Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Dmaggs]

I just recently bought a '93 N/A non-runner. It currently has no spark and that's why I'm working to diagnose.

I have fully disassembled the distributor and understand I have 4 electrical devices in it: 1) radio noise suppressor (little/mounted to outside), 2) ignition control module (mounted to the outside), 3) pick up coil (inside cap and connected to ignitor), and 4) ignitor (inside cap and connected to pick up coil).

Based on posts I have read on here I ran through the diagnostic tests. I have 12V at my ignition coil and the coils ohms are in spec. When cranking, I do not have the expected 6V on the negative side of the coil. I have .1V to .25V there instead. I moved on to the distributor. I immediately suspect the ignitor because the tachometer does not bounce when I hit the starter. I put in a different ignitor and no change. It's totally possible I have two bad ignitors. Is there any way to test an ignitor off of the car with my multimeter?

I tested the pick up coil and I have continuity that's in spec for it. For good measure, I tried a spare one as well. I tried a spare ignition control module too--that didn't help either.

At this point, I have two distributors worth of electronic components and no joy. I cleaned every ground in the engine bay that I could find (reference manuals to sort out missing ones).

Next steps? I am going to try and hunt each wire running of the distributor and trace it back to its source. I have the wiring diagram but am having some trouble reading it. Does anyone have a simple text list of the wires leading off the distributor by color and where they go? That would be super helpful!

I will try cleaning connectors and fuse panels next--I did not get all of those when I worked on all the grounds.

At what point do I decide the problem isn't in the distributor at all? I don't see how it could be anywhere else but I'm open to all ideas on this hunt for now! Thanks for your thoughts.

[EShepherd]

I just recently bought a '93 N/A non-runner. It currently has no spark and that's why I'm working to diagnose.

I have fully disassembled the distributor and understand I have 4 electrical devices in it: 1) radio noise suppressor (little/mounted to outside), 2) ignition control module (mounted to the outside), 3) pick up coil (inside cap and connected to ignitor), and 4) ignitor (inside cap and connected to pick up coil).

Based on posts I have read on here I ran through the diagnostic tests. I have 12V at my ignition coil and the coils ohms are in spec. When cranking, I do not have the expected 6V on the negative side of the coil. I have .1V to .25V there instead. I moved on to the distributor. I immediately suspect the ignitor because the tachometer does not bounce when I hit the starter. I put in a different ignitor and no change. It's totally possible I have two bad ignitors. Is there any way to test an ignitor off of the car with my multimeter?

I tested the pick up coil and I have continuity that's in spec for it. For good measure, I tried a spare one as well. I tried a spare ignition control module too--that didn't help either.

At this point, I have two distributors worth of electronic components and no joy. I cleaned every ground in the engine bay that I could find (reference manuals to sort out missing ones).

Next steps? I am going to try and hunt each wire running of the distributor and trace it back to its source. I have the wiring diagram but am having some trouble reading it. Does anyone have a simple text list of the wires leading off the distributor by color and where they go? That would be super helpful!

I will try cleaning connectors and fuse panels next--I did not get all of those when I worked on all the grounds.

At what point do I decide the problem isn't in the distributor at all? I don't see how it could be anywhere else but I'm open to all ideas on this hunt for now! Thanks for your thoughts.

https://www.techcapri.com/Wiring.html This is the factory wiring diagram for the whole car. Dizzy connector is in section A8 on the first page.

https://werbatfik.com/Capri_Service_Manual.htm This is links for the factory service manual on Rocketman's website.

If you want to wait for Rocketman to chime in, I'm sure he can give you better information than I can. I've never had issues with my ignition system, so I can only really give you secondhand information that I've read or heard. I believe that there is an ignition control module within the distributor assembly, and this is usually the culprit when you have no tach signal on the dash when cranking. https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=1191816&cc=1196636&pt=7172&jsn=1868 It should look like this. I think it's a pretty common issue.

[chrispoe]

Do you have about 12v on the black/white and the yellow/blue wire at the ignition coil while the ignition switch is in the run position and not cranking?

While cranking, you mention you have .25v on the yellow/blue at the ignition coil, what voltage do you have on the black/white wire when cranking?

If the black/white wire voltage is dropping out while cranking, then the distributor is probably working and your problem is the 12v supply to the ignition coil.


The wiring at the distributor:
Black/white wire = internal ignition module enable
Yellow/blue = crank signal out to ignition coil/tach
Light green = fixxed amount timming adjustment for high altitude(internal module)
Yellow = cylinder id signal to ECU
Black= ground to cylinder id signal

The internal ignition module gets ground power from its mounting to the distributor and when the module triggers, it sends a sinking signal(ground) to the coil/tach.

[NEDREBEL]

When I lost spark on mine, it ended up being a corroded terminal, I believe it was a green wire, by the battery, under the cruise control.

[Dmaggs]

When the ignition is on and not cranking I have 12V on the black/white wire at the coil. I have no voltage on the yellow/blue wire at the coil when the ignition is on and not cranking (if the ignition coil two wire connector is unplugged). Once I plug the connecter in the the ignition coil and back probe it I have the same 12 V on both wires being fed into the ignition coil via the black/white wire.

When I crank the enginw the voltage on both wires drops to about 10V.

[Dmaggs]

I seem tonhave ground continuity on both the black and black/white wires at the distributor. That seems like it may be an issue but Im not sure.

I undid much if the loom and am fairly convinced there's no issues on the yellow/blue wire to the ignition coil or on the yellow wire to the ECA.

Wondering about the black/white wire I havent yet traced.

Ive tried two ignition modules/ignitors and two pick up coils. No change in symptoms. Im not certain my parts are good but feels likely to be a wiring issue at the point. Going to test with third of each internal dizzy part soon as they arrive in mail just to be sure.

[EShepherd]

I seem tonhave ground continuity on both the black and black/white wires at the distributor. That seems like it may be an issue but Im not sure.

I undid much if the loom and am fairly convinced there's no issues on the yellow/blue wire to the ignition coil or on the yellow wire to the ECA.

Wondering about the black/white wire I havent yet traced.

Ive tried two ignition modules/ignitors and two pick up coils. No change in symptoms. Im not certain my parts are good but feels likely to be a wiring issue at the point. Going to test with third of each internal dizzy part soon as they arrive in mail just to be sure.

I'm looking at the wiring diagram to try and help you out, and here's what I've found so far: That black/white wire that you are worried about, it goes from the dizzy and the ignition coil, through a 3 pin wire-to-wire connector (in grid B13 in the FSM), and then to the ignition switch. If I'm reading the diagram correctly, it looks like this wire splits at the ignition switch and supplies it a path to ground when in either the start or run position. The same wire also branches off from here and it looks like it goes to the fuse box.

I feel like you shouldn't have continuity with ground on that black/white wire, unless the key is in the start or run position.

[Dmaggs]

Thank you for your help! Based on the wiring diagram, I agree with you! I'm still wondering if my two ignitors are both bad. I've ordered two more spares but UPS managed to suffer delays on both of them...  I opened up the loom starting at the distributor and all the wires are good up nearly to the firewall. I could have issue behind the dash or in the loom running out to the ignition coil. More unwrapping needed I think.

Meanwhile, I have also opened up the fuel tank via under the rear seat to clear the many years old gas from the tank--definitely don't want to send that through the engine when I finally do have spark. I think a new fuel pump while I'm in there may be in order too.

Will keep updating on my progress.

Incidentally, any chance the coolant temperature sensor could be in play here? I read some post on here from long ago that said it could be implicated in a no spark situation. I don't want to just start throwing random parts at the issue but I have had no start situations on other cars before due to the CTS. A continuity fault there once led to no spark in my 80s Jaguar XJ-S because the ECU couldn't get any read on the status of the engine (temperature wise). But I'm not sure if that's something that could be in play here in the Capri's ECA setup.

[EShepherd]

Thank you for your help! Based on the wiring diagram, I agree with you! I'm still wondering if my two ignitors are both bad. I've ordered two more spares but UPS managed to suffer delays on both of them...  I opened up the loom starting at the distributor and all the wires are good up nearly to the firewall. I could have issue behind the dash or in the loom running out to the ignition coil. More unwrapping needed I think.

Meanwhile, I have also opened up the fuel tank via under the rear seat to clear the many years old gas from the tank--definitely don't want to send that through the engine when I finally do have spark. I think a new fuel pump while I'm in there may be in order too.

Will keep updating on my progress.

Incidentally, any chance the coolant temperature sensor could be in play here? I read some post on here from long ago that said it could be implicated in a no spark situation. I don't want to just start throwing random parts at the issue but I have had no start situations on other cars before due to the CTS. A continuity fault there once led to no spark in my 80s Jaguar XJ-S because the ECU couldn't get any read on the status of the engine (temperature wise). But I'm not sure if that's something that could be in play here in the Capri's ECA setup.

I'm unsure if the coolant temp sensor would cause a no-spark on a Capri. I do know that they are one of the most essential sensors on early fuel injected cars, and that a replacement for a Capri is both available and cheap. You'll probably need to pull the starter out to get to it, but it's not too much work. I'm pretty sure its just a PTC or NTC resistor, so if you wanted to test it you could remove the sensor and heat/cool the element while taking resistance measurements. I'd be willing to bet there is a spec somewhere for this

[Dmaggs]

My Capri runs!! It ended up being a combination of issues. Both of the ignitors I had were bad. In fact a third one I bought was bad too. It was the 4th ignitor that did the trick! I'm sure that cleaning up all the ground and contacts could only have helped but at the end of the day I think it was just a classic bad ignitor issue.

So now it runs although it stalls with rapid throttle application. I suspect insufficient fuel pressure and/or a minor vacuum leak. Going to work through that tomorrow. A question: my fuel tank seems to be pressurizing quite a bit right now. When I open the cap after idling the car for a bit the whole tank "whooshes." This seems to me like its not right so I'm wondering if I have a plugged vent somewhere? Where would that vent me and how best to check it?

Many thanks for all your help--looking forward to this Capri being back on the road soon for first time in a decade plus!

[EShepherd]

My Capri runs!! It ended up being a combination of issues. Both of the ignitors I had were bad. In fact a third one I bought was bad too. It was the 4th ignitor that did the trick! I'm sure that cleaning up all the ground and contacts could only have helped but at the end of the day I think it was just a classic bad ignitor issue.

So now it runs although it stalls with rapid throttle application. I suspect insufficient fuel pressure and/or a minor vacuum leak. Going to work through that tomorrow. A question: my fuel tank seems to be pressurizing quite a bit right now. When I open the cap after idling the car for a bit the whole tank "whooshes." This seems to me like its not right so I'm wondering if I have a plugged vent somewhere? Where would that vent me and how best to check it?

Many thanks for all your help--looking forward to this Capri being back on the road soon for first time in a decade plus!

So I want to say that the seemingly high fuel tank pressure is normal. Either that, or mine is broken in the same way. When I was diagnosing my fuel issues, I removed the fuel tank cap 2 days after I had been running the fuel pump, and I remember being startled by the sound when I removed the cap. It is a small metal tank with a fairly strong electric pump in it, so I wasn't super worried about it.

[Dmaggs]

Ok thanks! If nothing else at least it proves to me my tank has no leaks if it can hold that pressure so well.

So I did some more work today and now I have a new fuel pump installed and it runs great! I am so pleased to have a running driving Capri on my hands now! This is going to be fun!

My idle seems to stay pegged at 1500RPM even once the engine is warmed up. Looks like my next project is going to be cleaning up the IAC as I've read about in other posts on here. Hopefully that will solve my problem. Also on deck is to get the passenger side headlight working again--it lights but does not come up. Have found the instructions for that project on here too so will try to get to that soon as well!