|
Simplified, here is the problem: it only occasionally gets spark and starts, then after ~3 mins it abruptly stops as if I turned off the key. I then don't see any spark from the high tension coil wire. Is the problem in the coil or something in the distributor?
More Detailed Info & Symptoms:
-Has been parked for ~5 months. Was driven everyday before that. When I recently tried to drive it, it would turn over but not start, then suddenly started (after some fidgeting with wires and distributor cap—I actually don't think this really did anything, but I mention it nonetheless). It drove for about 10 mins, then stopped while driving as if it lost all spark or gas. (It has gas, because I put in ~2.5 gals in case the gauge was wrong, but this was no help.)
-It will occasionally start easily (usually after some more fidgeting with the coil, distributor, or battery terminals-I've cleaned all connections I can find), but will only run for ~3 mins then the engine stops as if I had turned off the key. At that point, it will not start again for a while. It turns over okay under its own battery power (or jumper if required) but acts as if no spark is available. It never makes it to normal operating temperature before it shuts down.
-After it dies, I can test the coil wire (disconnected at the distributor) for spark to ground when cranking, but no spark is seen.
-When ignition in the ON position (and car won't start):
Battery voltage (terminal to terminal): 12.2 V
Positive coil terminal to ground: 11.8 V
Neg coil terminal to ground: 11.8 V
Coil high tension terminal to ground: 9.5 V
End of coil wire (disconnected at the distributor) to ground: 8.7 V
-When ignition in the OFF position (and car won't start):
Resistance, Pos to Neg coil terminals: 0 ohms
Resistance, Pos to center (high tension) terminal: 3.7 K-ohms
Resistance, Neg to center (high tension) terminal: 3.7 K-ohms
Coil wire (testing one end to the other): 1.9 K-ohms
-This car apparently does not have points in the distributor like its predecessors. I'm not very familiar with these types of distributors, so I have not done much troubleshooting there. I have tested the voltage of the incoming wires at the distributor (when disconnected from the distributor) and they measured about 5.5 V and 1.5 V, respectively, when the ignition is in the ON position. These voltages sound odd to me, shouldn't they (or one of them) be 11.8 V since they come (I think) from the negative coil terminal?
So, what do you think, do I have an intermittent problem with the distributor or the coil? If it's the coil, I presume I just need to buy another one. However, if you think it is the distributor, what particular part of the distributor might be at fault?
Thanks very much for any help you all can give. I'm at the end of my troubleshooting capabilities.
© 1997 -
2009
Jump Internet Inc. All rights reserved.
