Sorry that this is my first post, but I am searching for assistance and came across your forum. I have done many searches and found various answers; what I honestly expected as I'm sure there are plenty of causes for my problem. Issue is on my son's car. As he left school yesterday, the car went about a quarter of a mile then stalled out. He was able to start it back up, only making it a couple hundred more feet before it shut down again. When I made it to him, I attempted to start and was getting crank but no start. It did actually start, after many attempts, and I was able to feather the gas to keep it running about 15 seconds. It died again and will only randomly try to fire off; but the car will not start. Please note, any time it attempt to try to actually fire, it's only 1-2 seconds and only occurs few and far between attempts.

What I have checked based on searches:
1. No spark. Now I don't have any fancy tool to check this, but I pulled each plug and grounded; having my son attempt starting. Only 1 plug showed a tiny spark, but that was it......and it was like one little spark then stopped immediately.
2. I can hear the fuel pump turn on and assume fuel is good as each plug showed clear sign of fuel delivery from the attempts.
3. No CEL. My first thought would be crank/cam position sensor; but wouldn't I get a CEL??
4. Pulled dist cap; all looks great. Had son turn over to ensure rotor turned as it should; no issues.

Any thoughts? I purchased this as a 1st car for my son and it only has 150kish miles currently. I appreciate any assistance!

 

My first thought honestly is ECU or igniter module (in the distributor)

Before you get to that though, make sure the engine is properly grounded. Just for a trial, connect a jumper lead from the engine block to the negative on the battery (or the body itself) and then try starting and see if you get spark. Free to check

 

Are you getting any codes when you hook up a code reader? Do you even get the CEL during bulb check? Also the ecu is hidden under a plate in the passenger footwell under the firewall carpet. If you take it out and open it, are there exploded capacitors or things smell like rotting fish?

 

If I were in your position, I'd get my hands on an inexpensive obd2 reader that has live data and start there. First thing that came to mind for me would be timing, or timing related (sensor, timing belt jumped a tooth, something like that). It's hard to say without the data or trouble code.

 

Crscamaro,
Did you resolve the issue? If so, what was it? I have a similar issue.
Thanks,
John

 

Doesn't hurt to check, but one time when I did my headgasket, I forgot to tighten down the engine harness ground that bolts up to the driverside intake manifold. It was loosely finger tight. There was no spark whatsoever. But after a few days, my buddy found that we never tighten down the ground wire on the intake mani. So if I was you, it doesn't hurt to remove it and make sure it's free of corrosions.

 

S A M E problem nus. After doing my HG it wouldnt spark either and i bought another distributor, and still no spark. Was that one damn ground hahah

 

LOL. Yeap, something small and simple that we tend to overlook. But we learn as we go, and that damn ground, I will never forget to leave it loose ever again. I always made sure to to tighten it down now. Never did it again. LOL.