QuestionQUESTION: can i test the cam position sensor prior to replacing the distributor and can i test the coil as well?
ANSWER: Hi John,
To test the cam sensor for signal output measure the voltage between pin 33 and pin 43 at the pcm while you turn the engine over by hand with the ignition in the 'run' position. It should vary from 5 to 0.3V for each revolution of the crank pulley bolt, several times. Similarly for the crank sensor between pin 32 and 43. You may have to probe through the insulation with fine pins to contact the internal conductors. The primary winding of the coil should read 0.6 to 0.8 ohms (pin 6 of the 6-wire socket to the pin 1 of the single wire socket at the distributor) and the secondary tower to ground 12,500 to 18,000 ohms.
Roland
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QUESTION: Where can I find a diagram of the pcm
pins to determine which is #32,33etc.
ANSWER: I believe if you look carefully at the plugs you will see that the wire numbers are etched into the surfaces. The alternative would be to check the wires at plugs at the distributor but the access may be more difficult.
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QUESTION: I checked all of the items above and they checked out and the car still has no spark how can i tell if the coil is getting power? and if it is'nt what would cause that?
AnswerHi John,
The power to the primary winding of the coil comes on the single- wire plug at the distributor and it should show 12v while you are cranking it over. It is provided by the autoshutdown relay which will close if the pcm sees pulsing from both rotational sensor. It also powers the fuel pump and as a check that the asd relay is closing listen for the sound of the fuel pump which runs for about a second when you first turn the key to 'run', but then is shutdown for lack of the sensor pulsing until you actually start cranking over the engine in which case it should close again while you are cranking. The other possibility is that the rotor is 'open', so you could check for that between the spring tip and the tip of the rotor arm.
I would believe that if you pull the single-wire plug at the distributor and start cranking you could indeed verify that 12V is getting to the distributor on that wire.
There is no easy way to prove that the 'coil primary driver' wire for the other end of the primary winding of the coil is being pulsed to ground so as to create the spark; you need an oscilloscope to see something that happens that fast.
Ideally you will find wha the issue is without having to use an oscilloscope.
Roland
