weak spark/no start.......please help

Saleen492 · 10-20-2002, 04:59 PM

hey guys i hope someone here can help me, yesterday my car was running like normal, then all of a sudden its starts bucking and hesitating. when i came to a stop it stalled and wouldnt start again, it would start if i held the throttle wide open, but it wouldnt rev or stay running. after letting the car set for a few minutes, it started like nothing was wrong, i tried driving off but it started acting up again and stalled again. i had to call a tow service

to take the car to my house. after looking at everything i noticed the spark was pretty weak, so i borrowed a coil and TFI module from my nephew. i first replaced the coil, the car started fine but stalled 3 minutes later. next i tried the TFI same thing. please help me on this one guys

Saleen492 · 10-20-2002, 11:38 PM

mikew88gt · 10-21-2002, 08:21 AM

Are you sure it's ignition related and not fuel? When my fuel pump started dying it acted that way. If it is indeed ignition it might be something as easy as corrosion on the connector(s) for the coil or distributor.

bigred90gt · 10-21-2002, 09:05 AM

Mine did exactly the same thing. It was the pickup coil in the distributor. I didn't have a press to get the gear off the shaft, so I bought a new dist and now it runs fine. I don't know of any way to test the pickup coil, but they are only $20.
Caymon

lx5091 · 10-21-2002, 09:45 AM

Is there a clicking sound when it acts up? If so I'd put my money on the fuel pump relay mine is under the drivers seat. $14 fix.

Saleen492 · 10-21-2002, 11:19 AM

thanks for the replies guys, its MUCH appreciated

my fuel pump/system is fine. it has a good steady FP. im leaning more towards the distributor like bigred90gt said

the car has good spark sometimes and a VERY weak spark other timesi ruled out the coil and TFI, as i replaced both with borrowed parts from my nephew and it does the same thing

bigred lemme ask you this would the PIP/dist. coil throw a CE light?

bigred90gt · 10-21-2002, 11:32 AM

I would love to have an answer for you, but my check engine light stays on for other reasons, so I am unsure. Is your's on? If so pull the codes and post them, someone can give insight to them.
I was reading the manual on replacing the pickup coil, and it said, when you pull the dist, take the cap off and turn the gear. Remember to mark EVERYTHING in relation to where the rotor is and what position the dist was in before removing it. To make installation easier, I also marked how far the rorot turned when I removed the dist. As I was saying, when you turn the gear, if at any time the armature, where the rotor sits, touches the pickup coil, AKA stator coil, to replace the entire dist. When I turned mine, every time the sections on the armature passed the p/up coil, it hung up on it. So I bought a new dist, put it in and set the timing and it runs better now than it ever has before. Keep us posted on what you find.
Caymon

LX XLR8R · 10-21-2002, 03:33 PM

borrow his distubter and drop that in while you are at it..did sound more like a TFI or a fuel pump problem to begin with but now you got me thinking

Saleen492 · 10-21-2002, 07:23 PM

i just tried the distributor tonight, its not that either

i ran a code scanner and it pulled code 66 mass air sensor, that seems logical when its running and not responding to throttle input and stalling but the not wanting to start thing has me baffled. i went as far as trying another computer...........and that didnt change it either. im gonna send the mass air(80mm) back to pro-m and have them check it out.

joe4speed · 10-21-2002, 08:02 PM

Can you swap out your nephews mass air sensor, not the whole meter, just the sensor?

At least then you'll know and won't have to ship that out.

10-20-2002, 04:59 PM	#1
Saleen492 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Oxford,Pa Posts: 9	weak spark/no start.......please help hey guys i hope someone here can help me, yesterday my car was running like normal, then all of a sudden its starts bucking and hesitating. when i came to a stop it stalled and wouldnt start again, it would start if i held the throttle wide open, but it wouldnt rev or stay running. after letting the car set for a few minutes, it started like nothing was wrong, i tried driving off but it started acting up again and stalled again. i had to call a tow service to take the car to my house. after looking at everything i noticed the spark was pretty weak, so i borrowed a coil and TFI module from my nephew. i first replaced the coil, the car started fine but stalled 3 minutes later. next i tried the TFI same thing. please help me on this one guys __________________ 89 saleen 492aily driven 11.90's@123

10-20-2002, 11:38 PM	#2
Saleen492 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Oxford,Pa Posts: 9	TTT __________________ 89 saleen 492aily driven 11.90's@123

10-21-2002, 08:21 AM	#3
mikew88gt Registered Member Join Date: Jul 1999 Location: New York State Posts: 242	Are you sure it's ignition related and not fuel? When my fuel pump started dying it acted that way. If it is indeed ignition it might be something as easy as corrosion on the connector(s) for the coil or distributor. __________________ Your basic carbed 302 with Edelbrock Performer heads, Performer RPM intake and 650 Speed Demon. My 1988 Mustang GT

10-21-2002, 09:05 AM	#4
bigred90gt 2 Stangs in the Stable Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Baytown, TX Posts: 1,209	Mine did exactly the same thing. It was the pickup coil in the distributor. I didn't have a press to get the gear off the shaft, so I bought a new dist and now it runs fine. I don't know of any way to test the pickup coil, but they are only $20. Caymon __________________ '90 GT Under construction Best E.T. = Fast @ High Speeds - OK So I Lie. So What!!! 04 F-150 STX 4.2L 5 spd Rice Haters Club Member #128

10-21-2002, 09:45 AM	#5
lx5091 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Fall River, MA Posts: 467	Is there a clicking sound when it acts up? If so I'd put my money on the fuel pump relay mine is under the drivers seat. $14 fix. __________________ '02 Explorer XLT 4.0L --Nice Vehicle '97 Saturn SL1--Soon to be ditched for a Ford!

10-21-2002, 11:19 AM	#6
Saleen492 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Oxford,Pa Posts: 9	thanks for the replies guys, its MUCH appreciated my fuel pump/system is fine. it has a good steady FP. im leaning more towards the distributor like bigred90gt said the car has good spark sometimes and a VERY weak spark other timesi ruled out the coil and TFI, as i replaced both with borrowed parts from my nephew and it does the same thing bigred lemme ask you this would the PIP/dist. coil throw a CE light? __________________ 89 saleen 492aily driven 11.90's@123

10-21-2002, 11:32 AM	#7
bigred90gt 2 Stangs in the Stable Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Baytown, TX Posts: 1,209	I would love to have an answer for you, but my check engine light stays on for other reasons, so I am unsure. Is your's on? If so pull the codes and post them, someone can give insight to them. I was reading the manual on replacing the pickup coil, and it said, when you pull the dist, take the cap off and turn the gear. Remember to mark EVERYTHING in relation to where the rotor is and what position the dist was in before removing it. To make installation easier, I also marked how far the rorot turned when I removed the dist. As I was saying, when you turn the gear, if at any time the armature, where the rotor sits, touches the pickup coil, AKA stator coil, to replace the entire dist. When I turned mine, every time the sections on the armature passed the p/up coil, it hung up on it. So I bought a new dist, put it in and set the timing and it runs better now than it ever has before. Keep us posted on what you find. Caymon __________________ '90 GT Under construction Best E.T. = Fast @ High Speeds - OK So I Lie. So What!!! 04 F-150 STX 4.2L 5 spd Rice Haters Club Member #128

10-21-2002, 03:33 PM	#8
LX XLR8R Dirk Diggler Join Date: Feb 1999 Location: SLOATSBURG, NY Posts: 1,931	borrow his distubter and drop that in while you are at it..did sound more like a TFI or a fuel pump problem to begin with but now you got me thinking __________________ 95 undecided cubes, AFR 185s,undecided cam, undecided intake, and a 150 hit 89 "turbonotch" 2.3T You might want to hold on..i saw this on a cartoon once

10-21-2002, 07:23 PM	#9
Saleen492 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Oxford,Pa Posts: 9	i just tried the distributor tonight, its not that either i ran a code scanner and it pulled code 66 mass air sensor, that seems logical when its running and not responding to throttle input and stalling but the not wanting to start thing has me baffled. i went as far as trying another computer...........and that didnt change it either. im gonna send the mass air(80mm) back to pro-m and have them check it out. __________________ 89 saleen 492aily driven 11.90's@123

10-21-2002, 08:02 PM	#10
joe4speed He said Member...heh, heh Join Date: Sep 1999 Location: Jupiter, Florida U.S.A. Posts: 3,718	Can you swap out your nephews mass air sensor, not the whole meter, just the sensor? At least then you'll know and won't have to ship that out. __________________ *Joe!* 1988 GT, 13.58@101mph Check out my listing! Click here! Or my website:www.joe4speed.com

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