won't turn over, ignition control unit?

[tedraortega]

can you clean the brown fuse holder with something like wd 40? or sand paper so it makes better contact?

it was kind a corroded from sitting in the junk yard. i wondered about that so i had tested it from wire through holder back down to the ground and it completed the curciut.

[FestYboy]

yeah, someone in this thread has a link to another thread with a "how to" in it in their sig.


ok, i lied... he didn't post in this thread, but i'll find him and give you his SN

found him!! it's nitrofarm

[tedraortega]

i found it, i tried to de-pin my old one and i only got 1 out of the 5 with a tiny tiny screw driver. i have the micro ones but it isn't strong enough and the other tiny screw driver has a head across of about an 1/8" of an inch which fits into the slot but it won't push it in. i broke the plastic. if you have any ideas on what tool they used to de-pin that would be great.

[tedraortega]

i found some contact cleaner and it seemed to work. i have dash and parking lights now. still no headlights. i bypassed the fuse just to see if it was the fuse, it wasn't. i have a diagram of the head lights but i can't read it.

is it possible that the ignition problem could be related? even though they were working and now it isn't? if it is a short somewhere. i have retraced all of the wires and it still looks right.

the switch on the steering column seems fine.

that book can not get here soon enough.

[georgeb]

The only components for the headlight circuit is the HEAD fuse link, the headlight relay (the middle of three relays in the drivers side front corner of engine comp), the headlight sw, the headlights and wiring. The ground for the headlight switch is near the battery, which is also the ground for that headlight.

[tedraortega]

i have the ignition part.
i removed the steering wheel, and the parts between the wheel and the ignition. i am now to removing the ignition but i can't get the shear bolts off or even loose because i can't reach them.

do i need to remove the bigger bolts under the steering column so i can tilt down the column so i can reach the top of the bolts ? (not even sure it does that)

or... do you have to remove the plastic dash?

neither one of these sound like good options.

i read in the book where you can notch the shear bolts so you can use a screw driver and unscrew it, which was my plan. but how do i get the screw driver vertical instead of at an angle.

[georgeb]

According to my Haynes manual, you have to remove the ign sw first, which involves removing all the plastic and metal stuff around the column. It says you might have to lower the column to get to the connectors, but you don't have to get to the connectors if you plan to reuse the old sw. It says you also have to remove the headlight sw. Then you have to drill out the shear bolts. I hope that the manual is wrong!

[Pu241]

DO NOT DRILL THEM OUT!

Unless you have replacements.
I have removed more than a few of these by putting a drop or two of PB Blaster on them and then used a small set of locking pliers and backed the "nut" off 1/8 of a turn till finger loose. Not hard, but takes a little practice.

[tedraortega]

well. things are not going as expected.

i did get the bolts lose and put the new part in and wired it all up (after i had to resolder the little 2 wires on the back of the of ignition. they looked good before i put it back in. i followed the solder marks so i knew which one went where.

i tried to start it several times and it did turn over so the starter was working but it didn't keep running. as soon as i come of off start it would shut off.

i thought it might be the slot lined up wrong with the key part but i checked that several times. it was in line with the switch.

now it won't turn over like before. i don't think it is the ignition now.

anyone have any idea?

[georgeb]

Did you remove the intake hose? The car won't stay running without it. Was it running or just cranking?

[tedraortega]

I didn't mess with any hoses anywhere.

After i put in the new igintion it turned over the first few times but didn't start. so i was happy because that was better than before.. now it won't turn over with the new ignition... i tried jumping it with my car to see if the battery was too drained. still nothing just like before. just turn the key and nothing other than lights on the dash.

after i gave up on that i tried it again with the remote and it would turn over but not start, that's new. i had always been able to get it to run with the remote till now.

i still haven't tracked down the headlights.

this has to be something simple.

i did notice that if i hold the key on start it kept running. as soon as i let off the key it dies. i made sure the ignition lined up with the plug on the other side of the ignition, so i am not sure which way to go now other than start over....

[georgeb]

Sounds like the VAF circuit is not running the pump. Check the connection on the VAF (air cleaner). Jump the fuel pump self-test connection. It's a 2-pin T-shaped connector by the master cylinder. Turn the key and listen for the pump. Start it with the remote. If it starts and runs there's a problem with the VAF. Why did you have to solder the ign wires?

[FestYboy]

^ yup, i'd look there as well.

[WmWatt]

I can't remember what you've done so far but if all else fails I'd get the ignition control module (inside the distributor on my '89) tested. When my module died the garage had the same problem. Would turn over and start but only run for 3-4 seconds. New module fixed the problem. Car was stalling randomly before the module died.

[tedraortega]

Hi GeorgeB,
i had to solder those two tiny wires because they came loose when i removed the ignition. i matched up the solder marks from before to tell which one went on which copper plate. i think it is ok. (in my past life i soldered circuit boards for remote sensors) if you know what those two tiny wires connect to, i could check and make sure the connection is good.

the VAF circuit was something i had read earlier today and i had that on my list to check. i had to go see someone about a word document so that made me an hour getting late home so i only had about 30 minutes before the mosquitos were driving me nuts.

i'll have to try again tomorrow.

WmWatt ~ we have already replaced the ignition coil twice. battery is good, starter is good, solenoid is attached to starter, main fusible links are good replaced with long leg fuses, small fuses in panel are good, ignition has been replaced, distributor and rotor cap was replaced, wires to spark plugs was replaced, spark plugs replaced.

now assuming that all that was installed correctly and is still good.