So, for anyone who has followed me for the past week or so, you will know that my car was at school being examined by the "professionals". So, today, the instructor comes to me and says "Hey, we can't get any spark out of that car..." The first thought that popped into my head was that they fried my $50 AC/Delco ignition module, since the tach ain't even registering that the engine is being cranked.
I wonder how that happened? They DROVE it in LAST Thursday, made a bunch of fuel leaks and an oil leak, and, while checking the fuel injector spray pattern (you HAVE to have the ign coil connected for this, BTW), they let the NEW coil fire off wherever it could reach. I wonder if THAT could be why I have no spark now. It's a good thing I have a spare module at home that my dad is bringing me...
But anyways, is there anything else I should check? I know the ECM is getting battery power because the 2 second fuel pump prime occurs and the SES light is on KOEO, but I'll check that as well (I have 2 spares) as the +12V inputs to the coil and module and all wires between. I'm also going to check for +2VAC coming out of the pickup coil to make sure that is good. BTW, which of the pickup wires is on the outside of the connector? Somehow, when the idiots decided to check everything, they took the terminals for the P/U coil out of the plastic connector, and now THAT'S gone as well...

Needless to say, I'm and , and the instructor for that class actually WONDERS why I'm pissed off... They took a solid WEEK to do something I could have easily done in a couple HOURS, and they literally DESTROYED my car....
AND ALL I WANTED THEM TO DO WAS TELL ME WHICH OF MY INJECTORS WAS BAD!!!

 

Let us know how it goes...

 

make sure both plugs are plugged into the dizzy... that's a common problem, very common. and if the coil plug is not plugged into the cap, or the coil (look inside the plug wire to make sure it's getting connected, i've had one that turned on me and i had to return it around lol)

 

Already checked. That was the first thing I checked. They didn't even have the coil wire on the coil, not that it mattered. I completely removed and reinstalled the ICM, without any luck. What bothers me is that I'm pretty sure they have the wires for the pickup coil on the module backwards... IIRC, the green one is supposed to be on the terminal that is outboard of the P/U coil, and the yellow one is the one that is there now. Can someone tell me if this will damage anything, and how much of a PITA it is to fix?
I'm probably going to end up talking to one of the big shots at school about this, and I'm hoping that they might eat up even a small portion of the fix, because it's kind of the instructor's fault, not mine...

 

With the pickup coil wires reversed (I forget which way they go) the timing will be way off and it also won't run correctly (even if the timing is reset). But it will spark the ignition coil.

With no coil wire and cranked it probably wreaked the ignition coil. The spark needs to go someplace, and it may have arc'd internally and shorted the coil.

RBob.

 

I had a rotor pop off once. Like Rbob said, the spark went somewhere and the coil fried.

 

I went out and changed my fuel injectors to the bigger ones today, and while I was doing that, I checked the wiring on the P/U coil. I put the yellow wire in the middle, and the green one on the outside. I can always reverse them when I get the chance. While I was doing that, I happened to disconnect the ign coil and got a surprise. The tan (pink, I dunno, it's badly faded)/white wire, that runs from the module to the coil, was broken off right at the coil connector, and I'll have to wait until Monday to fix it if that's indeed what is wrong with it. Now I just have to fix the damn front end oil leak that mysteriously appeared while they were working...

 

NAPA sells the replacement. It is the only parts place around here I have found which can get those plugs.

 

just my advice....but......get your car outta there!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

$23 for a CONNECTOR for an entire WIRE unit I can replace with something I got from a JUNKYARD for less than $2 is a bit excessive, I do think....

And, yes, as soon as I can find out WTF is leaking oil in the front of the engine, the car is getting out of there until I can find a second car to drive while I rebuild the engine (that's my plan for the winter quarter, and I will be the only one touching it).

 

Ya, it is excessive... I had to pay it though. No junyards within an hour drive (that I know of) have third gens. My local yard just crushed all cars older then 96. (kinda defeats the purpose of a junkyard. )

 

Hey, I'm getting at least one of those connectors for nothing because my instructor and one of the guys in my class happen to have a couple laying around doing nothing.
As for the oil leak, I'm just glad it's not engine oil. When the car was moved the other day, I dipped my fingers in the largest puddle so I could figure out whether it was engine oil or not. It's got the color and consistancy of P/S fluid, and I already know that the timing cover seal isn't leaking (I checked that Friday), so I'm guessing that either one of the line seals is shot or the pump's bad again... Good thing that pump has a lifetime warranty and it's not THAT old...

 

Update. Leak's gone, don't know where it went. Don't even know what was leaking--nothing's low.
Got a replacement connector cannibalized from another car at school. Put it in, found out my AC/Delco module has been killed. Does anyone know where I can find another? Partsamerica.com, AutoZone.com, and even NAPA (they don't even LIST an ICM on their parts catalog) don't have listings for the AC/Delco module. The best I can get is either a GP Sorenson or AutoZone's Duralast modules that have a lifetime warranty, for $35.

 

Advance auto sells them.

 

Picked up a GP Sorenson module (with a lifetime warranty so I NEVER have to pay for the damn thing again even if it fails every year like has been happening to me) today, and will put it in tomorrow, and hopefully get the car going again... Anyone following this might want to pray for me tonight that nothing else is wrong...

 

Put the module in today. Fired her right up, not really much problem. I had to put a second gasket between the TB and the upper plenum, tighten a few bolts, and check my timing. I set the timing at 12* BTDC, and...

It runs like crap. No power at all, does not idle like I expected it to (but better than before), nor does it accelerate well. I switched from my Accel crap coil to my good, new coil, and we'll see what happens. For some reason, I told the guys in the other department to keep everything they removed, and now I only have 5 of my 6 R43TS plugs to replace my new Autolites with. I'm going to go out when the engine has cooled down a little more and check the tightness of the plugs, since the torque spec has never worked for me (12'#), and also see if all my plug wires are seated.

Any suggestions will be appreciated, as I need to make a 350 mile drive tomorrow and need to get this stuff done. I AM currently running the 305 injectors with Autolite spark plugs, FYI. Keep in mind that two of my 3.1 injectors don't spray properly...