Fuel pump

There is a way to test the fuel pump from the fuse panel. I cant rember how I did it. I fugre out my fuel pump was bad.

aaron_sK · Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2009 9:18 pm Post subject:

You can test the pump via the ALDL, Bruce. However if you have a bad relay, and a good pump, you wont know because it wont trigger.

Twilightoptics · Posted: Thu Dec 24, 2009 7:45 am Post subject:

I always swap relays and listen to hear if the relay clicks on for the prime. Then I jump the relay giving the pump full power if I hear the relay.

kurfbird · Posted: Thu Dec 24, 2009 7:53 am Post subject: