I compression tested my car. Everything was fine, put the plugs back in, and it won't start.
-Turns over
-There is fuel delivery
-There is no spark

I suspect the distibuter, is this how I test it, by looking for a spark to ground?


It just seems odd how I could have messed up the distributer just by dry cranking multiple times to do the test.. What else could cause sudden no spark?

 

blew up your ignitor maybe

 

It has 125k miles on it, so it's possible it went out. It's just odd that it would go out during a compression test, that's why I don't know what the problem could be.

 

use a better ground, that intake is probably pretty well insulated

 

Test the ignition control module by ohming out the primary and secondary coils. I don't know the resistance values off hand, but I'm sure someone on here could get those specs for you. If one of the coils has an open, you will not get spark.

Good luck and by the way, a new ICM is around 70-100 bucks.

 

I have a volt meter, but are the primart and secondary coils, do I need to take off the other plastic cover to get to them?

 

yes, theres a screw holding the rotor on...take the rotor off and the plastic piece should pull off and youll have full access to the coil

 

UPDATE: I wanted to let everyone know that doing the compression test did infact make the ignition coil in the distributer go bad.

It must have been because there was no load on it. But I had a distributer off of a newer LS that I grabbed the coil out of . It's good to have parts around.

Thanks for your help everyone.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by rovigian &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">UPDATE: I wanted to let everyone know that doing the compression test did infact make the ignition coil in the distributer go bad.

It must have been because there was no load on it. But I had a distributer off of a newer LS that I grabbed the coil out of . It's good to have parts around.

Thanks for your help everyone.</TD></TR></TABLE>

so how did you come to that conclusion? maybe it was because you broke something in the dist. itself?

Glad you got it fixed

 

I've seen plenty of coils go out simply by cranking the engine over without spark plug wires or just not hooked up to the plugs. Don't know why. Never really bothered to research it. I figure the spark must need to be grounded.

As for your way of checking the coil. If you don't mind having someone crank the car over while 30,000 volts go through you then be my guest. Of course you should put your hand on the metal part of the screw driver and stand in water to really increase the affect. It won't be one spark. It will be a series of multiple sparks. And trust me its a real pleasant feeling

 

when you check for spark it is considered well, i would say, safer to pull a spark plug out and then put it back in the spark plug wire and ground the plug and check for spark...