91 Festiva Ignition Module

[nattyphysicist]

Hi,

My engine turns over but does not start. I am getting voltage to the coil and the coil resistances are good. No spark at the coil output.

I have a tach hooked up to the test connector on the coil (attached to the negative terminal and ground) and the gauge is not registering any RPM. I also tried another tach and nothing. Can I conclude that I have a bad module?

The car was running fine until I tried starting it and then it cut out suddenly. I found my main fuseable link was blown, but that should not make the car cut out. However, I think when the fuse blew, the transient from that blew out the module. Just want to make sure.

Thanks,
Nat

[WmWatt]

You can get the ignition module tested for free at some auto parts stores. Take a look in
http://www.ag384bn.bravehost.com/Cars.htm for some info I collected when relacing my ICM. Good luck.

[TominMO]

"No spark at the coil output" sounds like a bad coil, not a bad module inside the disty.

[nattyphysicist]

My electrical manual shows the module mounted behind the coil. I know that some years has it in the disty, but I don't think it's the case with the 91.

No spark out of the coil could mean the coil, module, or wiring up to those parts. On this year, the coil secondary resistance is measured between the coil output and ground?

[TominMO]

I thought all EFI Festivas had an ignition module in the distributor. No? And what about the carbed cars?

[m715]

Only the Carb cars have it inside the distributor. It it mounted on the bracket that houses the coil on FI.

[nattyphysicist]

I thought all EFI Festivas had an ignition module in the distributor. No? And what about the carbed cars?

I don't know about carbed cars, but I definitely have a module outside the disty. Of course there are also low power connections to the disty itself. I would assume that the position of the disty rotor has to be conveyed to the module through these wires. My shop manual shows schematically that the module is in the disty, but on the harness diagram (same manual) it shows the module physically located behind the coil. I also see the condensor as a separate item, so I know I'm not confusing the two.