quick question: no spark

[RipShift]

91 240sx. Everyting ignition-wise is stock. It's been running pretty much perfect lately, save for a little power loss in the higher revs. Also when I push in the clutch to come to a stop, the rpms fall really low, down to like 200-400 usually, sometimes it comes back up to normal idle, sometimes it stays that low. Back tot he point, i had driven it home from work tonight without a problem, came to a stop many times and it idled like it always does, never died. Then once when I came to a stop, the car died, and now it wont refire. I unplugged the wire from the coil to the distributer and nothing changed, so i know its not getting spark from the coil. My question is what could've gone up i smoke just like that or cause the symptoms I described beforehand. Thanks

[Touchdown038]

For the revs dropping down low, check for vacuum leaks, and possibly your AAC valve.

Did you ground the coil wire to check for spark from the coil? Or how exactly do you know you have no spark?

[RipShift]

I didnt think to ground the coil wire at the time. It was just cranking and cranking so I disconnected the coil wire from the distributer and cranked it again and it sounded exactly the same. Thats how I figure I have no spark.

[s13sr20chris]

oh, you def want to watch the coil with a ground nearby to catch the spark. then youll know if you have it.

[RipShift]

ok I tested it and like a said to begin with i dont have spark. Its intermitant now. When I went to go work on it today, had to drive into town cause thats where it spent the night, it started right up. It drove fine for a few miles, now its done its thing again. Its done this twice, both times I've been rolling to a stop, the ignition dies, then when I press in the clutch and the engine isnt being turned by the driveline anymore, it dies and wont restart. What i know right now is that theres nothing comming out of the coil. So my question is what is causing this, is it the coil, the ignition module, the relay, WHAT?!? I have about 10 minutes to order parts for this thing in order to get them by tomorrow or sat, and later and I'll have to wait until tuesday so maybe now you understand my frustration about not getting an answer (or even a thought) yet when I've had this post up since last night.

[RipShift]

Well my deadline's come and gone and I've calmed down a little. New developements: I can't have the ignition control module tested anywhere in my area, im going to try to find one in a junkyard tomorrow. I've got a new coil coming in tomorrow and a new ignition relay will be in on sat. Dont know if I need either of these parts but if I do then this way I'll have them. The ignition module is a different story, its over $100 and wont be availible for 5-7 days, and its a pre-pay, nonrefundable situation, so i would really like to know if thats whats causing my problem. One other detail I forgot to mention before, when it dies, the tach drops to 0, before the rpms have fallen all the way. Basically the ignition dies and the tach zero's out, but the engine is still being driven through the driveline so it doesnt stop until I push i the clutch. I know some of this is redondant but Im just trying to be thourough and help you help me as you say. Thanks

[s13sr20chris]

when she wont start, dump some cold water on the distributor and see if she starts back up.

[RipShift]

obviously I've pissed you off. That was not my intention. I was frustrated because I needed help fast and I wasnt getting it (like I have in the past through this forum which I appreciate) What I dont appreciate is being given the proverbial @#$%-off in return for one slightly edgy comment. I'd like to think I'll still be considered welcome in this forum should I ever have another question, but at this point Im not sure.

btw the cold water didnt work, so I got a coil out of a 93 altima and so far its run fine. It died once on the way to work but fired right back up, hasnt died since and I've put about 50-60 miles on it since then.

[s13sr20chris]

wow

obviously I've pissed you off. That was not my intention. I was frustrated because I needed help fast and I wasnt getting it (like I have in the past through this forum which I appreciate) What I dont appreciate is being given the proverbial @#$%-off in return for one slightly edgy comment. I'd like to think I'll still be considered welcome in this forum should I ever have another question, but at this point Im not sure.

btw the cold water didnt work, so I got a coil out of a 93 altima and so far its run fine. It died once on the way to work but fired right back up, hasnt died since and I've put about 50-60 miles on it since then.

wow! bro, you did not piss me off! i was serious! im sorry if i came off like i was angry because i certainly did not mean that. i have diagnosed a number of faulty distributors with the cold water trick. i even owned a b12 sentra with old carbed e16 and bad dist. it ran fine unless the dist got hot. guess what? i kept a gallon of water in the trunk just to get home if i ever needed it.

i will try very hard not to misrepresent myself like that again. i am deeply sorry.

[RipShift]

omg are you friking serious? I thought you were just being sarcastic cause that sounds like the last thing you should do to a vital electrical componant lol. But hey what the heck i'll give it a try. Should I assume then that the distributor is the weak link? I went ahead and ordered a new one in today just in case I needed it, it'll be here first thing tomorrow. Thanks for the tip and my appologies for overreacting lol

on second thought, would a weak distributer cause there to be no spark from the coil? Or is it that the distributor triggers the computer to fire the coil and thats whats not happening. Please explain futher
Modified by RipShift at 6:44 PM 8/8/2005

[RipShift]

Wow thats amazing! it actually works. So now that I know that distributor overheating is the problem, what do i do to fix it? Replace the whole distributor? or is the actual problem elsewhere?

[s13sr20chris]

yup, whole distributor. they are not cheap either. might wanna go to a pick and pull.

[SlidnSideways]

But if he has no spark at his coil wouldnt that mean that the problem lay somewhere before the distrib? Doesnt the coil come before the distrib?

I may be wrong cause i dont know half as much about engines as most of the people on here but just trying to help.

--Tim--

[RipShift]

chris: gotta do what I gotta do. Is $130 exchange for a reman a pretty good deal? thats the best I can do short of a junkyard.

slidn: the way I understand it, the distributor singals the computer to fire the coil, so if its not getting a signal to begin with, the coil wont fire, even though theres nothing wrong with it.

[s13sr20chris]

yeah,

and also yeah. the dist sends signal to coil by way of ecm and then the spark goes from the coil to the dist cap/rotor. the two halves of the dist are called primary and secondary. primary being the low voltage signal side and secondary being the big bad high voltage spark.