I have a '89 Firebird 2.2l that has been tuned in the last 4 months. Car was running fine until it was parked for one day, now I can't get any spark at the plugs. Fuses all check out ok, the battery is fully charged, starter cranks, just not getting any fire. Have only had the car for a few months and was hoping somebody with more experience with this type of car could help me. Where the best place would be to start looking for the source of the problem?

 

BWM,

Welcome aboard!

First, the V-6 in your car is more likely a 2.8L or 3.1L, not a 2.2L. The 2.2L (134 CI) is a four cylinder inline.

The lack of ignition can be caused by many things. First, the ignition coil and HEI switching module need a 12VDC supply. This is from the ignition switch. If all other accesories are working properly, we can assume the fuse links are intact and the switch has power. Since the engine will crank, that reinforces the assumption.

Still, it would be good to test some basics, including the voltage at the coil primary with the ignition turned on.

If voltage is present, remove the distributor cap. Have an assistant crank the engine briefly while you observe the rotor. It should turn with the engine. If not, the timing chain is suspect. If it does, remove the rotor and keep testing. With your voltmeter, make sure the HEI module is getting the 12VDC power, and that it is properly grounded. Remove the small two-wire pickup coil connector from the HEI module and inspect the terminals. While you're in the distributor with the meter and have the pickup coil disconnected, test the resistance of the pickup coil. You should read between 500-1,500 ohms.

If everything is intact, inspect the reluctor wheel (on top of the pickup coil) for obvious damage. If all is good, reassemble the connectors, rotor, and distributor cap. Make sure the interior of the cap is clean and dry before you install it.

Remove the coil wire from the distributor, place the free end near a good engine ground, and have an assistant briefly crank the engine while you watch for spark. If you have spark present, reconnect the coil wire and try starting again. If there is no spark, you may need to test the coil resistance. You should read 0.1-1.0 ohms on the primary side, and at least 5,000 ohms on the secondary side. There should be no resistance reading to ground (infinite) with the wiring disconnected.

If the coil is intact and you still have no spark, the HEI module may have failed. You can have it load tested at various parts stores for free.

Let us know if anything is revealed by these checks.