Major Ignition Problems

[83turbomon]

My car yesterday left me stranded at school, which left my car stranded at school yesterday until I could find a ride home. The car starts but wouldnt start over. I thought that it could be the ignition coil, but my good mechanic friend looked at the car today and said that I wasnt getting a spark through the distributor. After leaving the car at school for the night I got it started the next morning, (today). The car started right up like it was nothing. I was shocked and suprised. But I know that later the car is going to do the same thing. Do i need to check the plugs, get a new ignition coil, check the advance on the distributor, get a new distributor and plug wires, What? I have a car show today that I kinda have to get ready for.

 

[dr_frankenstein]

you live in washington...... its wet and humid.

I bet you have corrosion underneath your ignition module.

pull it up carefully and clean underneath it with a BRASS wire brush and re apply fresh dielectric grease.

A.j.

 

[83turbomon]

you live in washington...... its wet and humid.

I bet you have corrosion underneath your ignition module.

pull it up carefully and clean underneath it with a BRASS wire brush and re apply fresh dielectric grease.

A.j.

its wet, but not really humid. Ill check into that. Dielectric grease?

 

[dr_frankenstein]

its wet, but not really humid. Ill check into that. Dielectric grease?

well way tooo humid for me when i lived there - but then again, Im a desert critter...... oddly enough, I have lots of friends up in tacoma.... to bad they havent a buick clue.

Dielectric Grease. the white goo under the module..... like the goo you put under your heatsink when attaching it to your processor chip in a computer?

kinda know what I mean?

it usually has a white or silvery color.

A.j.

 

[83turbomon]

well way tooo humid for me when i lived there - but then again, Im a desert critter...... oddly enough, I have lots of friends up in tacoma.... to bad they havent a buick clue.

Dielectric Grease. the white goo under the module..... like the goo you put under your heatsink when attaching it to your processor chip in a computer?

kinda know what I mean?

it usually has a white or silvery color.

A.j.

Still VERY lost but I get the point. Would any of the above mention repair areas work?

 

[charlief1]

My car yesterday left me stranded at school, which left my car stranded at school yesterday until I could find a ride home. The car starts but wouldnt start over. I thought that it could be the ignition coil, but my good mechanic friend looked at the car today and said that I wasnt getting a spark through the distributor. After leaving the car at school for the night I got it started the next morning, (today). The car started right up like it was nothing. I was shocked and suprised. But I know that later the car is going to do the same thing. Do i need to check the plugs, get a new ignition coil, check the advance on the distributor, get a new distributor and plug wires, What? I have a car show today that I kinda have to get ready for.

Not sure what you mean by "start over". It would crank but not run when you let off of the key? Sounds like the ignition switch is gone bad to me but more info would be helpfull.

 

[83turbomon]

Not sure what you mean by "start over". It would crank but not run when you let off of the key? Sounds like the ignition switch is gone bad to me but more info would be helpfull.

yeah, when you turn the key it would crank, but not start. I got the car home yesterday and parked it. I left the car at the school on monday night, and the next morning I got to school and got in the car and started it and it started right up like there was no problem.

 

[dr_frankenstein]

yeah, when you turn the key it would crank, but not start. I got the car home yesterday and parked it. I left the car at the school on monday night, and the next morning I got to school and got in the car and started it and it started right up like there was no problem.

if it cranks, but has no spark.... im leaning more and more towards the module. if it was the key.... it probably wouldnt crank.

I dunno if you know how to replace it or clean it.... but its inside the distributor, where the wires connect to it. there should be 7 on one side and 2 on the other. I believe there are 2 5/16" screws that hold it down. unscrew it and take a look underneath and tell me what you see....

A.j.

 

[83turbomon]

if it cranks, but has no spark.... im leaning more and more towards the module. if it was the key.... it probably wouldnt crank.

I dunno if you know how to replace it or clean it.... but its inside the distributor, where the wires connect to it. there should be 7 on one side and 2 on the other. I believe there are 2 5/16" screws that hold it down. unscrew it and take a look underneath and tell me what you see....

A.j.

I might just get that dist from charlie.

 

[charlief1]

This may be difficult for you but turn the key on and short the starter to spin the engine over. If it starts then the ignitions switch is bad. As old as the car is this is a very real possibility.

 

[b4black]

Your engine uses the same distribtor as a non-turbo 3.8 with a computer. I'd get a complete distributor from a junkyard and swap the whole thing. That will help tell you if the probelm is inside the distributor or elsewhere.