No spark on 84 2.5 automatic (Page 1/1)
handymanpat APR 24, 06:31 PM
This car is owned by a young guy who just joined the local club.
It was running in this ast year but sat for several months, he has been messing with it and cannot get it to start.
I have offered advice I could but have a very limited knowledge of the 84. Today I went over to try and diagnose the problem but got nowhere.
The ICM has been replaced
We swapped the coil but got no spark from either coil to the distributor.
I did buy a replacement distributor that I thought we could use for his car but we never got that far.
I have been searching the forum for information as to how to diagnose the spark issue but cannot find what I am needing.
Is there anyone who can maybe let me know how I can test for spark at the distributor or answered why I have no spark?
I wish I knew more about the 84, I want to help the kid out but I told him we could spend hours and days stumbling around chasing things we both know nothing about so I was hoping someone reading this could offer some advice or guidance.
Thanks Pat

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pat moody

Patrick APR 24, 07:35 PM

I assume this will be the same for the duke as it is for the 2.8... but does the tach "twitch" at all while the engine is being cranked?


quote
Originally posted by handymanpat:

I did buy a replacement distributor that I thought we could use for his car but we never got that far.



Swapping in that replacement distributor would probably be the simplest thing to try. Just make sure you get the static timing at least in the ballpark.
handymanpat APR 25, 12:18 AM
Hi Patrick!!
I was telling the kid about you today and you and your talent for assigning those little avatars to people.
I will ask him to crank it over and see.
We will definitely get it back to TDC and them carefully remove the distributor and make sure to mark the location.
I did not realize the distributor needed to be functioning to run the coil but it makes sense.
I will stop by his place after work and see about getting the new one in!
It was great hearing from you and I will post the results as soon as I know!
Thanks Pat

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pat moody

theogre APR 25, 08:06 AM
disconnect the Tach Filter when working on HEI.
Even if Tach bounces try to start an iffy filter can short out enough and kill spark.

See my Cave, HE Ignition & Ground "Myth" notes

Look into oil fill hole, watch rockers while starting.
No move then the cam timing gear is F'd and cam and the distributor won't rotate.

Caution: 85-86 distributor maybe different then 84. Or maybe just ICM is different in some way.
take cap off and look carefully before pulling it out of engine.
Don't care if pickup assembly is different shape for magnet part.

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Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurassic Park)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave

handymanpat APR 25, 10:14 AM
Man, the big hitters of pennocks weighing in!
We will have this thing running soon!
He went out this morning and sent me this video. I cannot get it to load but it does show the needle move a tiny bit when he cranks.
I hope to get over there today or tomorrow and get it running.
I will make a "first start" video
Thanks for the advice!

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pat moody

Patrick APR 25, 07:54 PM

quote
Originally posted by handymanpat:

He went out this morning and sent me this video. I cannot get it to load but it does show the needle move a tiny bit when he cranks.

I will make a "first start" video



Pat, just a quick reminder that you cannot upload a video directly to PFF. You need to upload it to YouTube and then link to it here.

[youtube]video URL from browser with no spaces[/youtube]
handymanpat APR 28, 11:58 AM
UPDATE ON NO SPARK ON 84 2.5!
I went over to the new kids house last night and we did the distributor swap out.
We spent a lot of time finding tds and making sure the timing marks were lined up.
We checked the position of the rotor and made note of that.
When I removed the distributor I was very careful to not let it move other than to just slide out.
I slid in the replacement distributor and the first attempt I could tell the gears did not go in right and it was off so I pulled it out and tried again.
This time it looked right on!
I put the cap on, connected the wires and out the spark plug light in to see if it would spark.
The kid hit the key and bam! It fired right up, I could not even believe it!
I did make a "first start video" to show but I am not skilled enough to post it.
I rechecked timing with the light this time and it was almost right on, maybe it could be bumped just a tiny bit but it it is within a 1/2 inch of the actual marks. I told him we would do that all when he gets the coolant changed and the leaves and debris out of the engine bay.
I pulled the blower fan resistor plug and told him to clean that area or he would have a fire in there when he runs the blower fan.
Thanks to all of you who helped out and gave encouragement, it was really rewarding to see a newby to fieros be so excited and it does make a person feel good helping out like that.
I could not have diagnosed and solved this problem without this forum and the people here who help!
Thanks again.
Pat

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pat moody

Gall757 APR 28, 05:51 PM
Patrick APR 28, 06:31 PM

quote
Originally posted by handymanpat:

I did make a "first start video" to show but I am not skilled enough to post it.



I could walk you through the process (it's quite simple)... unless it's a vertical video... in which case you're on your own.