Alright, pay check came in, I'm ready to buy more parts for my problem child. I've narrowed it down to the pickup coil since I replaced the ICM and nothing happened. So. Do I need to replace anything along WITH the pickup coil as to not make it burn out the moment I turn the key? Or is it just pickup coil and done?
Oh there's an o ring I have to install too isn't there?
Pickup Coil, Ignition Module and Ignition Coil supply the spark. If the other components are good, as you indicate, replace the distributor O-ring when you reinstall the distributor. I don't know if it's available as listed for the Fiero, but it may be for the 93-95 Camaro and Firebird 3.4 oil pump drive. It's FelPro Part # 70800.
Pickup Coil, Ignition Module and Ignition Coil supply the spark.
Oh wait hold up then, would a bad ignition coil cause the tach to not move when cranking? From my research, only the ICM and the pickup would cause it not to..
Oh wait hold up then, would a bad ignition coil cause the tach to not move when cranking? From my research, only the ICM and the pickup would cause it not to..
The tach pulses are taken from the igniton module to the coil. Iif the coil was defective and all else is good then the tach will show movement. The only other thing that could cause a tach not to get a signal is a bad tach filter.
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The tach pulses are taken from the igniton module to the coil. Iif the coil was defective and all else is good then the tach will show movement. The only other thing that could cause a tach not to get a signal is a bad tach filter.
The tach was moving fine when the car died, now it doesn't move when cranking..
First, make sure the distributor is actually turning. You can test the pickup coil's resistance with a meter - should not be open. Make sure that the power & ground is making it to the ICM (and check the pickup connection to the ICM.
Check the connections to the coil. I have not tried a test light on the signal to the coil (I used oscilloscopes) but I don''t see why that would not work if the ground lead of the test light is on the +ve. Possible that the tach filter is shorting out the signal but unlikely.
Could be just another bad new ICM of course. They used to be able to test them at the parts stores - don't know if they still can.
Keep at it! You'll solve it. Measuring is cheaper than the parts cannon!
Could be just another bad new ICM of course. They used to be able to test them at the parts stores - don't know if they still can.
I actually got my old ICM tested and they said it passed all the tests they put it through... I still bought a new one though just in case. I also bought a new ignition coil and have only run the car for a total of 1.5 hours. Everything seems to be pointing at the pickup coil going bad after sitting for so long. But I'll check everything, I need to go buy thinner multimeter leads to actually fit in the connector LOL
In the old harnesses, the clipss on the ends of the wires can get pushed back into the harness ends. It may not have caused the initial problem but look into the end of the plug and see if all the clips are at the front, equally. The pins on the ICM or other sensors can sometimes push the clips back inside, allowing the sensor to work for a while before it loses contact.
Have you checked a plug wire to see if you have fire on it? And since you have removed the distributor to replace the pickup coil, did you check the distributor cap to be sure the carbon button didn't fall out, or did you make my mistake and fail to reinstall the rotor button ?
In the old harnesses, the clipss on the ends of the wires can get pushed back into the harness ends. It may not have caused the initial problem but look into the end of the plug and see if all the clips are at the front, equally. The pins on the ICM or other sensors can sometimes push the clips back inside, allowing the sensor to work for a while before it loses contact.
Have you checked a plug wire to see if you have fire on it? And since you have removed the distributor to replace the pickup coil, did you check the distributor cap to be sure the carbon button didn't fall out, or did you make my mistake and fail to reinstall the rotor button ?
I actually haven't removed the distributor yet... are you saying it could just be the wiring harnesses from the ignition coil to the ICM? Also this makes me wonder... what is the carbon botton and also what is the rotor button...? I have never heard of those pieces before! GAH THIS IS SCARY.
If you haven't removed the distributor since the last time the engine started, that's good... you don't have to check to make sure the dizzy is correctly timed.
The rotor button is that round plastic piece with the metal pointer and it sits on top of the distributor shaft, inside the distributor cap. The carbon button is in the centeer of the distributor cap. It's spring loaded so that it keeps pressure against the very center of the rotor button. It transfers the spark from the ignition coil wire to the spark plug wire terminals inside the cap.
One of our club members had worked for months or maybe more than a year trying to get a Fiero to run. I checked the harness and one of the wires had pushed back into the harness end. It's not that uncommon. I saw an 88Gt that a Nissan dealer couldn't get running. They pulled the man's car out into a dirt lot down back and left it. It sat so long the brakes locked down. He became so disgusted that he put the car up for sale for a few hundred dollars. One of our members bought it, checked the pins in the harness. Problem solved and the car started on the spot.
For some reason, every one I've seen has been the fuel pump signal wire. You can test for fuel pressure by spraying a little starting fluid or even brake cleaner into the throttle body to see if it will momentarily start.
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