91 Festiva no spark or fuel pump run

[firebush357]

I don't know if this has been covered yet but it is always a safe bet to go ahead and check compression to make sure that you haven't jumped timing. You should have a reading of around 150psi or above on a properly timed engine.

[redrover]

Firebush - the injectors are doing their thing and firing perfectly and the fuel lines definitely are not on backwards - this was an awesome running car up until about 4 weeks ago when I shut it off to go check my mailbox and then could not get it re-started

weather and work has been keeping me from pulling the distributor to figure out which one I need to order - I see that there are two different shaft sizes - and then I need to figure out if I need an optical or hall-effect distributor

I looked around on Ebay and can find used ones as low as $60 - but the new ones seem to be going for $150 and up - I'm ok with paying the extra for a new one I know is going to last for years - I just need to figure out how to know if I need an optical or hall-effect type??? also... I'm being told that there are 2 different shaft sizes and yet when looking online all of the distributors I'm seeing don't even list the shaft size - so how does one know that they are getting the right size?

[firebush357]

I'm not sure what to tell you on that one. Are you part of the Facebook Page? I would ask there since it is more active and the people with that knowledge don't frequent the forum as often.

[1990new]

Just read through these post and tried to think of other thing that might be causing your problem.
I have some extra distributors and would be willing to send you one to check out if you pay the shipping. If you will remove the cap and take a picture of the inside and post it, I can compare it to mine and send you the same one if I have it.
Have you ever changed the timing belt on this Festiva? If so how long ago?
PM me if you like.

[redrover]

Thanks guys - I was away for a few days so am now just getting back to this - I did go ahead and order the distributor and hopefully will be putting it in within the next few days if the weather cooperates

The timing belt has about 32k on it and I've already checked to make sure it didn't jump somehow - so I'm really hoping the new distributor does the trick

[redrover]

Well I just put the new distributor in this morning and still no spark - I think I've finally reached the end of my rope with this little car and will probably just end up selling it for parts...

Thank You to all who tried to help

[WmWatt]

Probably just a loose wire somewhere.

[firebush357]

Where are you located? There might be someone close to you that could stop by and give it a look.

[redrover]

I'm located in northern Wisconsin.

I've had many people tell me that they are very susceptible to corrosion/wiring issues (which I have had in the past and dealt with them as they occurred - replaced all 3 of the fusible links and cleaned grounding points). What I don't get is that I have power to the coil (new coil) - I've tested the pulse coming from the distributor back to the igniter (new distributor and igniter) (I'm wondering if it's possible that I somehow got a faulty new igniter?)(and if it's not the igniter then it has to be the main computer - which I've no idea how to test)

makes me really wish I had an old carb model as I know I could make that run...

[WmWatt]

In your first post you said you checked the high voltage ignition wire between the coil and distributor. Did you look down inside the top of the coil? I found corrosion in there on mine. Cleaned it out with some steel wool twisted into a probe and a small round file. You can also bend open the clip on the end of the ignition wire for better contact.

The ignition control module is always suspect. Do you have the one mounted outside the distributor? (They mounted them there for one or two model years to avoid the heat as they are susceptible high temperatures.) If not a new one would have come with your distributor and should be good. Equus(?) sells an ignition module tester which some parts retailers used to have to test them for free.

[harpon]

What about the ECM computer thingy under the front seat. Can't that make a lot of things go wrong? Have you cleaned the contacts there or checked it?

Getting ready to get back to fooling with the red '91- too busy- I somehow managed to get a clutch cylinder o my 04 Accent today- and nearly killed me- I had it all on and someone had torqued down the bleed valve until I was screwing up the flats with a good steel spanner and had to take the whole thing off again to loosen it with a hammer inside. So I actually put it on twice and wasted a half bottle of brake fluid. Way too old for this stuff anymore!

badh2

[harpon]

So the slave cylinder has the Accent shifting much better- although as yet not done bleeding. The old pissed on looks, well - old and cruddy, but I think there may still be something of the same issue with the Master cylinder, so one of those on order now too- I think it's alright with Hurry Caine season approaching , and it's a scorching humid 96 degrees outside right now, so I can't do much of anything outside of mowing the lawn earlier.

tjd

[redrover]

WmWatt - it has a brand new coil - new wires - new ignition module - new distributor - timing checked - going to try to find someone who has a ignition tester (yes - mine is the external type)

harpon - I will mess with the ecm connector a bit - but I'm not sure I want to put any more money into it (I'm finding good remanufactured ecm's online for about $230) - slave cylinders are fun aren't they? - always fun when someone else has messed things up before you work on them (had that happen many times in old vehicles)

people keep telling me that it's probably just a corrosion issue - but darned if I can find it

[redrover]

OK - I'm resurrecting this old thread - I haven't sold it yet - no one seems to want a non-running car of it's vintage...

So... since my last entry in this thread I have messed with the computer about as much as I know how to - there are no active codes stored in it

Basically have gone back through and checked ever last single thing I know to check and am still at a complete loss to explain why there is no spark... New coil (yes - there is power going to it), new ignition module, new distributor (yes - it's sending the pulse signal to the module), no computer codes, and still no spark...

[WmWatt]

Maybe time to check what do you mean by "no spark"? Assume the engine is turning over. There is power to the ingition coil as determined by measuring voltage at the +ive low voltage teminal on the coil? Holding a spark plug or ignition wire 1/4" from ground and no spark jumps when the engine is turned over?

PS. I just went back and read the plugs were checked with a plug test light. That is clipped bewteen the ignition wire and the plug? I have one of those. Doesn't that mean the engine is getting spark? Sorry for the density.