91 Festiva cranks over but won't start

[Fordman]

Well I couldn't find anyone who could test the ICM so I purchased a new one. Still no spark! New coil, new ICM... any other suggestions?

[Sid_RallyX_82]

Instructors at school stress the point of Visual Inspection. Look at all your electrical connections. You want everything to be (in the everlasting words of Mr. B) "Shiny, bright, clean, and tight". Corrosion and loose connections should be addressed to eliminate variables. If faulty connections are not the problem, check for power. Do you have a DMM? Probe around and make sure you have power to the coil (I believe the coil is low-side driven, but I can't say for sure). Next, I would check to make sure the coil is good, but I think these coils might have an isolated secondary winding. Does anyone have any input on that? Good hunting. Use those trouble shooting skills

[dalebwilson]

While cranking, check for power on the blue/orange wire at the ICM. That is the Spark signal from the computer.

[Fordman]

Thanks for the replies!
I do have a Fluke meter. I will check the connections and check for power at the ICM.
One other question...does anyone know how I could hot wire it, just to get it started?

[dalebwilson]

Not if the computer, ICM or distributer are bad.


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[Old70]

I had this happen to me. The little wire that goes to the coil looked to be good but on a very careful inspection it wasn't. It took me forever to find it because the little end looked to be perfect but it wasn't. Problem solved for me after hundreds of trying different things.

[Old70]

It was the little end of the tiny wire where it hooks directly to the coil that looked to be good but on very close inspection it was not. Under the little plastic cover it was frayed where you couldn't see it and was not completing the connection properly..

[Fordman]

Dalebwilson, No volts at the blue/orange wire while cranking. I have 12volts at the yellow/green wire at the ICM. Does this narrow anything down? Thanks

[dalebwilson]

Your ECU is not delivering a spark output signal. That will either be a bad ECU or a bad crankshaft position sensor in the distributer.


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[Fordman]

Thanks for the quick reply. What would you do in this situation... change the crankshaft position sensor or the ECU first?

[dalebwilson]

The CPS is inside the distributer. Do you have a spare distributer (known good) to try? I would try that first.


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[Fordman]

Unfortunately I do not have a spare distributor. Do you know how or if I can test the CPS?

[joebreck117]

Had a similar issue, ended up being corrosion inside of a plug. Towed the car 4 hours to my dad so he could look at it for me and all he did was unplug a few things to make sure I hadn't bent any pins, and when he had me turn it over to check something else, she fired right up. Might be worth it to unplug and check plugs that have to do with that system.

[dalebwilson]

I do not a way to check the internal CPS. Maybe a member here will let you borrow a distributer to test with.


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[ryanprins13]

There is a way to test it but i dont know how. A bunch of years back mine quit and wouldn't run. a neighbour came over to give me a hand and did something. I cant remember exactly what but i think he connected 2 wires right at the dist plug and it fired up. So hopefully someone can help you out. I just dont remember what he did.


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