The Green Machine Won't turn over. Please help! I know this question is irritating.

[Keagan]

Not sure how to start this so i'm just going to come out and say it... I have no spark.

I know this has been a problem many many times and i have read and read many of the forums still if you could find it in you heart to help i'm sure you all under stand the feeling a man kid has between him and he's festiva.

I will try my best to give all the info i know as of today first it is a 1993 automatic ford festiva base model 1.3 L 81 CID L4 SOHC had her for 4 years now this is the first real problem and i have thrown way to many new parts at it.

Timing belt, spark plugs, ignition wires, distributor cap & rotor, coil, ignition module, also battery is about 2 years old and trickle charged and swapped the wires with new 16 gage wire in the main fuse block.

I haven't changed the distributor i know that seems to be the problem a lot of the time but that part is way beyond my price range and i have taken a detailed look at it and found like most parts i changed already nothing looks wrong with it i have pics if you would like to see.

Had it started once and made it down to the stop sign where she died (hit the breaks and she went dead), we put in the new coil in nothing at first but we took out the multimeter and made sure all the wires were good leading to and from it. Poked the (yellow and green) wire that leads to the ignition module and that is when it started and then one more time for about ten seconds and that is when we got the ignition module and it still doesn't turn over. (one of the guys said he could here a pop not sure if it helps)

So with that said I don't believe it is a fuel problem because we had her moving and grooving, also I don't see it being a air problem and can't see it being a compression problem.

Never had a problem with her before one day I had to turn the key twice to get her to roll over and about 5 days after that she died when i was leaving the house at lunch truly out of the blue.

I have checked the fuel cut of switch and it is not that either. I hope i worded this right and gave enough info. I am hoping it is something we are over looking but man I'm not sure at all.

either way any help would be very appreciated. The Green One.jpg

[Studebaker]

Hate to say this, your problem is most likely the distributor. Double check, make sure dist. is turning.

[william]

Won't turn over or doesn't have spark?

[Keagan]

Sorry turns over doesn't start

[WmWatt]

Won't turn over is a battery power or starter motor problem, not a distributor problem.
Will turn over but won't start along with the other stuff you wrote sounds like an ignition module problem. Yeah, sorry, they're not cheap. Try to check every other possible cause first and save the price of a new module if that isn't the problem.
Can you jump start the car assuming it's a standard?

[Keagan]

It is turning

[william]

Check to make sure you don't have spark by pulling a plug and touching the thread part to a ground while cranking the engine.

[Keagan]

Just tried jumping nothing and checked for spark again the way asked and nothing also I have already replaced the ignition module with no luck

[firebush357]

First thing you need to do is remove that 16 gauge wire from the main fuse block and replace it with proper fusible links or long leg PAL Fuses (Pink Green Pink). The video sounds like you have low compression but that may be because you have a freshly charged battery.

You can check to make sure the Black Wire going into the Ignition Module is a good ground using a multimeter.

Actually here is what the manual suggests.
1.3L
1. Connect spark tester between coil secondary wire and ground. Crank engine several times, leaving ignition on between cranking periods.
If continuous sparks jump tester gap, go to next step. If continuous sparks do not jump tester gap, go to step 3).
2. With ignition off, connect BOB, leaving ECA disconnected. Connect test light between test pins IDM and VPWR. Crank engine several
times. If test light flashes each time engine cranks, IDM circuit is okay. Return to QUICK TESTS if directed here from there. If test light
does not flash, repair IDM wire between ECA and coil.
3. Unplug connector from ignition coil. Connect test light between coil IDM wire and PWR wire. Crank engine several times, leaving
ignition on between cranking periods. If test light flashes continuously, go to next step. If test light does not flash continuously, go to
step 6).
4. Turn ignition on. Measure voltage between coil harness PWR wire and ground. If voltage is greater than 10 volts, replace coil. If voltage
is less than 10 volts, repair wire between ignition switch and coil.
5. Connect test light between PWR and ground terminals at coil harness connector. Turn ignition on. If test light glows, replace coil. If test
light does not glow, repair ground wire to coil.
6. Unplug connector from ignition module. Connect jumper wire between SPOUT wire on ignition module harness connector and mating
terminal on ignition module. Connect another jumper wire between ignition module GND wire and mating connector. Leave IDM wire
disconnected. Connect test light between IDM terminal on ignition module and PWR wire. Crank engine several times, leaving ignition
on between cranking periods. If test light flashes each time engine cranks, repair wire between ignition module IDM wire and coil. If test
light does not flash, go to next step.
7. Turn ignition off. Unplug ignition module connector. Turn ignition on. Measure voltage between ignition module PWR wire and ground.
Turn ignition on. If voltage is not more than 10 volts, repair PWR wire from ignition switch. If voltage is more than 10 volts, go to next
step.
8. Turn ignition off. Unplug ignition module connector. Turn ignition on. Connect test light between ignition coil PWR wire and ignition
module GND wire. Turn ignition on. If test light glows, go to step 10). If test light does not glow, go to next step.
9. Turn ignition off. Unplug ignition module connector. Connect test light between ignition coil PWR wire and ignition module SPOUT
wire. Crank engine. If test light flashes, check ignition module SPOUT wire for short to ground; if no short exists, replace ignition
module. If test light does not flash, go to next step.
10. Turn ignition off. Unplug ignition module connector. Install BOB, leaving ECA disconnected. Check SPOUT wire for continuity
between BOB test pin and ignition module. If continuity exists, check SPOUT wire for shorts to any other wire. If no short exists,
replace ECA. If continuity does not exist, repair SPOUT wire to ECA.

[Keagan]

Okay man the acronyms were something to get my head around but i did what it asked and this is what I got.

TEST as asked

1 no spark moving to step 3

3 Flashed first time green (green=ground) once and then not again IDM to pos (battery) moving to step 6.

6 continues flash twice (Green). Not again going to try replacing wire after next step. tried again and it flashed going to change wire after i talk to the forum guys.

7 Not getting power first time. reading 12v second and third time.

8 got nothing going to step 9.

9 nothing. going to step 10

10 do not have a BOB and will not be able to get one I truly can't see this being the problem and I hope it isn't.

Note: Distributor was not on this test at all what would the test for that be? and do i need it?

Test light used was pin point and "ground" clamp, when instructions said connect to ground "wire" or power "wire"
we connected to ground or power off battery really hope this is not a problem with the test and hope the info I have gave can help.

After all that i'm not sure what to do now is it the ECA? how would i now and still again the distributor how would i know it's not that?
What dose the IDM wire connect to besides the coil and ignition module the manual says the RPM Test Comn is that just a loses wire?
I am thinking about replacing the IDM wire between the coil and ignition module but would like to know if it can be a straight cut point to point and
what gauge wire to use?

P.S. I have add a diagram (i made) of the continuity found between the wires before i started the test when i say talking I mean that they have continuity.WIRE FOR CAR.jpg

Also I would like to thank you all again for taking time out of your day to help me get her back and running.

[firebush357]

Here is the 1991 Shop Manual

Here is the 1991 Wiring Diagram

They should work for the 1990-1993 models.

I am not really sure which answer to give you but hopefully these will help. Where are you located, maybe we can send you some parts to check?

[Keagan]

What dose this mean?

thoughts?

[WmWatt]

MB = Manitoba?

[Keagan]

Yes

[firebush357]

Have you checked your Compression numbers yet? It still sounds like it is turning over too easy, and the sudden stop may be one of the cylinders firing at the wrong time.