1979-1993 & 94 Conv [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
Some updating on my sometime no start when cold, sometime dies on the road, '89 NA.
Car has been mostly dead since I had it towed home. Sometimes no spark, but sometimes showed spark but still wouldn't start.
I bought the ignition amp Vern Foxe found listed on Amazon, $28 or so. Beautiful, Chinese made (Transpo brand), about identical to the original. Had to drill out some rivets to get the coil bracket off the original and drill out a ring terminal on the new one to fit the coil post. At that point I'd been seeing spark on a timing light on the old amp but, crank and crank, no start. Installed the new ignition amp, old coil, no joy. Still spark but no start.
Later on I put my little heater inside the car and pointed it at the ECU and after half an hour or so the car did start, easily after just a few cranks. Worked multiple times as if never any trouble.
Yesterday I dug out a parts car, '91 NA, and borrowed its coil, installed that on my '89. Started fine, just as it had been doing since the day before, even with no heating the ECU, but it was a mid-twenties day, warmer.
I trusted it enough to drive a mile or so for gas, and a couple short local neighborhood runs.
Car started fine at 10 p.m.
But this a.m., no start and no spark. I'm kind of glad it's on the fritz again so I have something I can diagnose. I hope it stays broke, funny though that sounds.
Today I made up my own "noid" light, a test bulb to check the fuel injectors to see if their solenoids are getting the signal to open and spray fuel. At end of daylight I plugged it in, as well as having the timing light on the motor, and no flash from either timing light or solenoid light with ignition on and car cranking.
My prime suspect now is the one I first had, the ECU. With EZK, does it make sense that the EZK won't make a spark without being told to by the ECU? I know the injectors need the ECU to fire them.
So tomorrow in our latest snowstorm, I'll be testing my noid light with battery voltage, making sure it's plugged in snug, and rechecking for noid voltage and for spark. Then if neither I'll put the heater on aimed at ECU and check again.
I also have two dead ECUs and I think I'll pop one open and look into whether it's bake-able, if so do that and then swap it in and try it.
posted by 71.173.7...
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