66 Satellite -- No Spark -- Help!!!

[rrchief67]

I knew when I asked #3 about the hotwire that I hadn't thought it through enough and I had missed something obvious. Talk about stupid!!!!

Really appreciate all the followup here, but I have a week's worth of rain-inspired grass to get cut today before we leave tomorrow for the weekend. Looks like it will be Monday (at least( before I get back to the car, but your input has been invaluable. Woud appreciate it if y ou -- and anybody else who is interested -- would check in next week and continue holding my hand until I get this thing running again. At which point I should be able at least to pass the first lesson on understanding ignition systems -- with all of y'alls' help.

 

[coloradodave]

Great explanation and clarity in your pictures, beanhead. Good job...

 

[mopar_man426]

Just for information , does your engine sort of grunt like it wants to turn over when you turn your key off? If it does that , it's the ECM. What you are doing when you turn the key off is acting as the transistor in the ECM.

 

[mopar_man426]

I'm the one who needs to be the apologizing because I know way less than I should -- I'm learning a lot as we go (despite the endless stream of questions that reveal my very shallow knowledge) and I definitely appreciate the detailed information. Other stuff I had read provided the same basic information, but the way you explained it may it understandable for somebody who has never done it. I APPRECIATE the clarity, and the pictures REALLY help. The step-by-step instruction you can get from folks like you in these forums is almost as good as learning by watching -- or actually helping -- somebody do it who knows what they are doing.

I'll keep y'all posted as I continue to work on the problem, and hopefully I will have a chance to spend a little time on the car tomorrow. Then Thursday through Sunday we will be away from home visiting family, and I'll get back to it with a vengeance next week.

Now to technical: I'm pretty sure it was .315 ohms -- with no K -- so I think I understand that since it doesn't matter whether there is current or not, .315 ohms with the key on is essentially the same as 1. ohm (the base reading without contacts touching anything, being the equivalent of 0, I guess???).

So check me out on three points:

(1) Bottom line: the multimeter readings indicate essentially no resistance, suggesting the pickup coil is loose and/or touching the reluctor, or it has simply failed. Correct?

(2) If that's the case -- and a repairable air gap alone is not the problem -- can I replace the pickup coil by itself, or does it come with the ECU (requiring that I purchase an entire unit?

(3) And finally -- since the engine cranks with the ignition key -- but just won't fire and start -- why does it do NOTHING when I hotwire the coil directly from the battery?

to answer #3 , it won't fire because the coil is not being tripped by the ECM to fire . that's why I told you about dabbing the other jumper wire on the neg side of coil to ground to fire the coil .

 

[rrchief67]

Just for information , does your engine sort of grunt like it wants to turn over when you turn your key off? If it does that , it's the ECM. What you are doing when you turn the key off is acting as the transistor in the ECM.

Occasionally it has done that when I release the key from trying to crank it, but it's a really weak grunt, and it doesn't always do it -- maybe 10-15 percent of the time. I have not noticed it except at the end of a starter-spinning-but-no-crank cycle. If the key is just "on" and I turn it to "off," I've never noticed a grunt.

But if you want to educate me re: the key "acting as the transistor in the ECM," I'd welcome the explanation.

 

[rrchief67]

to answer #3 , it won't fire because the coil is not being tripped by the ECM to fire . that's why I told you about dabbing the other jumper wire on the neg side of coil to ground to fire the coil .

Gotcha. When I first read your post (multiple times), I didn't connect the hotwire test to the first part of the post, as part of a process to determine whether the problem is -- distributor or somewhere in the ignition/bulkhead wiring or ECM. My fault for not reading closely enough and not performing the whole test as you described. I'll try it next time I have some time to fiddle with the car.

We will be out of pocket until Sunday night, visiting family for the weekend. but I'll be back dabbling with the Satellite and online sometime Monday or Tuesday to let y'all know what kind of progress I'm making.

Thanks again for all the help, and for indulging my lack of knowledge about ignition systems.

 

[mopar_man]

Just wondering if you got your engine running .