i got a 88? iroc-z that has everything working, cabin acc, lights, etc but i cant get the car to turn over. it turns right now and the fuel pump primes but i have no spark at the plugs. i was wondering how to test the coil, its a separate mount coil. the computer is reading a code 12 and nothing after it so it should just be the distributer pulse reference right? I've been doing some research and some say that the est has a bad/faulty connection at the distributor

 

Just a couple of things I would do: Pull the coil wire out of the center of the distributor cap & either use a spark tester or hold the wire 1/4" from a good ground and crank the engine. You are looking for a good healthy spark from the coil wire. I would also replace the ignition module if you haven't already (fairly inexpensive) & check the wires on the pickup coil in the distributor - they usually break and get full of green funk.
In the picture attached (V6 distributor), my finger is on the ignition module & the rusty funky thing under the rotor is the pickup coil. You have to pull the distributor to change the pick up coil but not the ignition module. That should keep you busy for an hour or so!
Good Luck,
Corky

 

One test I have read to test for DRP is to turn the ignition key from OFF to ON. That should run the fuel pump for two seconds. Then turn the key to CRANK and let go. If you hear the fuel pump run for another two seconds that is supposed to tell us that there are DRP detected by the ECM. I do not have any way of verifying this yet but if it is true then that is a fairly nice little test for existance of DRP by the ECM.

And Code 12 on my 1989 Camaro 305 FI Vin E (TBI) by itself means (I believe) the ECM detected that the battery cable was reconnected. Not a big concern unless you are having intermittent power problems.

 

tested the coil, its got power, for some reason the distrib is got no spark at the top. fuel is running through the rails so i don't know if the distrib needs to be replaced because the cap and rotor look brand new, not to mention the distrib itself looks brand new. i was reading about that there might be a fault in the wiring down to the ecm but we checked the wiring and everything is hooked up. someone also said that it could be a faulty ecm.

 

Well you might have power at the primary of the coil but have a bad connection at the secondary of the coil. The secondary needs a good ground on one end and it goes to the distributor at the other end. A change in the primary current should cause a large voltage change in the secondary (for spark). So your secondary winding could have a bad ground, bad coil wire to the distributor, or maybe the primary winding is not being 'triggered' properly to cause a change in the secondary winding.

I second Corky's suggestion to change the ignition module. Then you can eliminate that from further consideration.

 

ok ill have to take a look at the grounds, and if it doesn't get anything ill get the module. someone tired doing a hack job with a painless wiring kit in it so its a mess. i'm surprised that I've got this far on the car. i believe the last time it ran was in 2000 or thats what the sticker says. i gotta get some pics up on here, you guys are gonna love the engine compartment.

 

Post a pic of your mess... I love looking at a good hack job!!!!

I second the motion by the way for the ignition module, I've had 3 go bad. (In 3 different vehicles) But I think the GTA just blew one yesterday. If that doesn't fix it you can go on to the pick-up coil. etc, etc

 

yea the coil has power to it and the distrib turns and everything its just the distrib doesnt have power on the top, the module looks like its never been used, still has some silicon stuff on it and it looks clean. im gonna have to start taking some pics soon stay posted

 

Swapped my ignition module this afternoon and everything is working fine again. Let's hope it stays that way!!!!!

Good luck with yours

 

has anyone heard of this trick to test and if so is it accurate?
http://www.auto-ware.com/autoware-bi...ames;read=2531

 

update,
i took an ignition coil off an old ford 351 motor and hooked it up to the igition wires that are in the car now. for some reason i was getting readings about 50? on a voltmeter. tested it 3 times, low mid high and got the same readings all three times. took it off and tested the accel (the one in question) and it didn't read. the ford one was a canister while the accel one is this http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku
is this a good test because someone was telling me that the old canister could be different compared to the accel one.

 

and some eye candies that are crappy pics lol

 

All of those wires make me wanna laugh and cry @ the same time.....!

I feel for you mang. I hope that you get that car running!!! The exterior looks good from the pics that you posted

 

update,
tried turning the engine over with the ford coil and sill got no spark.