2.3 wont start

[Shumatesoldier6]

So i pulled out each plug and all of did the same thing. I would have one good spark then they all would barley spark. I have 12 volts to the icm and also have 12 volts to the crank sensor.

 

[RonD]

You have a Waste spark system

Each coil pack only has TWO coils inside(one 12v wire and two ground wires)
Each coil is hooked to TWO spark plugs

So TWO spark plugs fire/spark at the same time
They are wires in Series, coil+..............spark plug....Head Metal....spark plug............-coil

So one spark plug fires from center to tip(normal) the other sparks from tip to center(reverse)

Cylinders 1 and 4 fire at the same time and then 2 and 3 fire at the same time

So any spark plug can be tested individually but the others need to be part of the circuit, hooked up.


These coils work like any other ignition coil
They always have 12volts(key on)
Then the ICM grounds the Primary coil to Charge it up
When ICM cuts the ground to Primary coil, that is what causes the secondary coil to release the higher voltage thru the spark plug wires, which jumps the gaps at spark plugs
Then ICM grounds Primary again to repeat the charge up for the next spark

Bad ground can make for weak spark

 

[Shumatesoldier6]

Thanks ron i have good spark now but it still isnt starting. It has fuel air and spark i just dont get it .

 

[RonD]

Repeat 50/50 test, always, on fuel injected engines

With carburetors you can SEE gasoline squirt into the engine, with fuel injection you can only see "pressure", so can only assume engine "has gas"

So repeat 50/50 test

Engine needs 3 things only to start
1. Spark, at the right time
2. Fuel, with alot of air mixed in
3. Compression, above 100psi to vaporize the fuel

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Have you checked the tank, if it has fuel in it?

 

[Shumatesoldier6]

Yes it has fuel. And i will do that tomorrow rond.

 

[tomw]

I would check that you have the correct plugs firing at the same time. If you crosswire the plug wires in the coils, you might be trying to fire plugs that don't need a spark right then...
As I understand, there are several diagrams of plug wiring into the coils, and maybe they vary by vintage. Get the wrong book, or the wrong installation diagram/image, and it would run, if at all, horribly.
After all this it couldn't hurt to check the plug wire install. After all, it used to run before you fixed it....
tom

 

[Shumatesoldier6]

I have 1 and 4 firing at the same time and 2 and 3 at the same time. I just dont get it. Iknow the timing is right i just dont know why it backfires out the intake. I have tried everything i know of.

 

[8thTon]

I have 1 and 4 firing at the same time and 2 and 3 at the same time. I just dont get it. Iknow the timing is right i just dont know why it backfires out the intake. I have tried everything i know of.

Backfiring out the intake would have me looking at the timing. Forget what you are sure is right - clearly something isn't.

 

[RonD]

If you can get a timing light check #1 firing at TDC while cranking, should be about 20deg BTDC

 

[Shumatesoldier6]

okay I have my cam at 5 on the mark I have my oil pump straight up so 12 position then I have my crank at like the one position. I know my timing is right because I did it by the book. it was very strange because I didn't have the markings that were described to me I had one little you looking triangle on my cam same way with my oil pump and the crank was normal with the dot or the arrow pointing to the notch on the Block. So is my timing supposed to be set at 10 btdc or 20 btdc? Everything i read said 10 btdc

 

[RonD]

You think your timing is right because you did it by the book, but marks can be wrong

If you did a compression test and it was 160+ PSI then crank valve timing is right

Same for spark timing, you think crank sensor was setup correctly
Hook up timing light and if you get #1 spark around 20deg BTDC then spark timing is correct

You think you have fuel
Do 50/50 test and if engine still doesn't start and run then not a fuel issue

And again, if engine doesn't start and run doing 50/50 test then you DO HAVE a spark or compression issue, its as simple and complicated as that


On the coil pack there are 3 wires, center is 12v then 1 wire on each side of it, those 2 wires set timing
If they are reversed then spark will be 180deg off, #1 would fire at Bottom DC not TDC

Same if you reverse positions of 1/4 and 2/3 spark plug wires on coil pack

 

[Shumatesoldier6]

So your telling me that timing is supposed to be set at 20 degrees BTDC. If timing is off a tooth or so will it cause it to not start. This is a very unique engine and i have never had one until now.