Engine rotates but wont start.

[JohnGunn]

I have power at the coil & past the coil but it wont spark. What else can I replace again?

If there is power to the primary windings of the coil, all that is needed for the coil to fire is for that power to be interrupted. Turning that power on and off at the right times is the job of the distributor. If two known working distributors did not make the coil fire, either those working distributors are incompatible with your engine, or the wiring between the distributor and the coil is broken. Trace that line and if good try and test the original distributor, that first failed, in one of your donor cars. If it works in one of them, that would strengthen confidence that the distributor is not the source of your problem.

John Gunn
Coronado, CA

P.S. I don't know how you are checking the output of the coil and from the distributor to the spark plugs, but if you have an inductive timing light that would be one sure way to see what is or isn't passing through each of those wires.

[m715]

Mine did it. Go figure. He's had this same crappy wet, cold weather too. Our ignitions don't like dampness to start with, and no access to those O rings to seal off the caps don't help either along with deterioration and corrosion of connections.

[muscle_Car1]

Maybe you've already done this, and I missed it, but... You have spark at the coil, but nothing at the plugs, correct? Do you know for a fact you have spark at the dizzy end of the coil to dizzy wire? Assuming that in swapping the dizzys you have also swapped the cap at least once?

Dont have spark but have 13v with key on.

Have not tried to wiggle the wiring while starting as I'm doing this all solo.

[wybnrml]

Maybe the MAF is bad, mine went out awhile back but I don't know if a bad MAF would tell the ECU to not send spark.

[FestYboy]

^nope, seperate system.

Kemp, you have power at the coil, but you need a ground signal to make it work, that comes through the dizzy. dizzy needs power as well (5v ref IIRC). check your dash fuses for power first and then move on from there. DO NOT USE A TEST LIGHT.

[muscle_Car1]

Any other idea's? Anyone else have a running FI car that they would like to bring over & help me figure this out?

[muddevil01]

Are you checking for spark at the coil or through the coil wire? If you are checking through the coil wire maybe it is a bad coil wire. Just throwing something out here did you check to see if the spark plugs are fouled? I say this because maybe one of the other components was the problem and before you replaced it while cranking on it with no spark the plugs became fuel fouled.It's just an idea because you never know.

[25Horseplay]

Any other idea's? Anyone else have a running FI car that they would like to bring over & help me figure this out?

How about I drive an EFI car over, help gets your running and you can keep my EFI car and I will take home your red sport for my services!!

[muscle_Car1]

^ at the moment I kinda almost like that Idea. I have an interview @ 10am & Alicia works @ 11 on friday. 1st glimmer of hope in 4 months since I last was gainfully employed.

[marinepolice03]

Are you checking for spark at the coil or through the coil wire? If you are checking through the coil wire maybe it is a bad coil wire. Just throwing something out here did you check to see if the spark plugs are fouled? I say this because maybe one of the other components was the problem and before you replaced it while cranking on it with no spark the plugs became fuel fouled.It's just an idea because you never know.

We replaced the coil and wire with parts from my running car and the car did the same thing.

[Hot_Wheels]

if you dont figure it out by sunday ill stop by,im just going to have to scrounge the cushions for gas money hehe

[doylerl]

Was this problem ever solved? I am having the same kind of problem.

[Damkid]

Have you tried changing the ECU?

nattyphysicist had the same problem with his BP festiva, i sold him my old BP ECU and it fired right up

[marinepolice03]

as far as i know the car is still down. i was over there a couple days ago and it was not moved.

[Hot_Wheels]

yea last time i talk to him it was broke still, im going to see if i can make it out there tommarow but i dont know how much help i can be...my wife tells me all the time im just useless..