Yep another 1988 no spark !

[newguy]

okay here we go first Post
i have a 1988 Festiva 5 speed Carbed . i have a no spark condition . the distributor has been replaced included a new ignition module inside the distributor . i have a new accel coil which with key on has power . the engine cranks but there is no spark . when i replaced the distributor it fired and ran for about 20 min i ran inside to get my wallet and when i came back it had died . i tried to restart and back to no spark i have not gone out since it cooled down to see if it might fire now but does anyone have any thoughts or things i could check .? thanx in advance Newguy

[drddan]

The Accel coil could be the problem. Festiva's have a 3 ohm coil requirement for the ignition setup. The Accel coil is probably 1.6 ohm or close to that, but the lower ohmage will make the module run hot, and can kill the module. Best to have a stock replacement 3 ohm coil.
Also, there is a "heat sink" paste that should be put under the module when replacing it. Available at radio shack or any electronic store/supplier.

Have you checked to see if your timing belt is intact? A broken belt will definitly cause a no spark condition!
Pull disty cap, crank motor over, and see if the rotor spins.

Oh...Welcome to the site!

[newguy]

Hey Dan !
the timing belt is in good condition . i didnt know about the coil thing tho , the guy at autozone said it would be a direct replacement, sucks if he gave me something that would burn out my brand new ignition module i didnt check to see if they used paste on the module it was installed in the reman distributor when i got it so i just assumed it would be right . thanx for the input ill take a look at those things and get back .. do you think the module would fry in just 20 min ? if i have the wrong coil that is

[drddan]

Usually the IM will last a while B4 burning out ...but....???

I have gotten a few disty's from junkyards, like $30, have a good working jy disty on it now. lol

If you have access to another disty, swap it in and see if it starts. Quik check!

Oh yeah, new IM's can be had on ebay for about $45-$50

[newguy]

i saw the new I.M.'s on ebay but the price difference from there to the ones at the parts stores freaked me out .. sounded like a too good to be true sort of thing .. anyway thanx for the input ill give that stuff a look and ill holla back .. its a great little car i put about 120 miles on it before it gave up the ghost i hope i can get her runnin again ..

[FestYboy]

Drddan, i don't recall seeing a heat sink area on the carb dizzy ICMs....

also, i've been running an accel coil on Scrappy for several years without issue and also on Pepe....

[drddan]

Not a heat sink!

Heat sink PASTE, used under the ICM, as a heat dissipater. Ask JIM (FB71) about it, and the 3 ohm coil.

I used a different coil also for a while...til my new ICM went out!

Festyboy, I think you've just been lucky! LOL

[FestYboy]

oh i know there's no heat sink per-se, but i dont remember ever seeing an area for the paste either...


as for being lucky.... maybe

[WmWatt]

It's a dielectric heat sink paste - dielectrtric so it doesn't conduct electricity (isloatesIM from transient charges).
Try cleaning the ignition components, eg the wire between the oil an distrubutor. "Clean" rag. Might help.

[Banana Bonanza]

If you want to keep the Accel coil, add an ignition ballast resistor. Ask for something like a resistor for say a 1966 Dodge something or other. Back in days of points ignition, they either used a resistor or a resistor wire or a coil with a built in resistor. Some of the electronic ignitions still needed the resistance. Others like GM module could handle coil without resistor.

I've never had problem with OEM Festy module, but if it goes on my Festy, I would mount a pre computer GM module on a heatsink on fender then run wires back to distributor. Mounting it remotely does away with heat that is true killer of any ignition module. The 4 prong GM modules and MOST OF THE CLONES were bulletproof when mounted externally on a hefty heatsink. Heat is the big enemy. I have a GM four prong module in both my F250 and my little Ranger. Neither have original engine and the GM modules are easy to wire. Plus the aftermarket Ford modules suck, the OEM USA-made Ford modules from pre computer era were fine if bulky, but China clones suck. Think Chinese cheaped out on the heatsink, the Ford modules have own internal heatsink. Using a minimal heatsink saves the manufacturer a few pennies. The GM modules, either OEM or Chinaclone didnt have built in heat sink. On GM cars the distributor had a perch that acted as heatsink. When I used them on my Ford pickups, just found an aluminum bracket on one and rectangle cut from bottom of an old skillet on other. Used both this way for YEARS with no problem.

Oh and definitely use heat paste. GM modules fry instantly if you dont use the paste. I imagine any other modules that attach to a heatsink also need it.

http://www.gofastforless.com/ for info on using GM module. Website doesnt allow direct page address, go to homepage and click on better ignition page link. Its very simular for any vehicle with electronic ignition but not computerized. Just need signal from pickup coil in the distributor to trigger the GM module.

Oh and with GM module you can also use a GM HEI coil or Ford TFI coil. Cheap hot coil that lasts forever. I would stay away from chrome plated standard coils. They are mostly for looks. Not necessarily very reliable. If you want to use standard lower voltage coil, buy generic $10 replacement for point ignition. They will tend to outlast the chrome plated stuff.

[bravekozak]

I did that once with an Accel Super coil on my 89 Festiva. Never again. I learned my lesson. I thought I could get away without a ballast resistor. Only for about 20 miles or so. I fried the module inside my distributor. Expensive lesson.