icsmike

Well its doing it again heres the old post.

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-forum/265521-update-help-car-shut-off-and-wont-start.html

If you read the post you will see I said that it just decided to start and nobody knows why. Since then it has starteed fine EVERYDAY, but I dont drive it I just have been letting it run. The other night I put a tie rod on and changed temp 2 sensor and also changed fuel, and ezk relays. Before I went in for the night I test started it 3 times and it was just fine. I wake up the next morning and no start, just cranks and cranks but no spark. I checked a bunch of connections, put old relays and sensor back, nothing. I swapped out another MAF, checked connections...nothing. tapped on and wiggled everything. There are these two little "ignition looking boxes" on the drivers side front with a cover over them, I wiggled and tapped on them and even unscrewed them one of them came apart when I lifted it off the car could this be it? Im sooooo frustrated with this.

icsmike

Also, Battery is fully charged and new.

Bill Ball

Rather than swapping parts in and out, start with spark, fuel and air. Last time you had no spark and no fuel at some point. How about now? The Temp II will not affect that, although it will prevent the car from starting. Jump the EZK relay, LH relay. Does the fuel pump work then? If not, jump the fuel pump relay. I can't remember if 86 has the crank position sensor - that can cause no spark. I know we talked about your new chip(s). It would be odd for both the LH and EZK brains to be out, but if you have no fuel or spark, those are parts I would swap - not the chips, but the brains. You need a friendly donor. It would be good to check the engine grounds and the grounds around the fuse panel.

icsmike

I have no spark for sure. I cleaned all grounds last time. I cant remember but It seems that someone said the fuel pump wont work if no spark or maybe it was the other way around? I will check again for fuel but I dont think its working either.

icsmike

What are those things called screwed down right in front of the headlight bar? They look like ignition modules.

jeff jackson

Now you are getting somewhere...they are indeed ignition modules. Remove the connectors, and look for corrosion or loose fitment. Dont remove the modules themselves...unless you are planning o replacing them. There are NO user serviceable parts inside or on them...and they must be reinstalled using a heat conducting paste like heat sink compound...so check for good tight clean connections at these module harness connectors...also check the wiring to the coils for corrosion or loose contacts.

icsmike

Well one fell apart when I took it off the car. It looked clean and nice inside and the plugs looked ok. I wonder if it was loose to begin with. Ill buy some Monday. Oh and here is a pic of just what im lookin at.
http://catimages2.sophio.com/webapp/...0227100124.jpg

jeff jackson

Be sure you use the heat sink compound when you reinstall these modules, and bolt them down. DON"T overtorque the screws either...when you say 1 "fell-off"...was a bolt stripped or loose ?? was this heat transfer compound NOT on the bottom side of the module ?? If yes to either one of these questions is the answer...you NEED the WSM, and definitely this could cause your ignition trouble....

icsmike

I unbolted them and they were stuck pretty hard one came off one left the alluminum cover and the "guts" attached to the car. The old compound was gone.

jeff jackson

The aluminum cover...and the guts attached to the car, is because of the heat transfer compound used when they were originally mounted. This MUST be present and cover the mounting base of NEW modules, when they are bolted down. Or else they wil overheat and burn up. I suspect you may have found your problem but can't guarantee anything. Just be sure and use a heat transfer paste, or heat sink type compound when new modules are reinstalled...and make sure the surface they are mounted to is cleaned well and level. These modules supply ignition signals to each distributors coil...Make sure you fllow the WSM specified replacement procedure when changine them out (I believe there are also troubleshooting tests to do in the WSM to make sure these modules are defective or damaged as well)...but they Aren't CHEAP arts..so make sure this is what you need before you buy them. There is generally NO REFUND on electrical items from most vendors...and this will set you back a bit if you don't fix you're problem by replacing these... Good Luck

worf928

It seems improbable that both ignition modules would fail virtually simultaneously. Did the car run smoothly when it would start? If it ran rough then maybe one module was dead and the other followed. If not, then I'd look to Bill's suggestions.

I know virtually nothing about the LH/EZF systems used prior to '87. But, PET shows that the 86 has the same impulse sender over the flywheel as the LH/EZK system. If the EZF system operates like the EZK then if the impulse sensor is dead you will get no spark. Unfortunately testing the sensor requires an oscilloscope.

The LH/EZF test plan document contains a series of tests that you could use - with a multimeter - to at least eliminate several of the simpler less-expensive items.
Jim's WSM CD's have this guide (amoung a lot of other very useful items.) If you don't have them you should really spring for them. If you can handle a 16MB e-mail I can send you the test plan.

icsmike

it was running great when it starts. I thought that too about both ign modules both going bad at same time.

jeff jackson

If 1 of them failed...you'd be running on 4 cylinders.. I agree it's "improbable" that they would both fail simultaneously. But from the sound of your description, someone has been in there prior to you . And might have mis-installed the modules or something to that effect. If it cranks and wont fire...check the sensor t the back of the block, on the flywheel cover first....if this is bad or broken, you wont get any spark. Its the rearmost sensor, there are 2 (the front one is the TDC sensor) it is insignificant to ignition problems, but the rear one has to be intact, mounted right and have a good connection at its connector. Good luck. Get the manual on CD from Jim M. if you don't already have it. Its the best deal you can get for your car, (other than Rennlist membership) and you already have that one covered....

worf928

Agreed. It is entirely possible that both have failed. But the sensor you and I both mention is a single point of failure for spark. Mike needs to first make sure that the EZK and LH are getting power and rule out relays and/or ECUs. The test guide - soon to be sent - will give him the info he needs to rule those out. Next would be checking the condition of the impulse sender. My money would be on that sensor as the connectors turn to dust after a decade or two.

icsmike

Thanks a bunch guys! Ill check it out.