2.3L ('83-'97) Won't crank

[Tom983.0]

1983 4x4 2.3 no fire. Replaced coil and wires, ignition module, distributor trigger, cap, rotor. No fire to plugs. History, alternator battery post shorted out to ground and blew main power fuse, replaced same. Hot wired coil still no fire. Anyone seen armature in distributor lose its magnetism or know where to purchase one, besides junk yard.

 

[franklin2]

I assume this is a duraspark II ignition system with the large silver box on the fender? If so, you should have 3 wires coming from the distributor. Two colored wires and a black/lightgreen which is ground. Take a meter, preferrebly a old meter with a needle but a digital one will work, put the meter on A/C and then put the meter leads on the two colored wires after you unplug them from the plug at the ignition box. Crank the engine over. Or if the distributor is out, spin it by hand. You should get a A/C voltage from the distributor.

The ignition box takes this A/C signal that is generated by the little wheel inside the distributor, and uses that to fire the ignition coil.