One more no-spark thread.

[Ceramiccactus]

Hello all.. I have been reading every post that I can find about spark issues.

I have a 1992 5-speed Festiva.
Just bought roughly 2 months ago.
I put 300 miles on it before I broke a rocker arm shaft and single rocker arm. I replaced both and drove it 30 miles everyday for 6 days with no issues.
All fluids have been watched for leakage. Everything is where it should be.
Day 7 I lost all power on the highway at once after cruising at roughly 60mph for 20min. Engine just died.
I popped hood and heard a pinging sound coming from engine. Not quite sure where it was coming from.

KNOWN:
-Engine turns over but no start.
-I have no spark at plugs but strong spark at coil plug to cap.
-Rotor spins when cranking. I understand there are 3 possible positions for the rotor to be in. I drove for 6 days with new cap and rotor; rotor same position still.
-12v test light tells me there is power to components; distributor, coil, ICM, MAFS
-All fuses that I can find are good as in not burned. I guess I should check for continuity on all fuses?
-Spayed WD-40 into key ignition.
-When key is in ON position the car gives me that awful beep telling me something is wrong. Check engine light is displayed along with everything else near it.
-I keep a battery charger on it; battery is one year old and holds a charge just fine. Battery wires are fine too..
-Found drivers seat belt for lap wire was cut I was hoping some kind of safety feature was engaging causing no spark. Made new male ends and tried both combos of wire connection.
-Inertia button is fine as far as I know; it has not popped.
-Have not yet checked fuel pump issue. Can this ever effect spark?
-Timing belt is there, it didn't fall off or anything. It might not be timed correctly but wouldn't I still have spark if that was the case?

BRAND NEW:
-New PAL style fusible link replacements. (30A pink outside, 40A green inside)
-Cap/Rotor
-plugs/wires
-Ignition Control Module
-Ignition Coil
-Valve cover gasket
-Rocker arm (junkyard)
-Rocker arm shaft (intake side) (junkyard)

There is a distributor test method on this forum but I could not see the diagram for LED etc..
From what I see on here the mass air flow sensor could possibly cause a no-spark situation? I have jiggled connector but no luck.

Any help at all is highly appreciated.

[dalebwilson]

One more no-spark thread.

You said something that intrigued me. You have good spark from coil to disty cap but no spark to plug wires. Is that accurate?


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[Ceramiccactus]

That is accurate. No spark at plugs but coil wire has spark.

[chrisofna]

Check to make sure you still have the center diode on the cap, and make sure the rotor makes contact with that center diode.

[dalebwilson]

Chris is correct. You have a problem with your distributor cap or rotor making contact. Try a spare cap if you have one.


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[Ceramiccactus]

I don't have a spare cap however both cap and rotor are new. How do I tell if rotor is contacting cap? I see signs of wear.
20180320_134146.jpg
20180320_134209.jpg

[ryanprins13]

Couple questions-
Why did the rocker stuff break?
Did you replace the cap and rotor after it died on the highway or when you replaced the broken rocker bits?
Did it ever fire up again after dying on the highway?
Does it try to catch at all while its cranking or does it just spin?

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[Ceramiccactus]

20180320_141658.jpg
What i came up with is that the #3 and #4 intake side valves shifted off-center due to weak spring spacers. #3 rocker arm broke. In the above pic look at the #4 valve rocker arm position where the tip is hitting for example.
Rocker arm shifted completely off valve, broke off causing rocker arm shaft to snap.

I replaced cap and rotor before replacing rocker arm and shaft. Once i replaced rocker arm and shaft it drove great for 6 days.

How can I tell if distributor is turning? the rotor is definitely spinning.

It has not fired back up since broke down on highway.

[Ceramiccactus]

20180306_134525.jpg
here is a pic of the new rocker arms and shaft.
This pic was taken before I bolted shaft to head.

[Ceramiccactus]

I see you edited post. How do I know if it catches? The rotor definitely spins.

[ryanprins13]

Thats interesting. I wonder if your whole head is off a carberated festiva or if just the rocker arms are? Efi festivas have hydraulic lash adjusters.
So normally if you have a distributor going bad it will work again at least once after it cools off. I think when i quits you get spark at the wrong time and its weak or not there at all from the coil. But you say you are getting strong spark from the coil and none to the plugs which seems really weird. I would think if the cap is getting spark your plugs have to get the spark, weather its at the wrong time or not.

Try this:
bend the tab on the rotor out further.
Take the spark plug wires off starting with the coil to cap one and push each contact out past the end of the boot. Then push them back on.
Then try starting it.
Its maybe possible that the wire part slipped too far back but i sorta doubt it.
Also very unlikely- your coil is grounded to the body of the car, spark plugs are grounded to the engine. Check your grounds going to the engine. There are 2.


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[ryanprins13]

I see you edited post. How do I know if it catches? The rotor definitely spins.

What i meant was is it sort of firing at all? Like the odd one here and there but it doesnt actually fire up? Or is it just turning over while you crank?

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[Ceramiccactus]

Thats interesting. I wonder if your whole head is off a carberated festiva or if just the rocker arms are? Efi festivas have hydraulic lash adjusters.
So normally if you have a distributor going bad it will work again at least once after it cools off. I think when i quits you get spark at the wrong time and its weak or not there at all from the coil. But you say you are getting strong spark from the coil and none to the plugs which seems really weird. I would think if the cap is getting spark your plugs have to get the spark, weather its at the wrong time or not.

Try this:
bend the tab on the rotor out further.
Take the spark plug wires off starting with the coil to cap one and push each contact out past the end of the boot. Then push them back on.
Then try starting it.
Its maybe possible that the wire part slipped too far back but i sorta doubt it.
Also very unlikely- your coil is grounded to the body of the car, spark plugs are grounded to the engine. Check your grounds going to the engine. There are 2.


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I slightly bent the tab toward the cap just a little. Maybe I should try a little more?
I have taken all wires off and started fresh; pushed connector through boot, connected, then pushed boot up to fasten.

[Ceramiccactus]

What i meant was is it sort of firing at all? Like the odd one here and there but it doesnt actually fire up? Or is it just turning over while you crank?

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Ah, gotcha. It has not gotten close to starting even once. Only turns over.

[ryanprins13]

Ah, gotcha. It has not gotten close to starting even once. Only turns over.

Ok

I slightly bent the tab toward the cap just a little. Maybe I should try a little more?
I have taken all wires off and started fresh; pushed connector through boot, connected, then pushed boot up to fasten.

Try a little more. Otherwise i got nothing...
Can you please describe how were you checking for spark at the coil wire and spark plugs?
Also welcome to the forum! I see this is your first thread. Thanks for searching and trying to solve your problem that way first and for making a super detailed first post

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