Hey,

Car-1990 Formula
Engine- ZZ4 with TPI, custom chip burned by a company(The name escapes me), it may have had the word fire in it

The ignition module was just replaced because the car would crank, but not start. However, randomly, the car would crank. By using a scope, the mechanic could tell that the ignition moudle was the issue.

Now the same problem seems to have appeared again. Any suggestions as to why it sometimes just cranks but doesn't start?

One issue is battery is the threads are stripped on one terminal, so if you tighten the bolt too much it will just spin. Could this be contributing to the problem?

 

The first thing to do would be to determine what the engine isn't getting when it isn't firing. Fuel, air, compression, and spark are required to start the motor. It's cranking so it's getting compression and air. When it's not firing, see if the injectors are pulsing, you have fuel pressure, etc. And check to see if the plugs are lighting. It's random guessing until you can determine what the engine isn't getting.

 

Before the ignition module was replaced, I pulled a spark plug, and disconnected all of the spark plug wires. No fuel came out. I hooked up one of the spark plug wires to the spark plug when it was out of the cylinder head, and there was no spark. I guess I'll have to do it again, but what confuses me is the inconsistency of it. One minute it won't start, 10 minutes later it will, sometimes half an hour later, sometimes the next day. I wish I could get my ALDL cable to work so I could learn how to read the computer.

 

i just ate some green beans off a china made screwdriver enclosure. haha, freaking spilled them, ehhh. I had the exact problem you had. It was the pickup coil, the permanent magnet was cracked. also this year my coil would fail after 3 minutes of driving after it heated up. i imagine, that you got a spark problem, not fuel. to eliminate a possible fuel problem just push down the valve on the fuel rail. if it squirts out on your hoodliner, then your cool. if not, then a fuel pressure gauge is needed. and 75% of the mechanic i talk to in the past, are idiots when is comes to TPI, typically some old guy bitchen about their kids, or job. haaha. i recommend a mild distributor rebuild. but i had the same symptoms as you. I was told by a wise TPI dude, that if you ignition control module go out, then the coil, should be swapped too. they fight eachother electronically speaking. anyone else agree?

 

Where did you get the pickup coil? Do you recommend the module be replaced again along with the coil?

The main mechanic that works on the car has been with my father for 20 years or so, so he's fairly respectable, but probably not the best TPI expert in the nation.

 

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tech...ml#post4090301 if you arnt busy check out that thread. i wrote some posts about my problem and how i fixed it. i copy and paste a sample...(following text was taken from my post at https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tech...ml#post4090301 (---march 19th, 2009---hey my car is doing the exact thing every one in this thread's car is doing. It was running rite, then i turned it off, waited 2 minutes, and it wouldnt start. I got a tow, and started diagnosing. I sanded the cap and rotor, new plugs, wires, tested the coil, and ignition module. then it worked a week later the first time after changing out plugs. it ran all day until i was headed to get exhaust gasket material for my brand new cat. ( the old one sounds like beer can in cement mixer.) at the stop, it stalled and threw a 42 code. i started it back up, but when i put it into drive, it stalled. i got another 40 dollar tow, and went and got a ignition control module, because i heard when they heat, they fail? im starting to think it maybe a bad coil. HEY Cityspud117. i think your pickup coil is bad. or grounded out. the magnet coil under the rotor under the Ignition control module. I had a pickup coil broken in 6 different spots, and fried in 06'. If the ignition control module dont work, a coil, and pickup coil is next on my list. i've pulled my car out of the margin of being broken down 4 times. i resurrected the mother. I know i got this around my finger. but its just sooo embarrassing working out outside with neighbors and kids riding by on the bike asking whats wrong with it. what wrong with it. Dont get me wrong. i like bikes. i have too. i've been riding one all week, about 43 miles easily. i hate the bike pump, slime, inner tube and backpack of water just to get by. and the lookks i get.. 6'4 grown man riding a bike like hell. i bought my ignition control module for 32 buckish..and fyi.....i havnt installed the module but check this....i really think its a coil thats bad. i cant wait to wake up and start working on it. its in the street. the driveway is tooo steep.and it takes four guys to push up into the garage.. this morning b4 the tow i had it running. but now bleh...i gave the tow man a poweraid and talked about the ups and downs. downs being me, and up being him... but im going to get drunk and pass out(damn nee white trash i am i know..haha i got some funny a-s-s stories about that term geez.thatd be a good thread hahaha). wake up and work on it.) (march 22nd, 2009----- replaced the ignition componants everything except the capicitor idk why just didnt. Pickup coil, ignition control module, coil everything under 90 bucks at autozone. i buy each part seperate and use the autozone card, every 5 purchases its a free 20 dollar credit. beware, autozone gets their parts from MEXICO>YEE HAW. they work, but for maybe a year or so. I had to pull the dizzy and ya, you know the rest. I timed it to 6* btdc and it runs now. finally. dang. I think it was the coil. because when the car got warm, (took a while, damn stuck thermastat.) it would die. I got it going but im going to wait, thats great its running but im going to wait till i swap the bad catalytic converter, its making noise, (maybe) disturbing the knock sensor at higher rpms. the knock sensor is a two component ordeal. The sensor and then the spark controller. it retards RRr the timing when the sensor grounds, sure you can bypass it with a resistor. eeee but im all about stock . i always run premium fuel. hope that helps people. Im going to swap the cat tomorrow, with a new jan 1st 2009 50 state legal Magnaflow cat. i got to wait on the gaskets.)