No Spark
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: Lake Forest
No Spark
My gf has an 87 944 that will fire on occasion. It was running perfect till about 3 weeks ago. While looking into the problem, I noticed there was no spark. The coil was replaced along with the cap/rotor. The car still wont fire, and now I am looking into the flywheel sensors. I removed the one near the engine without trouble, but this was no help when a new sensor was installed. It seems the other sensor is extremely tight, and I cant get it out. Any suggestions on removal of stubborn sensors?
Any help is appreciated.
Any help is appreciated.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,141
Likes: 0
From: new york
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,141
Likes: 0
From: new york
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,306
Likes: 0
From: NW Calgary, Canada
I'd look at the DME first. It's under the carpet on the passenger side of the car. Lift the carpet, undo the four screws and check that it's clean and dry. If it's clean and dry, try starting the car. If it doesn't start, then HIT the DME with your fist (yes, I'm serious) while cranking. If it catches then you've found your problem. It's common to find that some solder joints on the DME tend to crack with repeated heating/cooling cycles. Take the DME out and bring it to a good electronics shop and ask them to re-flow the solder on the cracked joints. Put it back together and hopefully it'll run like new.
Dal.
Dal.
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
From: Sunnyvale, CA
Well, I hate to admit it but the same thing happened to an old 83 944 two weekends ago. I left the car parked for a weekend at work at a slight uphill angle. When I was gone, it rained like bejesus and the car just will not start. I tried all the common problems but I have plenty of fuel pressure and the DME is definitely turning on the fuel pump.
Naturally, I am too far away from an O scope to check the green wire to the coil but my coil checks out resistance values at least.
This is the first time I have had this problem in 5 944's. I hate working on the early cars' fuse box and relay box and getting the connector off the DME is a real pain.
So far, no luck. I guessed that the rain through the hood scoop did in the car but I have found no corrosion in any important areas near the scoop.
Sigh and Sigh. I will take a shot at the DME and then tow the car home and use an Oscope to check the sensor outputs at the DME connector. I will then check the input to the coil.
Naturally, I am too far away from an O scope to check the green wire to the coil but my coil checks out resistance values at least.
This is the first time I have had this problem in 5 944's. I hate working on the early cars' fuse box and relay box and getting the connector off the DME is a real pain.
So far, no luck. I guessed that the rain through the hood scoop did in the car but I have found no corrosion in any important areas near the scoop.
Sigh and Sigh. I will take a shot at the DME and then tow the car home and use an Oscope to check the sensor outputs at the DME connector. I will then check the input to the coil.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 122
Likes: 1
From: Sacramento
Did you cover the basics?
Uh, cough, hate to ask but did you cover the basics like the coil wire itself? This is not a easiest part to get on and especially snap it in place tight... (the headlight motor is in the way...) If you had a shop change it, they could either not get it on tight or yanked on the wire so it is either out of connector or sits in it loosely... This definitively would cause no spark... Unless you already covered the trivial stuff... If you had a problem with DME, I think the main thing would be there would be no fuel and not spark? I think... Did you test the coil wire and the coil itself?
