A REAL problem here

[zack_odom]

I am having the strangest issue with my car today. I was just driving along, minding my own business, the car was running good and then it died. and it wont fire up again. It will crank but not fire.


A list of things I have checked:

Fuel Pressure at the Rail: Good
Main Relay: NEW
Different Dizzy: Did nothing
Timing Belt: Is Spinning the Top end


so Far I have determined that I have Fuel. But no spark...
I have a 1990 EX with an F22A4.....STOCK. This car will be getting parted if I dont figure this shit out....
Feel free to comment please!

[pedroalcala]

It's most likely your ingnition switch, that happend to me to, I was on the freeway when all of a sudden, the car turned off on me....check that switch that might be the problem....good luck

[drummersteve7]

happened to me...
started while cold, but not while hot.
ignitor in dizzy!

you know what to do!
good luck homie!

[wherm]

I had a set of plug wires crap out on me once. Car worked fine one day, next day, just cranked and cranked. I put my old plug wires on and it fired up instantly.

[93.4dr.22A1]

Not sure about the coil and dizzy on a A4 but when my ICM(ignition control module) went out on my A1 thats exactly what happend, had to coast off the street, and have tons of fun getting it fixed at 11:00 PM.

I had a set of plug wires crap out on me once. Car worked fine one day, next day, just cranked and cranked. I put my old plug wires on and it fired up instantly.

You had all 4 plug wires go out at the same time? Thats unbelievable.

[wed3k]

so have you actually checked the plugs?

if it was a ignition switch, it would fire and then die as soon you release the key. recheck your distributor's ICM. they love to go out.

does the cel go out when you key it up?

[xkjnboix]

try jumping the starter with a screw driver or kick starting the car if u have a 5 speed. this rules out or identifies the starter as a problem. then i would look at the battery of course. doesnt take but 5 minutes for autozone to check it FREE.

next
ignitor. if u tried one from the salvage then most likely someone took the ignitor. unless u bought one completely new and it didnt work then u can rule the distributor out.

one of these 3 things will be ur problem

[zack_odom]

It has a New Dizz unit on it.
Pulled out the plugs today and they smelled like gas....
Plug wires can go bad huh? Ok I will try that next.

[Losiracer2]

It has a New Dizz unit on it.
Pulled out the plugs today and they smelled like gas....
Plug wires can go bad huh? Ok I will try that next.

yeah check resistances on each of the 4. They're each supposed to be within a certain range. OR you could not be making contact w/ the plug wire completely, that happens if the wire comes out of the sleeve and uncrimps itself from the connector by sometimes tugging on it too hard.

[93.4dr.22A1]

new dizzy's dont come with ICM's right. take it out and get it checked.

[xkjnboix]

new dizzy's dont come with ICM's right. take it out and get it checked.

correct. you have to swap in the old one. thing is thats the part that goes bad majority of dizzy problems.

[ikayto]

that happened to me, it was my ignition switch, but I got spark.

[zack_odom]

So a quick update.
New plug wires done. Nothing.
Then we replaced a blown ECU fuse I didnt notice. The car started....
Then as soon as I put the clutch in the car died. So I removed my alarm thinking that it was the issue. Nothing.....The ECU fuse keeps blowing as soon as I plug it in...only the one inside the car.,....

[4U2H8ME]

I had this problem a year and a 1/2 ago. I have an H though, but my o2 sensor wire harness was a lil too long and was laying on the intermediate shaft. As the shaft spun it rubbed away the casing to the o2 wires and it grounded out against the shaft causing the ecu fuse to blow.

[led_fut]

So a quick update.
New plug wires done. Nothing.
Then we replaced a blown ECU fuse I didnt notice. The car started....
Then as soon as I put the clutch in the car died. So I removed my alarm thinking that it was the issue. Nothing.....The ECU fuse keeps blowing as soon as I plug it in...only the one inside the car.,....

I was going to say ignitor like everyone else before this post.... but my advice is:

wait for it to get real dark.

get away from any source of light (dark parking lot, lights off in garage, etc)

new ecu fuse.

keep that hood open

Disable your DRLs if you have them

get your buddy to fire the car up

THEN: Watch for a spark when the fuse blows.

You've obviously got a short somewhere. I had a horrible time finding a short on my 3g back in the day, and by chance, me and a buddy were working on it late at night (using a circuit breaker in place of the fuse) and repeated those steps till I saw a spark... looked the whole thing over, finally found a thermostat wire that was rubbing against the EGR pipe off the header...

never would have found that damn thing in the day.

its not pretty, but it might work

*edit: the vibration transferred from letting the clutch out was just enough to shake the engine and cause the short in my case. I suspect you may be experiencing a similar issue.