ROFLsplash

So here's the scoop. My car seems to have been having this problem where if I was driving too long or if the car stayed at ~220 degrees eventually I couldn't get it pas 1500 rpms without it horribly backfiring and stalling. After it stalled I would be able to start it up again by keeping my foot on the accelerator and turning the key, eventually the engine would turnover. Then yesterday, on a highway, I push the gas a bit so I could pass a car to get on my exit. When I pushed it down to a certain point the rpm's shot down to 1000. Knowing this wasn't right I took my foot off the pedal and it instantly shot down to 0 rpm's, forcing me to pull over and try to start it. The same method to get it started before wasn't working. After towing the car to my home I pulled spark plug #1 and tried to start it, but noticed that that spark plug was not creating an spark at all. What could be my problem? I've been told it could be the ECM, or the coil, anything else that seems more likely? Or one of the two I mentioned? Someone please help this college student get back on the road!

BahN

I'd start by looking into the coil, from there if the car has a HEI distributor, replace the ignition module, and check the distributors points/rotor.

Here's how you can test the coil:

A standard car’s distributor ignition coil can be tested by checking the ohms reading. Ohms can be read on a volt/ohms meter. Ohms is a unit of measure for the resistance that a wire or coil has. Ignition coils should be measured on the primary coil between batt and tach terminals. The batt is the coil ground. To check the secondary coil, check the ohms between the batt terminal and where the coil output wire plugs into. If the ohms read zero the coil connection is broken and the coil is no good. An open coil reading zero is the usual culprit of coils. Don’t test through the output wire though. The primary coil should read between .7 ohms and 1.7 ohms, if outside this range replace it.

ROFLsplash

I had someone try to tackle the problem today (it's a DD, busy schedule) and he told me that he replaced the Distributer cap, rotor, coil and "icm" (I assume he meant ECM) and told me it was possibly the timing chain. Sound plausible?

BahN

ICM is right, ignition control module. If the timing chains completely broken the cam wont spin, nor will the distributor therefor no spark. Easy way to tell is to pull the cap off the dizzy, see if the rotor spins. If it does, the chain is atleast in together. Check your spark by holding the plug against the block and cranking.

ROFLsplash

Ok, I've checked it out and the distributor rotor does spin, but still not having any spark. Speaking of the timing chain I was also told that the chain could still be on, but teeth on the gears may have broken off, concerning me because whenever the engine tries to start there's a type of "rattling" in the engine compartment. Any ideas?

ROFLsplash

I'm out of ideas, anybody have any? In desperate need!

/shamefulselfbump

BahN

Regardless of timing, if the cam spins, and the dizzy spins, it should create spark. Timing is simply when the spark happens. The rattling very well could be a bad chain/gear but you should still see a spark by taking a plug out, holding it against the block and watching as you crank. If you get nothing at all, you don't have power to the distributor. Time to break out the volt meter and probe the dizzy connectors.

PS: I do believe you also have a timing chain issue as well, but you need to get some form of spark first.

ROFLsplash

Before actually getting your comment a family friend had put a continuity light to the distributor and could get anything out of it, so he told me it was the pole running down the distributor and the woke distributor should be replaced. So hopefully I can get on that tomorrow or today. For the sake of learning, assuming I do get spark. How do I find out about that timing chain (hopefully without tearing off the whole front of the engine)

BahN

well when you get her going, symptoms of a loose chain are rattling noises from the timing cover, and the engine running rough, popping, bogging, breaking up, etc. (due to a possible skipped tooth changing the timing)

Rob's 92 gta

I checked to see how much play I had in my timing chain buy putting a socket on the crank bolt and move it back and forth with the dis. cap off. Watch the rotor while someone moves the crank back and forth, if you can move the crank alot each way without the rotor turning,the chain is more than likley stretched and needs replaced. Or as other have said if you here alot of noise out of the front cover.