NOT Festiva, No spark.

[lessersivad]

I posted this on another site yesterday and no response so far, hence I'm posting it here. It involves an '89 Buick Century with a 2.5 4 cylinder.

Actual question at the end.

WARNING! LENGTHY POST AHEAD!!


Well it happened last weekend.

I drove the Buick to a nearby town, shut off the ignition and it restarted after errands no problem.

Came back into my town and stopped at another store, left engine running and came home to drop things off, left engine running while I brought things into the house in preparation to go to another town.

Got back into the car and put it into 'Drive" and it stalled. First thing I thought was 'Great, the TCC stuck'. Went to restart and all it would do is crank but no start. Tried a few times with same results so I drove one of my other vehicles.(Festiva)

Arrived home a little over an hour later and figured the engine and components had time to cool down and was hoping it was a temperature related problem. Nope, same thing, crank but no start.

Soooo, I started diagnosing and found no spark. Then the rains came and I didn't look at it until today.

Today I reconfirmed no spark and started following the 'flow chart' in my factory service manual and it came down to the ICM. (CPS ohmed out good.)

I called O'Reilly's to see if they had a tester to confirm and took it to them. ICM tested bad and they ordered a new one.

THEN I had them check the new one (because it's located in such a convenient location) and that one failed the test but not near as badly as my original.

They ordered the 2 they could get tomorrow and those will also be tested before the purchase.

BTW these are their 'house brand' Master Pro units.

If both of these fail tomorrow then I'll keep searching for at least a unit that will pass 'out of the box'.

I'm not exactly flush with cash at the present time, otherwise I would simply get a Delco unit from rock auto and be done with it.

Anyone else ever use the 'Master Pro' brand for ignition components and if so, thoughts or experience please.

[FestYboy]

They all come out of the same factory... And it's a crap shoot if the new ones work and for how long... I have a 2.8 fiero and deal with the same thing, so I always carry a spare. I recommend you relocate the ICM with a harness extension and a old computer heat sink. The other problem with the Duke is the coil pack sits right on top... Heat soak was apparently an after thought.

[Stinsin63]

Also make sure you're getting the right part. I have the Duke in my 91 S-10 and a lot of parts are VIN number specific. Mine is an "E" motor which means it was built in the Pontiac plant in Canada. I believe the other choice is an "A" motor. This has caused a few head scratching moments for me in the past.

[lessersivad]

I thought about trying to relocate the ICM. If it wasn't for the CPS mounting right to the back of the mounting plate the ICM attaches to and directly plugging into the back of the ICM, it wouldn't be much of a problem.

I'll have to take another look to see if it's possible to maybe make a bracket or something for the CPS to mount to.

Then see if I can come up with connectors for the ICM and CPS to make a harness.

1st order of business is to go see if either of the new ICMs actually will pass the tester part before purchase.

[lessersivad]

Well got back with the new ICM that actually passed the test procedure. Now hopefully in the next couple of days I can get it installed and have a running vehicle.

BTW, the new one was actually made in the U.S. Whether that will make a difference I don't know.

Also I just looked at the old one and it's a 'Wells' brand. Didn't notice it before.

[bhazard]

Really, Russ? I know you're *kind of* an older guy but really, an 89 Century? Is there a 4.3 diesel swap for that or anything you can do?

^_^

[lessersivad]

Really, Russ? I know you're *kind of* an older guy but really, an 89 Century? Is there a 4.3 diesel swap for that or anything you can do?

^_^

Hey there Brad. Nope no diesel swap in the future. Although I do know of a diesel shop that had 4-5 GM 'A' bodies with the 4.3's in them a couple of years ago. Dunno if'n they're still there or not.

I've owned a few of these (not a Century) mostly the Cieras and Celebrities. All of them with the 'iron duke'.

Pretty simple cars except getting to the main ignition components buried on the back of the engine.

Plus it don't make too bad of a loaner car if need be.

[lessersivad]

Took the ICM heat sink mount into work today and gave it a good bead blasting. ICM is mounted onto the heat sink with Arctic Silver Ceramique 2 paste installed.

Now I need to make a remote mount for the coils and jumper leads.

[lessersivad]

Remote coil mount done and installed. IT RUNS!!

Actually runs better than before the ICM pooped. Easier starting than before also.

[bhazard]

Not hard to engineer something better than GM [emoji14]

[lessersivad]

Not hard to engineer something better than GM [emoji14]

Yup. Or pretty much any motorcar company.

[FestYboy]

Remote coil mount done and installed. IT RUNS!!

Actually runs better than before the ICM pooped. Easier starting than before also.

This doesn't surprise me. It was a failed design from the start. Good to hear it runs again.

[lessersivad]

This doesn't surprise me. It was a failed design from the start. Good to hear it runs again.

Yea, I'm glad it runs also.

Now I have 'mystery steam' coming from the Festiva. I'm suspecting a freeze plug. Before I go that route I'm going to attempt to pressure test the coolant tube I removed earlier today.