Can't get the number: 2, 3, and 4 spark plugs to fire.

[Craig944]

--These were all tested with one spark plug--
Read lower for the full details


After installing the MSD ignition w/ some very crappy equipment my dad bought at home depot, (hey he said, make it work with this or send it back, so I tried) & drove it awhile, got it so it'd cut off, etc etc. While driving down the road to a friends house the car just cut off and would not crank again, I checked all the connections and stuff, they were fine. I completely removed the MSD Ignition unit, except the two rings on the batter poles, I just pulled the wires out of them. Then, I wrapped the copper wire from the old wires that went to the coil onto the coil connectors, still, it did not work. Yes, I had the coil to distributor plug in. Is it because I didn't have the nuts on top of the lit'l bolts on the coil? Is it because I just simply wrapped the lit'l bolts w/ the copper wiring? (I didn't have the lit'l rings because I snipped them off to hook up the MSD Wires to them) Any help would be appreciated, my car is parked in a pretty bad part of town, and need your thoughts ASAP, should we try to fix it there in that parking lot or did I short the DME or something out? THANKS


My dad pulled the wire from the coil to the distributor AT the distributor, and he got fire when I tried to turn it over... If that helps ya any....


The spark plugs are firing, tested.
The fuel pump is going, tested.
The fuel injectors are ticking, tested.
Any other thoughts guys????


We took a nut off this thing above the cam, to see if any fuel pressure was present, and he held a cup there *my dad* and I turned it over and sure enough it shot fuel into the cup, hard. Also, we took the distributor cap off and there was fuel on it, not like IN it, but on it, a nice lit'l coating.


Well, we changed the cap, and the first spark plug fired, second one KINDA did, 3 and 4 did not at all. =( Whatcha thinkin? Oh, what we did, is use one wire and had a plug in it, and went down the around on the cap to see if it fired. But this was an older cap as well. Hrm, I need to get hold of a new cap I guess?

[Bob's944]

you replaced the cap, what about the rotor?

[EugeneYu]

Use sand paper to clean the copper point on your cap and rotor. It may temperorily solve the problem.

[Craig944]

My dad thinks it might be the speed censors.

[Bob's944]

your timing belt is turning....riight?

[javier]

Take the car to a proper mechanic.

If not, get a good repair manual, Haynes and take the time to read it before you begin to mess with it again.

Hint -> You may have damaged your DME relay
-> This type of car has a lot of electronics that can be damaged by not properly disconecting the battery before you begin your repairs.

-> Celicas are really good cars for 1st timers

[EugeneYu]

Speed sensor? Does it have anything to do with sparks?
Hmmmmm, I'm learning from you guys.

[javier]

Doubt it but in Craigs world it might. He could also have a tail light bulb out that would also limit his spark ability.

Correct me if I am wrong on this.

[EugeneYu]

Craig, if you can not fire up (or find out the cause) your car, you'd better sell it. There are tons of things much more complexer than getting some sparks on Porsche.
Make an offer, someone on this board might do you a faver and buy it.

Sorry for disappointing you. But it's a good advise. Trust me.

[Rollins]

It ALL depends if your doors are open or not.

[Rollins]

Craig, I will give one hundred dollars!

[EugeneYu]

Originally posted by Bob's944:
your timing belt is turning....riight?

Where is my timing belt? Is it somewhere in my trunk or underneath my seat?
You ask me if it works but didn't tell me where. Come on!

[javier]

ya, I forgot about the doors.


when my car gets hard to start, I rub the dash and promiss a good wash and wax.

[stray15]

haha, you guys are ruff, oops, i mean rough, sorry craig. I still love you.

[josh912]

Sorry if I offend you guys, but why are you so hard on Craig? So he can't afford to go to the Pcar mechanics, and he can't afford to buy brand new OEM everything. Give him a break! When I started with my 912 I was in the same situation. Heck, I'm still in the same situation. Nothing says that someone with little money or little knowledge of the car (like me when I first started) can't work on the cars. And how can he get the car working if all you guys make is rude and snib remarks. How about we actually try to help him. I'm thinking strongly about getting a 944, but with attitudes like this, I'm not sure I would want to ask you guys for help. So, I don't know what Craig did in the past, but how about we all leave it in the past and try to help one another.

------------------
Joshua Harrison
Porsche owner at heart

[stray15]

I'm sorry you don't know the whole story, but its not that he can't afford to take it to a mechanic. His daddy doesn't want to take it there. He recently put a performance exhaust on, new suspension. Who knows what else. They obviously have money if his mom is making him get another car for his daily driver because she just found out after owning the car for over 10-15 years that it didn't have airbags...I only wish you knew the whole story so you knew how annoying he is. I personally am just giving him a hard time, I like the kid, he needs to learn to take a joke or he is gonna have a misreble life.

[javier]

we are trying to help.

Suggesting that he sell the car or take it to a mechanic IS really good and relivent advice.

Craig, another hint. take a look at the "944 Porsche Garage" web site

http://porsche-944-garage.tripod.com

-> select the (944 Garage Shop Manual)
-> check out item IGN-01
-> speed and ref sensor IGN-02

[This message has been edited by javier (edited 10-12-2001).]

[wolfrpi]

If you purchase a 944 the help here is free...

but don't look a gift horse in the mouth...as many have been doing lately

Erick

[ribs]

Yeah guys, stop being such @$$holes. I didn't see anything in craig's post that would indicate anything but him asking a question. I have noticed he has calmed down quite a bit this week, and I suggest that you all do the same.

Craig, the speed sensor would be a culprit for getting no spark. I believe the car doesn't send a spark until it registers an engine rotation speed of 80 or 100 RPM's (real low, like when it is just starting to crank over with the starter). I have an intermittant starting problem that has 2 times gotten me to the point of wanting to call a tow truck. Luckily for me, I am able bodied and was able to push the car fast enough on level ground to kick start it. The intermittant starting problem went away once when somebody suggested I physically assault the passenger side floor board with my foot, and I kicked the shet out of the DME area, and guess what...it didn't have a starting problem for a year. Then, when I was leaving work one day this summer, the problem came back. I took off the carpet and wood panel on the pass. floor board, wiggled all of the wires around the DME and made sure they were plugged in well to the harness, and the car fired up with no problem. Several people I have asked about this said it is most likely an intermittant error with the engine's speed sensor, or maybe the connection to DME from it. Every once in a while, my car will turn over for several seconds and not start, and I know it isn't going to start because the tachometer always bounces when it is getting a spark, but when it isn't going to start, the tach just lays dead until it is about to start (sometimes several, like 30, seconds of cranking) and then it will start to bounce, and the car comes to life. A bad DME relay can cause a slew of problems, so you may want to check that out too.

------------------
ribs, 86' 951
My gallery

[Rollins]

I have stuck up for him in the past and I don't have a problem with him either. Poking fun at someone every now and then isn't a big deal. As far as you go Josh, if you really wanna base your decision of buying a car on the attitudes of the people on this board then you're just gonna hurt yourself. Find yourself a 951 and you'll be very happy.