ignition problems - got me confused!!! need suggestions...

Sat Feb 19, 2005 7:49 pm

so i'm a bit stumpted... cars intermitently been doing this for a while.

symptoms...
- turn ignition, engine turns over but no fire at all.
- plug out, smells fuley.
- plug against manif and ignition... ocasional spark on key turn, or key let go only.
- 12v confirmed going into coil.
- pull of ht lead from coil and stick a plug in it. spark every time, only on key turn and key let go - so only two sparks no matter how much i crank it.

so as i had them handy i swapped both coil (no diff) and ecu (no diff) so im thinking its down to ignition module or summut?

question's...
where's the fecking ignition module on a '89 320?
anything else you can think of that would result in the above?

your thoughts greatly appreciated!
cheers,
Jez.

Sat Feb 19, 2005 8:18 pm

Hey Jez, the ECU has the ignition amp module as part of the PCB so you've covered that already M8

try swopping the pulse sensor for another if you have a spare, they can fail for no reason just for the hell of it.

You swopped the DME relay for another as well right ?

Sat Feb 19, 2005 9:03 pm

good stuff ant

try swopping the pulse sensor for another if you have a spare, they can fail for no reason just for the hell of it.

little jobby looking at the crank? if so - yes, it looks a bit cacky! so i'll whip one of a spare engine - if i remeber its just one bolt and a connector yea?

You swopped the DME relay for another as well right ?

is that in the bank of three on the intake side? DME just shows ecu and pulse sensor on a etk search

thanks m8!
jez.

Sun Feb 20, 2005 2:42 pm

So your getting a regular spark at the coil but not at the plugs yes ?

Could be a knackered distributor cap or rotor arm.

Maybe even buggered ignition leads.

Cheers,

Iain T

Sun Feb 20, 2005 10:28 pm

no m8, sadly i'm getting only one spark from the coil when turing the key and thats it so its something before the coil - it just cranks with no more sparks!

swapped a few more bits with a good car today - but still no joy!

what else can i change/try????

Sun Feb 20, 2005 10:39 pm

Connect a 12V lamp from the + side of the ignition coil to battery neg. /car body, and watch what happens when you crank the car.
Should dim a bit, but remain bright.

Sun Feb 20, 2005 11:09 pm

will do - with ignition on I do get 12v going into it so I'll crank and see what goes on.

Mon Feb 21, 2005 7:38 pm

unplugged everything, cleaned contacts, plugged it all back in - and started first time!!!!! so no fecking idea what caused it but happy shes alive again!

thx! jez.

Mon Feb 21, 2005 10:00 pm

alright mate. wat plugs did you clean up? i have a very similar problem., but i either get spark or no spark from the coil. put a tread up on here but no one had any fixes yet.

Mon Feb 21, 2005 10:39 pm

the sensor end on the crank pulley, the connector for this on the inlet, the bank of three relays also on the inlet side (actually swapped out with another car, and cleaned the new ones up), the wiring to the cut-off switch (its a seloc miltek racer), the conector from the ht leads that goes round to the intake side and also took of all the connectors to the afm/tps etc and gave them a quick scrape. thinks thats about the lot! i did also tighten up all the conections i could visibly see as well - cant hurt

hope thats of some vauge use!

Mon Feb 21, 2005 10:42 pm

oh yea, also check all the hoses onto the head are connected up, not split and tight as a m8 mentioned this may also cause no spark! some sort of sensor checking presure or summut! i'd just bolted on a new head so not an issue as all be connected up and checked as part of the bolt together process