Question about Testing my Ignitor

[kingdutka]

I need to know if I am testing this ignitor properly. I double checked all the wires and found the mechanic had 2 from the ECU to the ignitor in the wrong order. Can this cause damage to the ignitor?

After getting all the wires in proper order, I left the ignitor disconnected and put a light tester to the wires that come from the ECU, one at a time, and had the wife turn the ignition for each. I saw the light blink properly for each. I then connected the ignitor back up and checked it again with the light tester (i touched it to the wire BEFORE it got to the ignitor) and this time, I got nothing. Does this mean the ignitor is bad? Am I not testing it right?

[kingdutka]

I read on a forum for golf cart owners that the only way to test an igniter is to replace it with a known good one. Is this true for all engines?

[SpeedRacer1]

http://www.phatg20.net/modules...d=307

Page 337

[kingdutka]

What is that file? I generally don't run an EXE file that I download unless I know exactly what it is and it's from a trusted source.

[S13FASTBACKSR]

its the fsm download it its very useful

[S13FASTBACKSR]

if you dont want to download the fsm i'll tell you how to test the igntior..you test continuity. take your positive needle and put it on e (the middle one with the ignitor facing up a,b,e,c,d) and the negative needle on #1 (the first one on the left on the opposite side of the ignitor with the ignitor facing up (1,2,3,4) and you should NOT have continuity. now do the same exact thing again but instead of #1 this time do #2 (while the positive is still on e) then #3 then #4 and all of these should NOT have continuity. Now do this process over again but swap the positive and negative needles and you SHOULD have continuity.

Now put the positive on e again and now this time the negative on a and you SHOULD have continuity. now do the same thing again but instead of a do b and once again you SHOULD have continuity..then do c and d and you should get the same results. Now swap the positive and negative needle and repeat this process over again and you should STILL have continuity.

Now put the positve on 1 and the negative on a and you should have continuity. then move the positive to 2 and the negative to b and you should get the same results..then do 3c 4d and you should get the same results. Now do this again but swap positive and negative needle and you should NOT get continuity.

[kingdutka]

I am using the q45 ignitor, so your a,b,e,c,d doesn't map out the same for me...

e = ground?

[kingdutka]

What am I supposed to be using to test this? All I have is a standard light tester you can get at Wal-Mart for detecting positive and negative currents.

Also, do I do this with the ignitor in the car and someone cranking the engine?

Yes, I am a noob! :P

[S13FASTBACKSR]

you do this with the key on. and you just need a continuity tester.

[kingdutka]

Darn, I don't have one...

I brought the ignitor to a Nissan dealer this morning and they said they couldn't test it...

I am buying a new ignitor. If it still won't start, I don't know what I'll do...

[S13FASTBACKSR]

if the new ignitor doesnt work then just sell it off..or you could download the fsm for the q45..if its not the ignitor do a coilpack test and ecu test

[kingdutka]

With the ignitor removed, I put a light tester on each of the pinout wires that go to the ignitor and had the wife crank the engine. I saw spark on those wires. I then connected the ignitor and rechecked it (the wires going in AND the wires coming out) and NONE of them worked. It is in my experience that if you hook up something and the wires stop working, then remove said "something" and it works again, something is wrong with that part. It's logical, it holds true for every electronic device I have ever dealt with, and this is an electronic device. Granted, I am by NO means a mechanic, but I do have a firm understanding of electronics. So am I wrong here?

<- VERY anxious to finally get his car running for the first time in over 3 months!

[90_240sxx]

how would you test the ecu because im having the same problem right now

[S13FASTBACKSR]

well if you try to test your ecu for codes..it wont let you because the l.e.d. wont go out. (from what ive heard from researching and found from personal experience..you turn the key to "on" and the l.e.d. should be on..then you start the engine and it should go off and if it doesnt then your ecu is bad) now ive also heard you can check for codes with the key off and if it doesnt let you (the light doesnt go off) then your ecu is bad

[kingdutka]

If I can verify proper power and cycles going to the ignitor from the ECU, but not from the ignitor to the coil packs, isn't that sufficient evidence to show the ECU is ok? I suppose it could have intermittent issues, but this is persistent. It's not like it'll start once and then not wanna start again...

At this point, I am about 90% certain it is a faulty ignitor. Unfortunately, there isn't a single one for sale within 100 miles of here.. (I called every part store and salvage yard in the book). I guess I have to wait for shipping from out of state to find out.

[S13FASTBACKSR]

the ignitor sends the ignition signal to the ECU. The ECU powers the coilpacks ignition coil on and off. If your problem is the ignitor then your ecu is not going to be able to turn the coilpacks ignition coil on and off. If the ignitor is good but the ecu is bad the the symptoms you have could be many of many things. One of the many could be not turning the coilpacks ignition coil on and off..the odds of that though are slim..it probably is your ignitor..but you should really download the q45 fsm to find out how to test it or just suck it up by another out of state one and if its not the problem sell it off no big deal

[kingdutka]

You rock!

eBay: Q45 Igniter Ignitor SR20DET CA18DET 240SX 300ZX W/ clip for $25 Shipped and 9 available!

I bought 2.

[S13FASTBACKSR]

I bought 2.

haha..actually thats not a bad idea especially considering how cheap they are..and if they end up not doing the trick then you can sell them for extra dollar

[kingdutka]

By the way, the guy at Heavy Throttle told me if the ignitor is not wired correctly, it certainly can become damaged and unusable.

Can you believe this:I got the Q45 wiring diagram from Heavy Throttle and handed it to my mechanic. He said the wire colors on the chart don't match the colors on the harness....

I got it home and rewired it noting the colors certainly DID match. Uh.... did he consider that this is a Japanese motor where the driver sits on the RH side?... Try flipping the ignitor around dude...and this is why you couldn't get my car started for the past week and a half?

LMAO!

[S13FASTBACKSR]

well atleast you know the problem