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  Fiero wont start, ran fine before. has proper fuel delivery but no spark, HELP

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Fiero wont start, ran fine before. has proper fuel delivery but no spark, HELP by TheFieroKid
Started on: 01-12-2020 08:52 PM
Replies: 13 (271 views)
Last post by: olejoedad on 01-24-2020 11:40 PM
TheFieroKid
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Report this Post01-12-2020 08:52 PM Click Here to See the Profile for TheFieroKidSend a Private Message to TheFieroKidEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
Ok, so I go outside to try to start my Fiero formula, but it did not start. I thought to myself "Oh, its no big deal, I'll just push it into the barn and put it on the car lift. so I finally get it on the lift and i begin doing the process of elimination. first, I checked if I had fuel pressure. Check. next i checked if I had spark. Na da. to test the spark I tried testing it by pulling the spark plug off the engine. when I found I wasn't getting spark to the plug, I unplugged the spark plug and tested the wire. still no spark. after that i checked the coil and it seemed to be working fine, but spark was still not getting to my engine. I checked the plug wires as well with a multi meter to see if they were functional, and yes indeed they were. clearly I'm getting a charge, but I'm not getting any spark.

hopefully someone else has any ideas, because i read through the sections in the chiltons, haynes AND the 1988 factory service manual to no prevail.
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Mike in Sydney
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Report this Post01-12-2020 08:55 PM Click Here to See the Profile for Mike in SydneySend a Private Message to Mike in SydneyEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
Just a hunch but try the Ignition control module (IGM).

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Gall757
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Report this Post01-12-2020 09:10 PM Click Here to See the Profile for Gall757Send a Private Message to Gall757Edit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
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Patrick
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Report this Post01-12-2020 09:26 PM Click Here to See the Profile for PatrickSend a Private Message to PatrickEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
 
quote
Originally posted by TheFieroKid:

i checked the coil and it seemed to be working fine


What does that even mean? How'd you check it? What is "seemed to be working fine"?

[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 01-12-2020).]

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sledcaddie
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Report this Post01-12-2020 10:55 PM Click Here to See the Profile for sledcaddieSend a Private Message to sledcaddieEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
If you crank the engine over, and the tach still registers, I believe it's probably the ignition module in the distributor.
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fierosound
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Report this Post01-12-2020 11:43 PM Click Here to See the Profile for fierosoundClick Here to visit fierosound's HomePageSend a Private Message to fierosoundEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
 
quote
Originally posted by sledcaddie:

If you crank the engine over, and the tach still registers, I believe it's probably the ignition module in the distributor.


I've replaced dead distributor modules.

If you crank it over, and the tach DOES NOT even twitch - then it's the distributor module. (possibly pickup coil)

If tach moves, it's something else like coil or fuel problem.



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[This message has been edited by fierosound (edited 01-12-2020).]

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TheFieroKid
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Report this Post01-14-2020 02:35 PM Click Here to See the Profile for TheFieroKidSend a Private Message to TheFieroKidEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
Thank you for the help guys, turns out it was the distributor plug module. I think that's what its called at least. Now my Fiero is actually running better than it ever has before.
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Gall757
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Report this Post01-14-2020 04:29 PM Click Here to See the Profile for Gall757Send a Private Message to Gall757Edit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
Ignition Control Module, or ICM
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Patrick
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Report this Post01-14-2020 05:59 PM Click Here to See the Profile for PatrickSend a Private Message to PatrickEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post

And hopefully you used the proper heat sink compound between the ICM and the base of the distributor.
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Raydar
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Report this Post01-14-2020 06:00 PM Click Here to See the Profile for RaydarSend a Private Message to RaydarEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
 
quote
Originally posted by TheFieroKid:

Thank you for the help guys, turns out it was the distributor plug module. I think that's what its called at least. Now my Fiero is actually running better than it ever has before.


Excellent! (Plug module?)

Regardless, thanks for popping back in and sharing what the fix was.
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Ray_and_kevin
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Report this Post01-24-2020 08:14 PM Click Here to See the Profile for Ray_and_kevinSend a Private Message to Ray_and_kevinEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
You do not mention if it is 4 cylinder or 6. I am not sure if it matters. My white 88 GT has an issue where the metal connections on the pick up coil have gotten rusty. When you take the cap off, you are likely to see a ton of rust on parts of the distributor especially if it lives outside. The distributor is not sealed against moisture!

The first time it happened was when we were on the road back after picking up the car in Dayton. What happens is if the connector gets warm, the metal expands and no longer makes contact.

The *FIRST* thing to try if you have a no ignition issue is to take off the cap and plug and unplug the pickup coil several times and try again. You might also notice some rust on the two blade connections on the ignition module if that is the issue. Not sure how you fix this problem short of taking the distributor out and replacing the pickup coil assembly.

Of course, this migh not have been your problem at all, but now this failure mode is documented.
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Rsvl-Rider
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Report this Post01-24-2020 09:19 PM Click Here to See the Profile for Rsvl-RiderSend a Private Message to Rsvl-RiderEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
 
quote
Originally posted by Ray_and_kevin:

You do not mention if it is 4 cylinder or 6.


It's a Formula
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Patrick
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Report this Post01-24-2020 11:25 PM Click Here to See the Profile for PatrickSend a Private Message to PatrickEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
 
quote
Originally posted by Ray_and_kevin:

When you take the cap off, you are likely to see a ton of rust on parts of the distributor especially if it lives outside.


I've been told it's the Ozone produced inside the distributor that's responsible for most of the corrosion.

 
quote
Originally posted by Ray_and_kevin:

The distributor is not sealed against moisture!


And for good reason. There are two holes in the Fiero's distributor base covered with a wire mesh... to vent the Ozone. Seriously!
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olejoedad
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Report this Post01-24-2020 11:40 PM Click Here to See the Profile for olejoedadSend a Private Message to olejoedadEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
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