cardana24

While cranking or just while the car is sitting there? I am not super familiar with distributors, I know where the coil is but where should I be checking for the voltage? The connection on the top of the coil marked "+" (it's where the two wires are screwed down on the coil)

cardana24

So I checked voltage at the coil. With the key switched on, it reads pretty much the same as the battery ~12.2v. Then while trying to crank it drops down to about 9.75v. I don't have another vehicle with a distributor so I don't know what normal is. Could this be causing it not to start? If so does this point to a starter issue?

*edit for more info*
I also check the voltage drop at the battery while cranking. When cranking it drops to ~10.8v and holds there, then when I test the coil right after that while cranking the coil is showing 9.62v.

How do I know if the starter is spinning the engine fast enough to start?

ej1995

It might sound dumb, but try to jump start it and see if it starts.

Laserjock

Verify firing order



Jump start like the fellow above stated

Did you try a different ECU?

You said you read the code. Verify the ECU light blinks once when the ignition switch is turned to ACC. Check HAZ (Hazard) fuse in the engine compartment. It supplies voltage to the ECU

Lastly, I had something like this happen a long time ago and it was puzzling. I spent hours trying to diagnose the problem. It finally started when I left the car and gear and cranked the ignition switch to START. It didnt start the 1st time but lurched a couple inches forward but did when I cranked it again. The only thing I can think of is the engine had some kind of vacuum lock . . . dont ask me to try to explain that one. I couldnt get it to repeat.

Hen_dog

i would check to make sure you have adequate fuel pressure, and if you do... then check the timing marks on belt, make sure it didnt jump timing.

cardana24

Update: It's running

So, I had fully charged my battery before I posted the voltage numbers above. So I started checking some voltage drops, and I could not find anything that seemed way out of wack. So I thought maybe the rebuilt starter that I was using may be on it's way out, so I took it to Advanced auto and the tested it....it passed, so I put it back on the car.

With a fully charged battery, I hooked my jump box to it and tried to start it, after cranking for about 10 seconds it sputtered but started up finally. So while it was running I let it get up to temp. Once it was up to temp I put a jumper in the "timing plug" and set the ignition timing. Next I pulled my battery and went and got another one. When I put the new battery in the starter cranked faster and the car fired right up.

The odd thing is when I have had the battery tested in the past it always tests okay, it actually puts out more cold cranking amps than what it is rated for....so in a weird way I think I may have just needed a battery. When this problem presented it's self the car started and then stalled so I never really considered the battery. I will report back once I actually drive this thing for a few days to make sure this is what the problem is/was.

Thanks for all of the help and ideas people have provided in this thread, maybe it will help someone in the future.

Fabrik8

If you have a slightly sketchy ground connection, the battery voltage can sag too much and cause problems with the ecu dropping out and other things. This can be a problem even with a battery that tests fine, and charging the battery might just buy you enough overhead to make things work. That means that you still have a problem that needs to be addressed, because it sounds like anything other than a perfect battery is going to bring the problem back. So keep an eye on things, and maybe clean up all of your power and ground connections for the high current paths.