[rlauger]

1995 astro, back to no spark again, have replaced most components including coil,distributor and pickup. Also changed computer. No codes at all
Any suggestions?

Thanks
Ross

 

[astro355]

Hello,

silly question but how have you verified that you have a no spark condition? Obviously, its not running but what test(s) have you done?

Is this a ongoing problem where it stopped running and you replaced parts with no change or everytime you made a change it would run for a little and then die again?

 

[rlauger]

Hold coil wire and crank engine :screaming: actually, I put a good plug into the coil wire and ground to the block, ( with insulated wire tool), then crank the engine. This has actually been a long process. I have owned this van since new, changed engines and over time had repeated engine stop with tow to shops. They usually didn't find anything and it would start and do OK for a while. It has gone through 2 of my kids and the last iteration was= van running good, A/C compressior clutch seizes, kid drives it home anyway and now it is dead again. I have, through this epic process found and repaired a couple of shorts including the harness behind the battery. It has been a lawn orniment for a while. Just started bugging me enough to crank it over the other day when I had nothing else to do. It started and ran for nearly a minute then died again. Now I can crank without any fire at all. Good fuel pressure at the rail.

 

[astro355]

Is it throwing any codes? Have you verified that the injectors are firing?

 

[rlauger]

Only code 12. The fuel spider is new and I get voltage on the wire with key on. Using an induction timing light, I get voltage when the engine is cranking.

 

[astro355]

Ok, but have to verified that fuel is getting into the cylinders?

 

[rlauger]

yes, wet plugs and if cranked long enough, raw smell at the tailpipe.
Thanks

 

[astro355]

Ok, good. So to go back to my other question. You mentioned you replaced a bunch of ignition parts. What I wanted to know was did you replace all of those parts at the same time? Did you replace one part, the van ran and died again, and so on? What testing did you do with the ignition before the parts were replaced?

 

[rlauger]

When I decided to work on it, I just replaced the coil and distributor, cap,rotor at the same time. I didn't do must testing, but the parts were the origional and I was planning on keeping it at the time so I replaced everything.

 

[astro355]

Did you check the fuses? I'm just trying to get a starting point here.

 

[rlauger]

Yes, checked all the fuses, as far as I know there are the ones in the fuse block and three others by the steering collumn. My thought has always been an intermittent ground fault. But I don't know how to check that.

 

[astro355]

Well, if its not running all the time, I don't think its an intermittent ground that is to blame. Have you verified power and ground to the distributor?

 

[rlauger]

Yes, those are OK and 12 volts to the distributer

 

[rlauger]

sorry , 12 volts to the coil

 

[astro355]

So next would be to test if the coil (secondary side) is generating voltage.

 

[rlauger]

Not sure how to do that. The coil is new as is the pickup. If no out put then something must not be charging the coil. Just my guess.

 

[astro355]

Does your distributor have the HEI cap with the built-in coil or the HEI cap with remote coil?

 

[rlauger]

remote

 

[Big_kid]

Are the plugs new? Are they firing in the combustion chambers? If a plug in the coil wire fires, that doesn't mean the plugs in the engine will fire also. I've had new sets foul on me in the driveway. Pull them(replace if they're old) and see if they're firing. You might be surprised.
:chevy:

 

[rlauger]

The coil doesn't fire, which I think is the problem.