The coupe died on my early yesterday morning and now I'm trying to trace the problem. The car will crank but it will not start up. We checked and there is no spark. I replaced the ignition coil with a new one yesterday and still no spark and no start. The searches that I did point me to timing and the distributor but any other ideas are appreciated!

 

Start at the plugs and work your way up stream. No spark at the plug, you moved onto the coil. Now make sure the coil has power and ground. If it has both also check the coil wire. Still no fault, move onto the distributor. Pull the cap and check for anything out of wack like a broken rotor. Make sure it spns when the crank turns. Check to make sure the distributor has power. If there is nothing wrong with the distributor, then back to the ecu. Not the ecu, I am not 100 percent sure, but the crank sensor (if it has one, depending on year) may not allow it to work if it is bad.

Another thing to check is if it has injector pulse. If it does, then the ecu and sensors are fine most likely and it is problem a power issue at the coil.

 

Like Charles said, I had your problem one time and it was that the rotor came apart.

 

Well, I checked the things and now I can get it to crank and start up but it dies after 5 seconds or so...progress is being made.

 

That can be one of a couple issues. One its starting but running too rouf to continue running. If this is the case, you should be able to keep it alive a little long by messing with the gas pedal.

If it start and seemingly runs fine for a few seconds but no matter what dies after that, its likely due to lack of fuel. When you turn the key to ignition, the fuel pump primes creating pressure. That pressure is enough to make the car run for a few seconds. But in some cases it does not turn on continually when the car starts. I forget how this circuit works, but basically when the ECU senses that the car is actually running, it kicks on the fuel pump relay

 

-fuel pump and or fuel pump fuse.

 

I just put a brand new Walbro in a couple three months ago and the fuse and relay have been checked and double checked. I got a distro today that I will attempt to replace in the morning. I did however entertain the idea that my "new" fuel pump is a dud...you think?

 

did you check all your grounds? I had a problem like this a few years ago and it was that my fan was hitting the wiring that lays across the radiator and cut a ground wire, so i soldered it back together and it was fixed. hope this helps.

 

Flashed the ecu and got these five codes I believe...34, 11, 12, 13 and 21.

 

Knock, Cam/Crank position sensor, MAF, ECT, and ignition signal


Sounds like a wiring problem to me. Either cut, unplugged, or no ground. Many of those if not all are on the same part of the harness and probably share the same ground. Your fuel pump is fine, but if the ecu does not see and crank or ignition signal, it will only prime and never fully turn on

 

I would look for cut or broken wires in the wiring harness that lays across the radiator and thee fan shroud.

 

Went to the junkyard and pulled some stuff just for kicks, put another MAF, ignitor coil, distro cap and distributor on. I got the timing somewhat correct I believe because I can now start the car but I have to stay on it to keep it going. The idle is terrible. What do you guys suggest I try next? I was thinking the TPS?

 

Further check your timing with a light. And check the things i mentioned before.

 

Reinstalled the distributor and the car has fired up almost dead on. I let it run for 20 minutes or so a couple times and no more shutoffs either so I'm happy. I still need to get a timing gun and tweak the timing but the coupe is running again! Thanks to all you members for the help, you people rock like Cleveland!