85 3 door 4wd, 1800 ( I think ), power to both terminals on the coil when the key is on, but no spark...

 

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

 

Thanks!

 

 

-Steve

It sounds like you have something wrong in the distributor. You should see the voltage on the minus side pulsing when you try to start the engine. This pulsing helps generate the spark for the plugs.

ya, power to both terminals is bad, deffinately bad.

No, power to both sides is good, it means that power is flowing through the coil, as it's suppose to. I would do as stated above, and check to see if you have a pulse when you put the test light on the neg side of the coil. If it doesn't pulse then check the distibutor, thats a pre-87 so it's going to have a standard pickup coil and module in it, and the modules tend to go out after a while..

like adam said it grounds and releases the neg side of the coil to make spark happen. the distributor is responsible for this. I am not shure about yours but mine has a transistor on the coil bracket to actually drive the coil. that should be checked as well if you have one.

Thanks for all the help!

 

 

I will check it out in the morning!

 

 

-Steve

From one newbie to another, welcome to the board.

 

Long shot, but check to make sure that the distributor rotor is turning while you crank, if not could be broken timing belt

 

89Ru

From one newbie to another, welcome to the board.

 

Long shot, but check to make sure that the distributor rotor is turning while you crank, if not could be broken timing belt

 

89Ru

oh yes verry true.

that would be a posibility too.

Hello.

 

 

First, thank you to those who replied with ideas concerning this issue.

 

 

I was off on my month/year. The three-door GL that I am having these issues with is a 06/84.

 

 

 

 

 

I went back to the vehicle here the other day, and it started right up for some reason. So something with the ignition system is intermittent. I have not messed with the vehicle for a couple weeks here now, started it up yesterday, and ran it hard out behind my shop for a while; second gear, low-range, high-revs, getting it good and warm, and it simply would not quit. Everything worked. Started it up this morning, ran it to the fuel station and filled it, ran it back to the shop, and then went for a ride. Got about eight miles from my place, and it dies, and will not start. Cranks fine, everything else works, no blown fuses, etc. just will not start. Had purchased a new coil and had that with, so I tried that, no go. Went back to the car an hour or so later, and it fired right up, and I drove it back to the shop. Is there an ignition module someplace inside the engine bay/distributor, or ? that could be giving me this scenario, or some other component? Does anyone have any ideas?

 

 

 

Has anything similar to this happen?

Thanks for all of the help!

-Steve

Werid...again, check the dizy stuff....I woudl personall try another disty.

 

is this a 5spd with the OHC engine in it the EA82? If so, then it IS an 85 model.

Werid...again, check the dizy stuff....I woudl personall try another disty.

 

is this a 5spd with the OHC engine in it the EA82? If so, then it IS an 85 model.

 

4spd, 4wd, in not OHC engine. Thanks!

 

-Steve

Oh, then its call a "hatchback"