Beginning to look more and more like the distributor is not getting a 12 volt signal. Mentioned this once before. Key in run position. Unplug the distributor and check the car-side of the harness for 12 volts.

 

The distributor requires 12 volts for it to work.

Beginning to look more and more like the distributor is not getting a 12 volt signal. Mentioned this once before. Key in run position. Unplug the distributor and check the car-side of the harness for 12 volts.

 

The distributor requires 12 volts for it to work.

 

thanks John

do you know which wires?

I believe there is a green white black and red

should Iput the DMM on two of the leads to look for 12v or one lead and the other to ground?

thanks!!

My guess one side is the voltage and the other returns the crank signal to the ECU. Check each individually.

 

Checked a FSM for an 88 XT but figure distributor wiring is probably the same. If your distributor has a 4-wire connector, the BR wire goes to ground. Shouldn't be difficult to check with a DVM. The other 3 wires run back to the ECU. Have no idea how to check them.

 

Just ground the negative probe to the car body when searching for the hot wire.

 

To check the ground wire, and do this only if one of the 4 wires is BR in color, clip one side of the DVM to the positive battery terminal and the other side to the wire being checked.

Edited November 8, 200916 yr by john in KY

My guess one side is the voltage and the other returns the crank signal to the ECU. Check each individually.

 

Checked a FSM for an 88 XT but figure distributor wiring is probably the same. If your distributor has a 4-wire connector, the BR wire goes to ground. Shouldn't be difficult to check with a DVM. The other 3 wires run back to the ECU. Have no idea how to check them.

 

Just ground the negative probe to the car body when searching for the hot wire.

 

To check the ground wire, and do this only if one of the 4 wires is BR in color, clip one side of the DVM to the positive battery terminal and the other side to the wire being checked.

 

 

checked the 4 wire cnnector feeding the disty

key on--got zero voltage from 2 of the wires and got like .6 from the other 2

I sold my 92 so now I have nothing to compare this to

can anyone out ther check theirs and tell me what they get?

There is something bothering me about the coil with the resistor. As far as I know, a resisted coil is normaly only used with a breaker points type distibutor.

 

I think the coil used for an electronic ignition is not the same type and does not use a resistor.

 

Can anyone else verify this?

I am not a mechanic or a electrican but when my car did this it was the fusable links are you sure they are working? try bypassing them to see if that is it. mine looked ok. but still did not work. It is amazing what the little buggers can do.....OF course it always could be something else. Mine also work themselves out and every couple of months I have to push them back in to get the car working again or I get stranded. (I really need to get a new box)

When you set the key to the run position, does your check engine light come on? If not, then look under the panel where the steering column is. Find the ECU and unbolt it. Should be 3, 12mm nuts. Unplug it and move it out of your way. Above where the ECU was should be a Brown plastic relay looking thing. You might have to look around for it. This may be your problem if your CE light does not come on, if it does, disregard anything I'm saying. When you find it, hook the ECU back up, and turn the key to the run postion. You should feel that relay click. Let me know what happens.