starting problems

[cp]

i've been trying to figure out why my dura sparked 84 b2 won't start but i don't know what else to try. here it is: won't turn over. checked usuall stuff first, battery, fuses, new cables, got a new starter, starter relay ( twice, the first one i put in shorted out. problem there?). i replaced the distributor, coil, and module a few months back and it ran like champ until the other day when i couldn't get it started. any ideas?

 

[mercman]

Won't turn over or won't fire? If it won't turn over and the starter, solenoid and battery are good, then it may be something odd like a bad ignition, or neutral safety switch.

In order to isolate the problem you could first make sure it's in park or neutral with the parking brake on then jump from the small prong on your starting solenoid to the + battery cable post on it. If you do this and it turns over then your problem is on the control side, and you can trouble shoot from there. If it doesn't then the problem has to be in the cables, grounding, battery, solenoid, or starter.

If it turns over and just won't fire. Let me ask you a question did you leave your key in the on position with engine not running for any length of time? I did this right after my duraspark conversion and it burnt out my ignition module. So start by testing that out. Hopefully I'm wrong but check it out, Autozone will do it for free. If not then go back through the usual checks spark fuel, timing. Good luck, and let us know.

 

[enginepaul]

Mercman is giving good advice here. I'd add that trouble-shooting by replacement parts is expensive. Start with any manual that covers a DuraSparked car for test procedures. I used to use a Motor's Manual but there are others, Maybe someplace on-line will have a good guide; maybe even a Pinto site - same ignition on many of them.
Good luck and be patient.

 

[okietheranger]

There is also a stupid plugin deal in the steering collem that tends to pull apart just a thought if it don't crank over

 

[Bryan22]

you might go out with a breaker bar and see if you can turn the engine over by hand or if it's seized before you go throwing too much money at it.

 

[cp]

thanks for the info guys. been busy and haven't had time to mess with it but we'll see what happens this week end.

 

[H munster]

Definitely make sure the grounds are good. Dont just assume they are because they look good. Im fighting a ground problem that i havent quite figured out yet but it causes a lot of problems.