OK so this car has me a little stumped. It's a 1992 Loyale EA82 SPFI it was running just fine until one day I was leaving my neighborhood and it just up and quit on me. it stull cranks strong and I have confirmed positive fuel pressure. the problem I am having is with spark. I pulled plugs and got nothing. Found that I have spark from the coil to the distributor but nothing to the plugs. so in my mind its one of two things. 1 my distributor took a dump (I haven't heard of any problems with them but I could be wrong?) or 2 I lost timing somehow. Of course my belt covers are stuck on so I haven't been able to get a look at the timing belts yet. any ideas on getting the covers off?

I've heard of distributors just dying and some members carry a spare if they are on off-road trips.  Also, many members remove the timing belt covers and leave them off permanently.  So, if that might be your plan you can get them off without be overly cautious.  I just saw your post and I this might help.  Good luck. 

Take the distributor cap off. Is the rotor intact and attached? Does it turn when you crank?

 

When you crank with a broken timing belt, the rythm of the sound will not be even and symmetrical for the 4 compression strokes.

Check the rotor in the distributor.  The securing screw can come out, and it won't deliver spark properly, but it can still look like it is turning.

I just put a new rotor on it. I confirmed that it is in place and secured by the screw the battery died from the cold so I can't crank it at the moment. This weekend I'm gonna get into it and get those dumb covers off. I will let ya'll know what I find beneath.....

I can almost guarantee its a broken drivers side timing belt.  There are inspection holes, you MIGHT be able to pull one of the rubber plugs and peek in with a flashlight.... or you could pull the outer parts of the front cover (its 3 pieces) and inspect that way... you MIGHT need to gently pry with a flat screwdriver as you unbolt.  In the 113K I got out of my GL I broke the belts twice.

So I pulled the distributor and it appears to be completely functional. so it has to be timing. got the motor out this weekend and I'm going to tear into it on my next day off (Wednesday). Going to do head gaskets as well while it is out since I don't know when it was last done and the motor is leaking oil from so many different places I cant exactly tell if they are the a problem. Any other preventative maintance suggestions while I have the motor on a stand?

Edited November 10, 201510 yr by josiahm91

Driver side timing belt was my culprit. Took the cover off and grabbed it. All kinds of slack.