No Spark; engine suddenly stopped
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 48
Likes: 9
From: Indiana
No Spark; engine suddenly stopped
Hi everyone. 1980, electronic ignition. Just rebuilt carb, fired it up and it ran for the first time since I owned it. The low idle needed adjustment. Left it for the night, and continued the next night. Made a small adjustment to idle, fired it up and it was running. Then suddenly it died. It was not a gas stall out, but was so sudden that it had to be electric. No spark condition was quickly determined. Engine turns fine, but will not fire.
The three fusible links appear fine as I slid my voltmeter probe onto both sides of each one. There is only around 1.5 volts at each of the coils when the key is in the forward position.
Could a bad ignition module cause this? What about the ignition switch?
Any thoughts or further diagnosis on this are appreciated.
Thanks!
The three fusible links appear fine as I slid my voltmeter probe onto both sides of each one. There is only around 1.5 volts at each of the coils when the key is in the forward position.
Could a bad ignition module cause this? What about the ignition switch?
Any thoughts or further diagnosis on this are appreciated.
Thanks!
84SE-EGI helpy-helperton
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,584
Likes: 542
From: Phoenix, AZ
On the 80s, the Ignitors are located in a separate housing bolted to the driver's side strut tower, follow the leads from the distributor cap to the Ignitor module and there you will find 2 Ignitors, one of which is likely bad - and I'm guessing it's for the Leading Coil, since the engine died abruptly. You can try swapping the Ignitors by position and try to start it, as it will start and run with only Leading spark, as Trailing spark is more for power and fuel economy to induce a more efficient burn.
Secondly, you might look at your Cap and Rotor on the distributor to see if anything shook loose or isn't making a good connection. Check all of your under dash fuses, as well, since there are a few there for Fuel Pump operation and other important stuff.
Lastly, since this was the first time it's run since you've owned it - Congratulations! Now you've proven that it runs, it's just a matter of tuning it up.
Secondly, you might look at your Cap and Rotor on the distributor to see if anything shook loose or isn't making a good connection. Check all of your under dash fuses, as well, since there are a few there for Fuel Pump operation and other important stuff.
Lastly, since this was the first time it's run since you've owned it - Congratulations! Now you've proven that it runs, it's just a matter of tuning it up.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 48
Likes: 9
From: Indiana
On the 80s, the Ignitors are located in a separate housing bolted to the driver's side strut tower, follow the leads from the distributor cap to the Ignitor module and there you will find 2 Ignitors, one of which is likely bad - and I'm guessing it's for the Leading Coil, since the engine died abruptly. You can try swapping the Ignitors by position and try to start it, as it will start and run with only Leading spark, as Trailing spark is more for power and fuel economy to induce a more efficient burn.
Secondly, you might look at your Cap and Rotor on the distributor to see if anything shook loose or isn't making a good connection. Check all of your under dash fuses, as well, since there are a few there for Fuel Pump operation and other important stuff.
Lastly, since this was the first time it's run since you've owned it - Congratulations! Now you've proven that it runs, it's just a matter of tuning it up.
Secondly, you might look at your Cap and Rotor on the distributor to see if anything shook loose or isn't making a good connection. Check all of your under dash fuses, as well, since there are a few there for Fuel Pump operation and other important stuff.
Lastly, since this was the first time it's run since you've owned it - Congratulations! Now you've proven that it runs, it's just a matter of tuning it up.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 48
Likes: 9
From: Indiana
On the 80s, the Ignitors are located in a separate housing bolted to the driver's side strut tower, follow the leads from the distributor cap to the Ignitor module and there you will find 2 Ignitors, one of which is likely bad - and I'm guessing it's for the Leading Coil, since the engine died abruptly. You can try swapping the Ignitors by position and try to start it, as it will start and run with only Leading spark, as Trailing spark is more for power and fuel economy to induce a more efficient burn.
Secondly, you might look at your Cap and Rotor on the distributor to see if anything shook loose or isn't making a good connection. Check all of your under dash fuses, as well, since there are a few there for Fuel Pump operation and other important stuff.
Lastly, since this was the first time it's run since you've owned it - Congratulations! Now you've proven that it runs, it's just a matter of tuning it up.
Secondly, you might look at your Cap and Rotor on the distributor to see if anything shook loose or isn't making a good connection. Check all of your under dash fuses, as well, since there are a few there for Fuel Pump operation and other important stuff.
Lastly, since this was the first time it's run since you've owned it - Congratulations! Now you've proven that it runs, it's just a matter of tuning it up.
Thanks again
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