XJS ( X27 ) 1975 - 1996 3.6 4.0 5.3 6.0

Back together but no start.... I think it's no spark?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
  #1  
Old 06-27-2017, 07:42 PM
944xjs's Avatar
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Illinois
Posts: 678
Received 105 Likes on 62 Posts
Default Back together but no start.... I think it's no spark?

So disappointing to get it all together and not have it start! Fuel was getting to the rail and the only thing I could try and test was spark I have an inline spark plug bulb tester... when cranking the car the bulb never flashed. I replaced the distributor cap but not rotor. All plugs are new. I believe all the wires to power pack are in correct place. Ugh so frustrating.
 
  #2  
Old 06-27-2017, 08:08 PM
Jagsandmgs's Avatar
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Jaffrey, NH
Posts: 549
Received 303 Likes on 200 Posts
Default

Maybe it's fate... trying to save you from a certain flaming death. Look at that hose by the ignition amp! I wouldn't want the car running! In any event, look at anything on the wiring diagram related to the coil that is white. White is live with key in run. That will make sure you've got power to the coil...
 
  #3  
Old 06-27-2017, 08:10 PM
Jagsandmgs's Avatar
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Jaffrey, NH
Posts: 549
Received 303 Likes on 200 Posts
Default

Did you actually replace the wiring or just over wrap it all?
 
  #4  
Old 06-27-2017, 08:56 PM
944xjs's Avatar
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Illinois
Posts: 678
Received 105 Likes on 62 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Jagsandmgs
Maybe it's fate... trying to save you from a certain flaming death. Look at that hose by the ignition amp! I wouldn't want the car running! In any event, look at anything on the wiring diagram related to the coil that is white. White is live with key in run. That will make sure you've got power to the coil...
i replaced everything on the rail except the return hose and intake. They looked alright. I wrapped all the wires off the amplifier as some had exposed areas. The plug wires are all new and blue. New o rings, plugs, and my wire harness. Not even sure if that's working yet...
 
  #5  
Old 06-27-2017, 09:08 PM
Jagsandmgs's Avatar
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Jaffrey, NH
Posts: 549
Received 303 Likes on 200 Posts
Default

Well that line by the amp looks pretty bad. Not your question though so, if you suspect you might have messed something up, grab a wiring diagram and run continuity tests from each connector. I made a harness for my 92, thought I did it perfect, but the car didn't run. Found the flywheel connector was continuous with its own ground which was wrong. Your car doesn't have a flywheel sensor, but it's the same idea to check continuity anywhere you screwed with wiring
 
  #6  
Old 06-27-2017, 09:44 PM
Doug's Avatar
Veteran Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Pacific Northwest USA
Posts: 24,743
Received 10,757 Likes on 7,101 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by 944xjs
So disappointing to get it all together and not have it start! Fuel was getting to the rail and the only thing I could try and test was spark I have an inline spark plug bulb tester... when cranking the car the bulb never flashed. I replaced the distributor cap but not rotor. All plugs are new. I believe all the wires to power pack are in correct place. Ugh so frustrating. [img]

"No spark" might be an easy fix.

I'd begin with some easy checks. Hopefully you have a 12v test light:

-With the key 'on' do you have 12v on both terminals of the coil?

-Now, when cranking, does your test light flicker if you touch it to the "-" side of the coil?

-How are the two wires (and connector) that run from the distributor to the amplifier? A little hard to see and reach but they often give trouble, especially where they pass through the distributor body and where they go into the rubber connector.

Cheers
DD
 
  #7  
Old 06-27-2017, 11:47 PM
944xjs's Avatar
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Illinois
Posts: 678
Received 105 Likes on 62 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Doug
"No spark" might be an easy fix.

I'd begin with some easy checks. Hopefully you have a 12v test light:

-With the key 'on' do you have 12v on both terminals of the coil?

-Now, when cranking, does your test light flicker if you touch it to the "-" side of the coil?

-How are the two wires (and connector) that run from the distributor to the amplifier? A little hard to see and reach but they often give trouble, especially where they pass through the distributor body and where they go into the rubber connector.

Cheers
DD
im hoping tomorrow I can get back in there and test stuff but it's looking like a rainy day and the cars outside. At first I was a bit excited because I had forgotten to plug in the amplifier to distributor... but alas still no spark. The wires from the amplifier were a bit rough which is why I wrapped them, but they were working. I believe I have all the wires to the ignition coil in the proper spot... I mean they have different connectors so pretty hard to mess that up. I suppose the connectors could be fairly crap as the rubber did look like lave rock. Test light flicker on cranking a good thing?
 

Trending Topics

  #8  
Old 06-27-2017, 11:50 PM
944xjs's Avatar
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Illinois
Posts: 678
Received 105 Likes on 62 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by Jagsandmgs
Well that line by the amp looks pretty bad. Not your question though so, if you suspect you might have messed something up, grab a wiring diagram and run continuity tests from each connector. I made a harness for my 92, thought I did it perfect, but the car didn't run. Found the flywheel connector was continuous with its own ground which was wrong. Your car doesn't have a flywheel sensor, but it's the same idea to check continuity anywhere you screwed with wiring
like I said, I haven't even gotten to the point of knowing if the harness i made is good, cause I'm getting no spark. I'm hoping like heck the 30+ connections and solderings are perfect!
 
  #9  
Old 06-28-2017, 06:18 AM
Doug's Avatar
Veteran Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Pacific Northwest USA
Posts: 24,743
Received 10,757 Likes on 7,101 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by 944xjs
. Test light flicker on cranking a good thing?

Yes !

Cheers
DD
 
  #10  
Old 06-28-2017, 06:41 AM
JigJag's Avatar
Veteran Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 1,331
Received 580 Likes on 361 Posts
Default

Only a handful of likely suspects.

HT spark plug leads broken or leaking spark
Dizzy cap pickups are burned or carbon trails in cap
rotor shorting to dizzy shaft
rotor button missing / worn out
Dizzy pickup bad / misadjusted
dizzy wires d/c'd or broken / shorting
amp module bad or d/c'd
amp to coil wire d/c'd or broken / shorting
Coil shorted internally
no power to coil.

Plug your spark test light into coil, run the HT wire from test light to a plug. HT leads, cap, rotor and button out of the equation.

Supply the coil with power to v+ This takes the ignition switch out of the equation.

12v test light to coil v-. Crank her. Flashing means ECU is getting pickups signal and grounding the coil. If you get flashing 12v test light but no spark on the HT Spark test light then the coil is dead.

No flash on 12v coil test light and the Dizzy pickup, wires to amp, amp module or amp to ECU wire, ECU are suspect.

If you get spark it means issue is in the coil HT lead, button, rotor, cap or HT leads.

Divide and conquor.

I suspect a short in the wrapped leads. Unless you wrapped them individually.
 

Last edited by JigJag; 06-28-2017 at 06:47 AM.
  #11  
Old 06-28-2017, 04:39 PM
944xjs's Avatar
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Illinois
Posts: 678
Received 105 Likes on 62 Posts
Default

I used the test light and had light on at the coil but on cranking the negative didn't flash but positive did... I'm guessing I have a couple wires backward. I think one of the connectors might have came off on the terminal when I pulled it off a couple months ago. Is there a quick diagram of which wires go to the coil?
 
  #12  
Old 06-28-2017, 05:07 PM
944xjs's Avatar
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Illinois
Posts: 678
Received 105 Likes on 62 Posts
Default

I ran the ht lead tester from the coil to a plug and got nothing... so I'm guessing I'm getting juice to the coil but the coil is dead?
 
  #13  
Old 06-28-2017, 07:26 PM
JigJag's Avatar
Veteran Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 1,331
Received 580 Likes on 361 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by 944xjs
I ran the ht lead tester from the coil to a plug and got nothing... so I'm guessing I'm getting juice to the coil but the coil is dead?
or, as you suggested, miswired. You'll definately get no spark from that coil until it's triggered properly. If you correct the wiring, v+ is powered, and the v- is flashing and you still get no spark from the coil, then you can call it dead.

connectors for the coil are male / female and not easily misconnected. If you replaced any spades or female spade receivers it's possible.
 

Last edited by JigJag; 06-28-2017 at 07:29 PM.
  #14  
Old 06-28-2017, 07:53 PM
BradsCat's Avatar
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: VA
Posts: 789
Received 322 Likes on 228 Posts
Default

if you still have the two coil set up as when it came new (I am guessing that your car is a pre-88 since I can see the washer fluid bottle on the passenger side) this would be good time to upgrade to a single coil unit.

The two coil set up was used due to the electrical demands of the V12 at high speed. A single coil at that time could not provide sufficient power quick enough. That changed a few years later. The single coil units had much more capacity, My 2 cents.
 
  #15  
Old 06-28-2017, 08:30 PM
944xjs's Avatar
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Illinois
Posts: 678
Received 105 Likes on 62 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by JigJag
or, as you suggested, miswired. You'll definately get no spark from that coil until it's triggered properly. If you correct the wiring, v+ is powered, and the v- is flashing and you still get no spark from the coil, then you can call it dead.

connectors for the coil are male / female and not easily misconnected. If you replaced any spades or female spade receivers it's possible.
Yeah I was thinking I might've broken a spade off but it was just the rubber... yeah it's all plugged in properly cause you can't connect it anyway but the right way because of how the connectors are. I still don't know why positive was flashing but not negative?

Originally Posted by BradsCat
if you still have the two coil set up as when it came new (I am guessing that your car is a pre-88 since I can see the washer fluid bottle on the passenger side) this would be good time to upgrade to a single coil unit.

The two coil set up was used due to the electrical demands of the V12 at high speed. A single coil at that time could not provide sufficient power quick enough. That changed a few years later. The single coil units had much more capacity, My 2 cents.
Its an 88' I have the single coil version. I'm getting power to the coil but I don't think it's getting to the distributor. Checked with inline bulb off distributor and straight off the coil. Nothing. Atleast could aren't to pricey
 
  #16  
Old 06-29-2017, 04:26 AM
roman_mg's Avatar
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Hodonin, Czech Republic
Posts: 217
Received 69 Likes on 49 Posts
Default

There is procedure for testing. It helped me, I had bad amplifier.
Lucas Ignition (to 1989)
 
  #17  
Old 06-29-2017, 08:53 AM
944xjs's Avatar
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Illinois
Posts: 678
Received 105 Likes on 62 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by roman_mg
There is procedure for testing. It helped me, I had bad amplifier.
Lucas Ignition (to 1989)
I like the, jam the ht under a fuel pipe... do you get a fat blue spark? Ha a fat fireball
 
  #18  
Old 06-29-2017, 06:34 PM
warrjon's Avatar
Veteran Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Vic Australia
Posts: 4,638
Received 2,576 Likes on 1,712 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by 944xjs
like I said, I haven't even gotten to the point of knowing if the harness i made is good, cause I'm getting no spark. I'm hoping like heck the 30+ connections and solderings are perfect!
I am assuming the car ran before you replaced the loom. And the loom is injector only.

If this is the case then you have most likely disturbed something, possibly a connector. How I would approach this is, to start at the distributor and trace backwards checking every wire/lead and connector. You could also check continuity of wire by disconnecting BOTH ENDS and check end to end continuity.
 
  #19  
Old 06-29-2017, 07:15 PM
944xjs's Avatar
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Illinois
Posts: 678
Received 105 Likes on 62 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by warrjon
I am assuming the car ran before you replaced the loom. And the loom is injector only.

If this is the case then you have most likely disturbed something, possibly a connector. How I would approach this is, to start at the distributor and trace backwards checking every wire/lead and connector. You could also check continuity of wire by disconnecting BOTH ENDS and check end to end continuity.
yeah it ran before hand but had a misfire... which I believe to be a dead injector that I have now replaced. I only redid the injector loom. I replaced all the plugs and wires and distributor cap. I didn't touch the coil or amplifier. New ngk ht's I wouldn't think they would be dead on arrival. Like I said I'm getting power to the coil but appears I'm getting nothing from the coil. Weird that that would just go dead but maybe it got kicked or something as it was laying around... I have no idea. I was sure hoping to put all the new goodies in and have it fire right up! Disappointing
 
  #20  
Old 07-03-2017, 04:09 PM
944xjs's Avatar
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Illinois
Posts: 678
Received 105 Likes on 62 Posts
Default

Put a new coil in today... nothing! I noticed the wiring around the amplifier was crap and some were hanging by only a couple strands of copper... so I soldered up bad connections and reconnected it... nothing. Then I started poking around a bit with my test light. Still getting power to the coil. Then I poked around the amplifier that had some exposed areas. When I touched the test light to the spade connector from amp to harness. The amp would make a buzz noise and the fuel pump would kick on... is this normal? Did I create a circuit doing this? I'm so bad with electrics this is all new. Below is the connection I touched
 



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:19 AM.