NO spark to the leading plugs.. checked wires, plugs, ignitor and there all good. Is there a way to test the distributor or coil's on a non running car. It's a 12a 85 gsl.

 

When you say checked did you use the traditional way of sticking a screwdriver in a wire and running it agains a ground???. If you did and the wires were getting spark the your distributor is working.

 

sounds like leading coil failure to me.

 

I took off one of the wires and put a old plus on it and no spark(i also took off a trailing plug and had spark w/the same plug). I was wondering if there was a way to test the coils or distrubitor? I was also thinking mabye i have a bad wire from the ignitor to the coil and if so is there any way to dignose this or buy pass this?

 

i think you just did

 

Please give me some complete answers!!!

 

How did you test the ignitor?

 

Itested the ignitors the way the hayns manual explained?

 

The lightbulb method? Ok, try this instead: http://www.geocities.com/cd23c/test.html

 

Could someone answer my question or do you all want to be vauge and second guess me.
1. how do you test a coil?
2.how do you test a distrubitor.
3.what else could it be?
Thanks for all the responses. just looking for a little more info.

 

It apears people already helped you, they just didn't hold your hand, or do it for you. Be patient, a don't get snippy. If you show that you are trying to learn and help yourself in the mean time, you will find a lot of great people here are will to help you out with almost everything.

It is not second guessing when someone asked you if you did something a certain way to dianose a problem. How else to you expect someone to give you advice on something you may not have tried or let you in on a better way of doing things.

ggeezzzs. You talk as though everyone owes you something. Being polite will get you a lot further.

by the way, could you flip the coils around to see if you can flip the problem from leading to trailing? That would tell you it's a coil problem, right?

 

Dude it is called trouble shooting. And the first question to you should have been . Is there a battery in the car and is it connected. ( I cant count the number of times I have fixed computers by getting the person to plug it in)


you can swap the connector from one ignitor to the other . take the plug from the leading ignitor and put it on the trailing. If the leading coil starts firing then you know the problem is the ignitor or the pickup in the dizzy.



you can swap the coil positions. If the problem followes the coil then you have a bad coil. if not then it could be the wiring.

Do you have a DVM? or test light? Check for +12 at the coils with the switch on.

 

Sorry did not mean to get snippy just want a clear answer. how do i trubbleshoot the dizzy? Also can i replace the pickups in the dizzy.

 

The pickups never go bad. Of course I suppose it is possible for them to malfunction after several years of service.

The pickups are held on by copper rivits.

To replace the pickups, you'll need to unscrew a couple screws here and there. Don't forget the one under the grease inside the top of the shaft. I'm sure they'll cost over $100 from the dealer, if not more. They rarely go bad is the reason. Infact, you'd be better off getting a good used dizzy from somebody here or eBay.

 

Thanks Jeff20b.. one last thing could i make my own wiring harnis from the ig nightor to the coil and could anyone give me the jist of what it would be ie. pos. off the ignitor goes to pos. on coil?Once again thanks everyone fore your time and pacents

 

IT's usually the igniter that goes bad. Try using the trailing as the leading just to see if that's it.

 

Here is a quick little wiring diagram for DLIDFIS that you may find interesting.



Legend:
1 battery
2 ignition switch
3 Leading coils
4 Leading ignitors
5 Leading magnetic pickup inside distributor
6 Trailing coil
7 Trailing ignitor
8 Trailing magnetic pickup inside distributor