WHAT AM I MISSING?! Crank, no start.

[FestYboy]

there's the main relay near the LF headlight, but since you can crank, that's not it. there are 2 fuses in the cabin fuse box that should be addressed (the meter and engine). also check for spark as suggested before.

[freshtiva]

PLEASE answer the following-

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT is NOT lit when the key is in the ON position.... it normally IS. WHAT CONTROLS THIS? It's likely the issue, and it's obviously not the links..... (what fuse does the ECM!?)

The seat belt is still screwy.... it's stuck in the forward position and won't retract. ALTHOUGH it is TRYING. What is the issue here? Related? Because it worked fine before this whole ordeal....


UUUUGGGGGHHHHH

Does your left turn signal work, and does your charge light come on ?

Did you hit a hard bump or anything when the car died ?

[drddan]

Pull a spark plug wire, hold it close to the spark plug as you crank it and see if there is spark. No spark = bad disty/module
If there is spark, check the fuel shutoff in the back interior panel, there is a fuel shut valve in case of collision, and can be reset, by pushing the button on it
This is what freshtiva may have had in mind when he asked if you had hit a bump.
At least those 2 things can be checked/eliminated easily and quickly.

[200KGPGTP]

Messed around some more. I removed the 'meter' fuse while the key was in the 'on' position, and the rad fan came on leading me to believe that was what controlled the ecm, at least partially. So it's a possibility that the check engine bulb is bad. It wasn't before.

No I didn't hit a bump, the inertia switch is fine, blinker works.

I was cranking it a bunch and smelled fuel, good in that dept.

12v at the main ignition module lead

No spark

Do these cars have a crank position sensor or is it automatically a bad ignition module/coil?

[JoDan]

The distributor acts as a cam sensor and tells the coil when to fire. Check for power and ground at coil to see what you don't have and go from there.

[200KGPGTP]

Will do. also, when I said "12v at the main ignition module lead" I mean 12v at the coil lead.

[nitrofarm]

ICM

My guess is ICM

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=385976

Youve got fuel,it cranks but no spark.And you said it just quit without warning...thats what those buggers are infamous for.

It could also be the CPS inside the Dizzy.Or could be the Dizzy isnt turning at all.:eeeeeek: Easy test would be try a known good ICM. I think/hope maybe the seat belt thing is a symptom of a low battery from lots of frustrated cranking? Good luck my friend.You'll get it going soon,hang in there.

[200KGPGTP]

That's a good possibility.

Also, when you say the dist may not even be spinning, are you implying the entire crankshaft isn't spinning? Or that a failure led the dist to not spin when the camshaft is? Cause the timing belt is fine.


Also2, I have no idea what is up with the seatbelt. This all happened at once... maybe a voltage surge or something killed the weakest components?

hypothetically speaking, which came first? Main fuseable link corroded, leaving a faulty, surge-prone connection that caused the death of the icm(if that's what's wrong) and belt and cel bulb.... OR the icm(if that's what failed) took out the main fuse when it blew taking the other junk with it?

Just thinking out loud.

[mattman]

i havent read the whole thread yet but mine did that when the fuel pump went maybe the pump died or shorted when this happened to you

[freshtiva]

If there is spark, check the fuel shutoff in the back interior panel, there is a fuel shut valve in case of collision, and can be reset, by pushing the button on it
This is what freshtiva may have had in mind when he asked if you had hit a bump.

Yes it was. I think the inertia switch disables the seat belt too.

[drddan]

I can almost guarantee it is the disty. It almost always is when this happens.
Have you access to another known good disty, borrowed or whatever?
Switch it out with a good disty and $5 says it fires right up. I am running a $35 junkyard disty in mine. (new one in a box in cargo area)
I rant about this a lot, as this happens all the time now, the car runs fine, then just dies, As these cars get older, this is happening almost every week to someone on this site. True it could be something else, but this is now a common problem in Festy's. I've had a couple Festys and its happened to every one i've had.
BTW, the modules (icm) can be had very cheap on the bay. A LOT cheaper than buying a new disty.

[drddan]

Wow. Just found this module for 90-93's $34.98

http://www.partsgeek.com/mmparts/ign...d/festiva.html

[200KGPGTP]

So which should I try first? Marcus, have a used dist per chance? Is there a way to test either of them?

[milehighbear]

Hey bud, I somewhat had the same problem. I wasn't getting any spark from coil or plug wires. I was getting power to the ICM and coil and also to dizzy. I replaced the ICM and coil and still nothing. I did take the dizzy out, took it all apart and took the distributor stator positioner(thats the black plastic piece in dizzy that has connector on it which i refer to as DSP). On this part is a little magnetic piece that the crank positioner goes thru (looks like fan blade). I cleaned the DSP where the crank positioner passes thru and also cleaned the terminals on it. It started couple times and then completely stopped again. So I got a used dizzy from one of the guys and put it in and it started right up and has been running since. Clean the DSP. Be careful when you take the two small screws around the connector off, under the plate is a rubber gasket. Remove this before taking the DSP out and be very careful removing gasket, breaks easy. Let me know if I can help you anymore. Find another distributor as drddan says and when you find one and it works, find another and keep it as spare. If you have Led test light and have a volt meter/ohm meter, I can tell you how to test coil and ICM as told to me by FB71 and also by what book tells you. You must use a led light so you don't burn ICM out. Also, if you haven't figured it out how to crank engine over beside the key, turn key to on position, on the started, there is bolt positive cable is hooked to and above that, a small wire is hooked to, take the wire off terminal and use screwdriver and touch these two together, make sure car is in neutral and you don't have to worry about pushing clutch in doing it this way. I bought a remote starter button with aligator clips on ends to attach to these two points and makes it real easy. I didn't know if you knew you could do this or not so thats why I'm telling you.

[200KGPGTP]

Brought the ICM to o'rielies(sp) and it tested bad like 5+ times. So I have a new one on order. Cross your fingers!!!!!