engine and drivetrain Can I please get some Spark help

[Undead_Rider]

I just swapped a used good running motor into my 2002, which was running 3 weeks ago before the engine blew. Everything is hooked back up but the car wont start it just keeps cranking. Its getting gas.

The spark plugs are not sparking. When I pul one and put it on the alve cover and crank the engine we get no spark. I know for sure its not the coil, spark plugs or wires. Ive tried multiple dist., and I just dont know what else to try. What are the 2 little boxes that the wires from the coil go to? Is it a regulator or relay? Does anyone have any tips on what to try next.

[3nSahalee]

this may help.....

good luck to you.

Diagnostic flowchart for a car that won't start 97-2003.doc

[Mike Self]

absolutely sure the coil is good, the next things to check are

1. Is the coil getting +12 volts on its + terminal and

2. is the wire connecting the coil to the distributor connected?

3. Is the wiring to the starter set up properly so that the coil continues to get power when you engage the starter motor?

Once that's been determined, start to suspect the distributor itself.

1. Are the points gapped properly?

2. Is the condenser good?

3. How about the cap and rotor? Is the little carbon button in the center of the dizzy cap still moving up and down on its spring? If not, it won't make contact with the rotor--and no spark.

Let us know whatcha find...

mike

[BillWilliams]

How about the wire to the condensor? Is it connected?

[hawkgm]

Hard to tell without a photo of the setup. One box may be the bypass relay if your car has an external resistor. Refer to a wiring diagram and be sure all the wires are connected correctly. Not sure of the other box. Could be you have a CD system. If so, there should be a switch to turn it on or off. If it's off, the spark gaps may be too wide to spark properly.

[heep70]

???

[Motorcitydak]

You say the coil is good, this can test just about everything else...

Disconnect the wires from the coil and mark them so you know where they go, leave the plug wire from the coil to the distributor. The coil will have a + and a - input. Put a wire from the + battery terminal and put it to the + of the coil. Take the distributor cap off and spin the motor until the rotor points at one of the contacts to one of the spark plug wires. Put the cap back on and put the spark plug in the wire that the rotor is pointing to. Put that plug on the valve cover to ground it. Then put another wire from the - contact on the coil and touch it to ground, any ground like the valve cover you are using for the spark plug. The - wire will spark and you should see a spark across the plug.

Also Im hoping that you have a multi meter, if not you need to get one. With the distributor cap and rotor off, insert one lead for the meter into the - wire for the coil and put the other one on a ground to measure the resistance to ground. You will read some resistance with the points closed. You can either spin the engine or just use a flat head screw driver to move open the points. When you do that, your resistance should drop to 0

The only things that these tests will not check is the condenser and the condition of the points. Its a good idea for you to just get new points and condenser. Also do not forget to set your points gap properly. Im not sure what the gap is supposed to be but Im sure you can find that somewhere on here....or just get an electronic distributor and forget about all that junk

[heep70]

WATCH OUT FOR THIS LOSER (UNDEAD_RIDER). I BOUGHT A MANIFOLD AND HAVE YET TO SEE IT. HE DOESN'T RESPOND TO EMAILS OR TEXTS. THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE WHY NO ONE TRUSTS NO ONE. IT IS A SHAME I GOT TO DONATE SOME OF MY CASH I WORKED FOR TO HIS PILE OF SHIAT BMW.