Ignition module

[Festivachuck90]

So I am trying to get the ignition module tested but have to get it outta the distributor. I started to take it apart today and stopped. It looked like of have to take the whole top of the distributor out is tht correct? I just don't wanna break the thing as last time I broke the vaf and the was a big cost so if you could plz let me know

[milehighbear]

What year is your vehicle?

[Festivachuck90]

1990

[milehighbear]

ok, your ignition module is next to the coil. The only thing you have in your distributor is a cam sensor. Do you have a Haynes manual. If not you need to get one. If you do, go to the section on distributors and they have a couple tests you can do. What seems to be your problem anyway. Do you not have spark either from coil or no spark thru plugs, what?? If you don't have a manual, their are a lot of threads on the distributor and you need to type distributor into search and it should bring it up. But let us know what exactly your problem is

[Festivachuck90]

The car starts and runs fine then randomly at different time intervals starts idling rough or shuts off. Won't build power when I floor the pedal either. Someone tol me the ignition module could be heating up and on it's way out

[FestYboy]

also check for tears in the air tube between the VAF and TB.

another piece to look at is your fuel filter (depending on it's age)

[Festivachuck90]

No tears and the filter is good already checked. I've driven it for over an hr and it does fine or only after 10 min. Completely random time intervals and it starts up fine once it's cooled down

[FestYboy]

yeah that sounds like ignition breakdown... it sux.

[Festivachuck90]

Why do u say it sucks. And I got quoted only 55 for a new one from autozone

[Festivachuck90]

And when it does mess up I floor it and it kinda idles worse also told it could be fuel pressure regulator I just havent checked it yet. But would the fuel pressure regulator go off and on like tht when the engine warms up?

[georgeb]

Why do u say it sucks. And I got quoted only 55 for a new one from autozone

The reason it sucks is because the $55 item might not be it. It might be the coil, or it might be the dist pickup, or it might be the VAF, or it might be in the wiring, or it might be a fuel issue. The best way to diagnose it is to swap in spare or borrowed components.

[milehighbear]

Make sure your distributor is clean on the inside. Take some carb cleaner or electrical cleaner they use for pc boards and spray and wipe out the distributor cap. Clean the rotor and the plastic cap inside the distributor comes out real easy. Check for any oil in distributor and clean out real good. You can eliminate a lot by cleaning inside carb. There are ways to check coil and icm (ignition coil Module, just check search for these threads others have written.. Make sure all your grounds on dist, coil, icm are good connections.

[Dragonhealer]

Why do u say it sucks. And I got quoted only 55 for a new one from autozone

As a last resort, two items that match the symptoms are: the AFM (wiper
contacts wear through the resistive material on the printed circuit board)
and the ECU (develops cracks in the solder joints of components on the
circuit board).
These two are often temperature sensitive and generally only found on high
mileage cars.Test by substitution, if it's the ECU, don't throw it out, they
are easy to fix.

[Festivachuck90]

I can pull the coil off another car but it's a 89 so that's about all I can pull off lol. I'll prob get the coil checked and the icm too. If those two aren't it then my nxt guess will be to check fuel pressure regulator if none of those are it then idk and I'll be back on here posting and searching threads

[Festivachuck90]

Ya if it's the ecu I know a guy tht can fix it.