No Spark!

[RG]

I have an 89 Ranger 2.3l. While warming up last week, it shut off and would not start again. After troubleshooting, i found that there was no spark, i went to pull a part and found a truck that was in a collision and got both coil packs and the ignition module. installed and it fired right up, idled great and drove great, better than before. Went to leave the next morning and it would not start. I put my hand over the air intake to manually choke and it started, ran for a minute and started to miss fire. i shut it off and it has not started back up. Again i am back to no spark. thae truck has had an issue when starting, i would have to turn the motor over a couple rolls and then do it again before it would start, otherwise i would have to hold the key to start and pump the gas, it would finally start. not sure if there is something in common or not but the no spark issue???

 

[Bryan22]

you should start by TESTING the coil packs and having the ICM tested. That way you can find out which part of the system is failing.

As for the problem starting, sounds like a fuel pump. after you get the spark situation figured out, get a fuel pressure gauge and get some pressure readings at the rail.

 

[RG]

Do you think that advanced or auto zone can test the module or is it something that i can do or Ford? I tested it with a DC meter reading at the output terminal of the module adjasent to the red wire on the module input, tests the same as the battery 12.9v. As for the remainder of the terminals on the coil side, they all test as 11.5v, all the way accross. Not sure if this is good or bad. I also read about replacing the dielectric compound on the surface of the intake that it mounts to. I did not and hope this does not short the ICM out. I noticed that i unbolted the (1st bad) PCM with the ignition on and when the last bolt came out there was some (switch) clicking going on, on the engine, that seemed quite strange and takes me back to the dielectric compound, Missing or Dried up/Problem??

 

[Bryan22]

Your local parts house can test the ICM, have them test it multiple times to make sure it get hot. As for the dielectric compound, i didn't put any on mine when i installed it and it's still fine in the California desert heats of 120+ this is about 20k miles ago i replaced it. Still, no harm in having it tested.

take a multimeter and test primary resistance from the electrical connector. from either outside terminal to the center terminal should be less than 5 ohms. then test secondary resistance on coil packs between corresponding cylinders (1,4 and 2,3). Should be anywhere from 10k-15k ohms depending on what brand coil packs you're running.

 

[RG]

Advanced tested both of my modules today and said that both are good. I did also that while there is no spark, the fuel rail is empty, no pressure. When mentioning this at advanced today they said that it sounded like the computer, espessially since it has been a progressing issue that seems to have come to a head. I may stop by pull a part tomorrow and pick one up. Not sure if this will fix the issue but it is worth a shot for about $15.

 

[Bryan22]

they think that no fuel pressure is caused by a bad computer? I'd trouble shoot a bit more before going out and wasting money on a computer you probably don't need.

 

[Bryan22]

One set of plugs doesn't spark while cranking. don't remember which side. but you may have never had a spark issue at all. could have been a fuel issue all along.

 

[scotts90ranger]

the intake side doesn't fire during cranking. on an '89 there are 3 things in the spark system, the coil packs, and the crank sensor.

if you don't have fuel pressure, a few possibilities:
-out of gas (been there)
-bad fuel pump
-plugged fuel filter
-bad fuel pump relay
-inertia switch tripped

when you key on, listen closely for the fuel pump, if you hear it that eliminates a few things.