starting problem

93 Tbird

Registered User
my 93 SC wont start i tested to see if the motor was gettin spark and only the driver side is getting life and the passenger side isnt getting any spark at all..is this a coil pack or and DIS module?
 
The coil pack wouldn't be the problem, cuz its a waste spark system, where it fires the cylinders in pairs, so if one whole side isn't firing, it can;t be the coil pack.

I would replace the heatsink compounds at the DIS, and maybe swap it out if you have a spare.

I believe some parts stores can test the DIS for you...

Of course you should check the plug wires also.
 
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If your upshift light isnt on when cranking, and you have spark on one whole side of the motor, then the DIS is pretty much the last culprit. You can try unplugging your cam sensor, then try to start it three or four times, turning it off each time. My cam sensor problem did not set a light, but stored a code 19 in memory. What codes do you have?
 
I'm a little confused....

The coil pack wouldn't be the problem, cuz its a waste spark system, where it fires the cylinders in pairs, so if one whole side isn't firing, it can;t be the coil pack.

I'm in no-way disputing this statement, I'm just trying to get the logic worked out in my head... If the plugs on one side of the engine fire, but the other side doesn't...how does that point to the DIS? Since the coil-pack should "spark" two plugs, 1 & 5, 2 & 6, 3 & 4 (one on each side), each time the DIS signals an individual cylindar, but only one side sparks, wouldn't that point to the coil? It would seem like a bad DIS would have no spark at a pair of cylinders on either side (like 1 & 5 not firing because of signal loss on #1).
How does a DIS with signal loss for cylindar #1 cause the coil to fire on #5 when it doesn't fire #1?

I know coil failure is rare, and failure on just one side is probably even more rare. I'm just trying to figure this one out...
 
Larry, I do believe when a coil pack goes bad, it takes out a pair at the time. So you would have a cylinder on each side not firing. Now, I'm not saying it's the DIS either, but if the firing problem is limited to one side, then I think the coil pack can be eliminated as a possible problem.

Couldn't be all the plugs or wires went bad at the same time. The cam sensor or crank sensor wouldn't cause this, so maybe the DIS could be the problem. That or either his eec took a dump. :eek:
 
It's the computer that controls the engine. They can go bad. I just sold an eec to a guy in Canada because his went bad.
 
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Your wizzing in the wind until you get the codes out and see if one of them helps you. These cars are way to expensive to shotgun parts at. Let us know!
 
Well codes arent normal for LX birds, but they are somewhat normal for SC's :D Give us the numbers of your codes and somebody here can probably steer you better.
 
It really depends on what codes you get. Actually, if everything is working properly, you should only get the "PASS" code (111) when you pull the active and stored codes (KOEO). If there was a problem that has been corrected, you may get PASS for active and a list of stored codes if the memory wasn't cleared. Or, there may be stored codes for problems that still exist but are not showing as active when you run the test. If you're not sure, the best thing to do is write down the codes you see now, clear the code memory, drive the car for a while (if it will run) and pull the codes again.
If you have active codes (these show up in the first sequence), there is definitely a problem.

What active and stored codes did you get?
 
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