I have put on a new cap and rotor. It has the stand alone coil which puts out spark by attatching a plug to the wire and laying the plug to ground. I had the ICM tested and it passed. The two wires coming from the distributor measure just under 1K ohms and all the ohms readings on the coil itself were in spec as well. The engine turns over and I have fuel coming out of the schrader valve on the rail if i depress it. Any suggestions? Thanks

 

There has not been a battery in the car for a few years. I get a code 12. Does that mean there are no codes stored or something to do with no pulses? Looking at the rotor in conjunction with the cap it seems like the metal tab would be quite a distance away from each of the 8 contacts in the cap. I know a few years back when I replaced the cap and rotor was because the car was cutting out a little and the cap had corrosion. I replaced the cap and rotor and never could get it to start again.

 

This is the key part of your statement . If it ran , however badly , and all ya did was a cap and rotor and now it won't start at all , My first guess is that ya messed up the firing order when ya replaced the spark plug wires onto the new cap ..

 

I am quite certain that I did the wires like for like....even if they were out of order wouldn't I still see spark from the plug while its laying against the manifold when I'm turning the car over?? It also has a ads superchip in it....could this be causing my problems orr the ecm itself if spark is at the coil? Thanks

 

you need to follow the testing on attached link. the ecm has nothing todo with you not having spark.

http://easyautodiagnostics.com/gm_ic...n_module_1.php

 

Thanks for the link....I don't have some of the stuff but ran through the tests. I made the led tester and it works like it should. It says that the coil is bad if that test passes, but I also have spark right out of the ignition coil through a spark plug to ground. I do know that the distributor rotated on me and am wondering if it is out of time if I would still get spark? Logic tells me I would just at a different time from when the piston is at tdc. I was retarding and advancing the cap while the engine was cranking just to make sure and still was not getting spark. Somebody please help....I am at a loss and this is driving me nuts. Thanks

 

you will still get spark with the engine out of time. make sure you are using a good spark tester.

 

I thought so.....so the old fashioned way of laying the plug to ground won't work? Cause that is the way I get a nice white spark from the coil, but see absolutely nothing like that coming from the plug wires.

 

I ain't not none to sure about any changes to GM's ignition system, but on my '86 bird v-6 when I had that problem it was the ignition module, which if do'nt know, is inside the the distributor. Once removed, Autozone or one of those type places can test it for you @ no charge. If you do have one in your dizzy, be extra careful unplugging the internal wires. I wasn't sure of wot I was doing, I left the dizzy in the car and wound up braking the plastic caps on the internal wires. IF you have one, and IF you decide to replace the IM, be very sure to line the bottom with the grease supplied, or apply a small amount of dielectric grease on the bottom.

 

Thanks....well I'm getting spark but I am not hearing the fuel pump kick on

 

http://www.austinthirdgen.org/index.php?pid=35