dxrflyboy Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 Is there any way you can rent/borrow a labscope? That will tell you if you have 12V at the coil and whether or not it is switching while you are cranking. A test light will tell you there is power on the negative side, but there needs to be adequate voltage as well, which the test light can't indicate. If the labscope indicates a good "square" wave, switching from 12V to 0V and the coil isn't firing, then the coil is bad. Otherwise, you will be troubleshooting the rest of the primary ignition components. If you have a good square wave but low voltage, the amplifier is probably bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 borrowed a test light..... check, check, check, and check......still dead I'm not sure what you mean by check and still dead. Are you saying that the fuse and coil show no signs of voltage? If so, then you need to check your fusible links and and ignition switch for a bad connection. To Dxrflyboy: Using a test light to check for firing pulses to the minus side of the coil while cranking the engine will work fine. The light will flash with the pulses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted March 4, 2006 Author Share Posted March 4, 2006 I'm not sure what you mean by check and still dead. Are you saying that the fuse and coil show no signs of voltage? If so, then you need to check your fusible links and and ignition switch for a bad connection. sorry, I'm starting to get very frustrated with this..... anyway, I've checked the fuses, I've checked the fusible links, I've checked much of the ignition wiring, and it all appears OK, but it still won't start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellets Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 That all sounds familiar. I have a funky ignition switch around here that did that. Also a code 34 is an egr fail code. Problem can't really be fixed as I was told by Subie shop. all my early Subies have tape over cel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loyale 2.7 Turbo Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 Hi Everybody! Well... I got the Same issue almost five years ago... but in my Carbed (Now Weberized) EA82. It was a little cable (Two inches long and a female flat plug in each end) that is into a little black box (Inside are 3 or 4 identical cables, depending on model) attached to the water/coolant return box, near the Coil. They works as a "External" Fuse device, and with the time they crack out and then there aren´t spark at all. (Depending in wich one broke, sometimes there is no dashboard lights, etc... ) Try to Replace them if they seems to be "Cracked" or somethin´ like that; also Rust in them can make a bad connection, check them and see if that works... Good Luck... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted March 4, 2006 Author Share Posted March 4, 2006 Hi Everybody! Well... I got the Same issue almost five years ago... but in my Carbed (Now Weberized) EA82. It was a little cable (Two inches long and a female flat plug in each end) that is into a little black box (Inside are 3 or 4 identical cables, depending on model) attached to the water/coolant return box, near the Coil. They works as a "External" Fuse device, and with the time they crack out and then there aren´t spark at all. (Depending in wich one broke, sometimes there is no dashboard lights, etc... ) Try to Replace them if they seems to be "Cracked" or somethin´ like that; also Rust in them can make a bad connection, check them and see if that works... Good Luck... those are the fusible links.....they're fine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skip Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 Chux Please, if you would be so kind as to try this. It may help some of us that are trying to help. Turn ignition switch to the run position. Clip test light lead to the battery negative terminal Probe the test light probe to the positive side of the coil. Does it light? answer _________ if yes Probe the test light to the negative side of the coil Does it light? answer_________ if no go to the fuse box clip test light lead to the bolt by the brake pedal hinge Pull fuse # 11 (second row, 3 fuses in) Probe the fuse holder on the side away from the full row of fuses Does it light? answer ________ if yes Use the test light as a fuse tester by clipping the lead to one leg of the fuse Then hold the other leg of the fuse against the negative battery terminal. Probe the positive terminal A good fuse will allow the light to illuminate if no find the large 6 pin (only 5 may be used) connector with wires running up to the steering column ignition switch area Probe the white wire in this connector Does it light? answer________ Please feel free to copy and paste and relevant sections Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted March 6, 2006 Author Share Posted March 6, 2006 Thank you so much Skip! I was testing to see if there was voltage between the 2 poles on the coil. not from one to ground, and/or the other to ground. Anyway, I did this, and I DO have power to the coil. But I still don't have any voltage coming from the coil, even while cranking. I'm off to look for a trouble light and try swapping coils... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted March 6, 2006 Author Share Posted March 6, 2006 ok, swapped coils, still nothing. burned out my trouble light, and it starting snowing AGAIN , so I stopped trying...for tonight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 I was testing to see if there was voltage between the 2 poles on the coil. not from one to ground, and/or the other to ground. You really should test the plus and minus leads of the coil using ground as the reference. If the light glowed brightly by putting the leads on the plus and minus leads leads then that would mean either the coil is open or the minus side is grounded. A good coil should have voltage on both sides of the lead connections when the ignition is ON, with reference to ground. After looking at your posts again it appears you have confirmed that the fuses are ok. Make sure the coil body is getting a good ground. One other thing it seems we have over looked is to check the codes in the ECU. You may need to replace the pickup in the disty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted March 6, 2006 Author Share Posted March 6, 2006 There is definately all of 12V + DC current to both sides of the coil (both + and - ......why is it - if it isn't -?!) I did check the codes, just the EGR.... and yes, fuses are fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 The minus side of the coil is basically the switched side of the coil. The circuit is either opened or grounded breifly and that causes a spark to happen. Make sure the coil body has a good ground. Also check the wiring between the disty and ignitor to the ECU. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 crank angle sensor. take off the disty cap and let it air out. do you have a spare dist? sounds distribulator related to me. i myself would try to somewhat disassemble the disty and blow it out, etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted March 7, 2006 Author Share Posted March 7, 2006 crank angle sensor. take off the disty cap and let it air out. do you have a spare dist? sounds distribulator related to me. i myself would try to somewhat disassemble the disty and blow it out, etc I've done that before, but it threw a code, and it's not throwing a code this time...but yes, I've got a spare, I'll try cleaning it, and then I'll try replacing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted March 7, 2006 Author Share Posted March 7, 2006 OK, pulled the disty, pulled it apart, and the sensor looked dirty, so I cleaned it. let it dry out, put it all back together, put it back in. Also put the Accel Super Stock Coil in it, with a wire soldered onto the case that's now bolted to a nearby groundstrap, so I know it's grounded!! anyway, still won't start.....ugh.....BUT it threw more codes!!! 13....crank angle sensor or circuit 24....Air Control Valve or circuit 34....EGR solenoid or circuit 35....purge control solenoid or circuit 51....Neutral Switch well, I knew about the EGR, and I'm not suprised about the Neutral switch, since when Morgan converted it to 4WD, he didn't even put in the speedo cable...... I'm going to go swap distributers, to see if the crank angle sensor is the problem.... but I don't know what the Air control valve or puge control solenoid is?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted March 7, 2006 Author Share Posted March 7, 2006 I just had my girfriend crank it while I checked the coil, neither side pulsed. dimmed slightly, presumably from the extra draw of the starter, but definately didn't pulse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAWalker Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 Is this before or after your changed distributors? Or have you done that yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted March 7, 2006 Author Share Posted March 7, 2006 Is this before or after your changed distributors? Or have you done that yet? that was before....I just went out and did that, and it worked!! it started right up, and idles, it's got the TOD something terrible! but hopefully that'll go away once it warms up a little :-\ I must not have been getting a good connection on the test connectors, so it wasn't telling me all the codes so, thank you all for your help and patience! sorry I lost my cool there for awhile, I'm just so tired of these things failing on me! also, I'll look around, and probably find it, but if someone happens to know the ignition timing for an SPFI EA82 off the top of their head, could you post it? the hood is off a turbo, so it says like 22* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAWalker Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 20 @ idle w/ green test mode connectors connected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted March 7, 2006 Author Share Posted March 7, 2006 20 @ idle w/ green test mode connectors connected. woa...you sure? for an SPFI? I thought it was more like 8..... or maybe that was for carbed motors.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAWalker Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 8 is for a carbed engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 It must have been a bad connection. Glad you got it going. You're welcome for the help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 good work. keep the old distributor around it should be handy one day:clap: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted March 8, 2006 Author Share Posted March 8, 2006 good work. keep the old distributor around it should be handy one day:clap: me??? throw something away?!?! not likely....my mother hates me for it, but it's saved me multiple times! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoobaholic Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 First check the ignition fuse. Another item that can cause a no spark situation is the ignition amplifier. This item is a power transistor mounted below the coil and attached to the bracket that holds the coil. It amplifies the spark signal coming from the ECU. It is mistakenly referred to as an ignitor by some folk. This is incorrect as the ignitor is a module inside the distributor on some cars (not this one) that sends a spark signal to an ECU or other ignition control devise. Hope this helps Color me oh so confused...have no spark...replaced igniton coil..still no spark...just replaced ignition coil bracket with ignitor for 1987 gl wagon...non turbo...again no fire...found a part that is labled part # 6w04 250 v and .47 uf..has power going in not out...my question is A) what is the proper term for this part and besides a salvage yard where can I locate another part ...been looking for a while and I love my scoobydo and can not even fathom parting with her she has been more Loyale than any of my former spouses and former beaus...thank you for your help!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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