Car cranking, but not starting(Now with spark!)

[ST1G]

Are you getting spark to the distributor? I know you said none comes from the plugs but if you are getting spark into the distributor but not out then I suspect the problem would be solved. Have you pulled the fuel send line and cranked it to get fuel out? Is the fuel pump engaging? Bad fuel pump relay? Idk I'm just gonna start throwing out shit I checked when the m30 didn't spark.

Well step one is spark, step two is fuel.

I know the distributor is getting power, I don't know if it's shooting spark or not. It's the ECU that controls that. So I'm thinking bad sensor, or bad ECU.

[ThatOneEuroE30]

Yea. I'm just throwing out things that could cause it. Have you switched out main and fuel relays if the distributor is getting spark but not sending it to the plugs you may have moisture. When you can take a screw driver and see if the coil is sparking it should since it has power.

[ST1G]

Yea. I'm just throwing out things that could cause it. Have you switched out main and fuel relays if the distributor is getting spark but not sending it to the plugs you may have moisture. When you can take a screw driver and see if the coil is sparking it should since it has power.

I live in the desert, It's about as dry as can be in the winter. I don't think it's moisture, The car has been sitting in a warm garage for almost a week. And I've never had moisture problems in the past.

I've switched out the main relay, and fuel pump relays with known working relays (high beams, horn). But I'll attack a lack of fuel problem next if that's the case, for it's a battle to get spark.

When I pulled the distributor I used electrical cleaner and made sure everything was dry. I put a dab of electrical contact grease on the connectors. Should keep the moisture off.

I have two e30s, so if the new ECU/DME doesn't work, and a new crank position sensor doesn't do anything I'm going to swap the cap, rotor, wires, and distributor from my running car.

I really just don't know at this point if the distributor is getting signal. Is there a way to check this?

[ThatOneEuroE30]

Car cranking, but not starting

I put my coil wire back on the coil. Grabbed the end that went to the cap. Now I wasn't very smart when I did this but then again I'm known as the village idiot. What I did was stuck a metal rod in the plug and waited until I took 12v to the dome haha. Once I got the 12v I knew it something in the distributor

[ST1G]

I put my coil wire back on the coil. Grabbed the end that went to the cap. Now I wasn't very smart when I did this but then again I'm known as the village idiot. What I did was stuck a metal rod in the plug and waited until I took 12v to the dome haha. Once I got the 12v I knew it something in the distributor

I'm thinking maybe instead of using my brain as a test light I could use a test light. I bet I could get the test light to sit in there and crank it over in the dark garage, that would verify that I'm getting some power out the coil.

[ThatOneEuroE30]

Lol yea you could. That'd be the smart thing to do.

[ST1G]

Well, I'm not getting spark signal to the distributor. I found the test in the Bentley for the crank position sensor and it seems the resistance isn't right for the sensor, so I'm going to find a new one of those.

[ThatOneEuroE30]

Are you getting spark from the coil? Plug wires go bad?

[ST1G]

Are you getting spark from the coil? Plug wires go bad?

No spark from coil. don't think the DME is sending signal. I tried two different DME's The Bentley says that the DME gets signal from the CPS. And my CPS isn't giving off the correct resistance, so I think that it's the CPS.

[ThatOneEuroE30]

You are probably correct.

[HennaE30]

No spark from coil. don't think the DME is sending signal. I tried two different DME's The Bentley says that the DME gets signal from the CPS. And my CPS isn't giving off the correct resistance, so I think that it's the CPS.

That is most likely the correct assumption, if that doesn't work, check the ground for the CPS

[ohthejosh]

Didnt read the entire thread, but I had very similar symptoms and it turned out to be the main relay. Id say get a new relay as the quick and easiest possible fix.

[ThatOneEuroE30]

Didnt read the entire thread, but I had very similar symptoms and it turned out to be the main relay. Id say get a new relay as the quick and easiest possible fix.

He changed them from his other car with no avail

[ST1G]

Didnt read the entire thread, but I had very similar symptoms and it turned out to be the main relay. Id say get a new relay as the quick and easiest possible fix.

He changed them from his other car with no avail

Exactly used relays from the headlight high beams that I could test and make sure were working.

[ThatOneEuroE30]

Get that new crank sensor in and then go from there