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Followup at bottom
Question -
I am currently serving in the US Navy in Spain. I have a 1992 Ford Tempo, four cylinder, fuel injected, with 122,000 miles. The first symptoms were when driving it would just stop. No sputter, no cough. Just stop. Everything else electrical would still work, radio and lights. When I tried to restart the car it would act like it wanted to start but just wouldnt catch. If you sat there for about five minutes it would start again. I first suspected the fuel pump. But when turning it over you could smell the gas. A mechanic thought electrical and recommended replacing the ignition coil, distributor cap and rotor. Which I replaced, then the symptoms changed. The car would then start and run fine the first time. But when you shut it off it wouldn't start again until it sat for about 4-6 hours. Totally I have replaced Fuel filter, PCV(and any other smaller easily reached valves), Spark plugs, ignition wires, distributor cap, rotor, and the ignition coil. This changed the symptoms again. It would no longer die when being driven. I thought maybe the fuel injectors werent working but several days ago when I tried to start it about four times in a row I could smell the gas. I let it sit for the 4-6 hours and it started fine the first time but not after that. Now today it would not start at all. It turns over and the starter engages but the engine just wont catch. I had a friend try to start it while I held one of the ignition wires to the block to listen for the snap of the charge and got nothing. The mechanic on base now thinks it might be a bad sensor. Can you help? My dilemma increases as any parts have to be ordered from the States and take twice as long. How I miss the US. I appreciate your time. Thanks
Joe the sailor tired of walking around Spain
Answer -
Hello and thanks for the question...I'll try to help.
I would suggest that since you don't have spark that you replace the ignition module (TFI....Thick Film Ignition)and also, the pick up module (located IN the distributor). What I would also suggestis that you make sure the rotor in the distributor is turning when you try to crank the engine over. Remove the cap and have a friend crank it. If it doesn't move, you have internal problems......timing chain, broken dist drive gear. If it does move.....replacement of the above mentioned parts should get you up and running.
Hope this helps,
Erik
Follow Up question
Erik,
I have replaced the TFI, (I read thru my entire Haynes manual and my car does not have a pick up module or at least its not called that, is it the stator?). Did what yousaid and the rotor does spin. But the car will still not start. It still turns over. When I turn the key to the run position I can hear the fuel pump whining. I thought it might be bad, But had someone turn the car on when the fuel line was disconnected from the fuel filter and fuel is flowing. I did the tests in the book to check for voltage to the TFI at the connector for the TFI, All checked out except the start voltage at pin four, it showed less than one volt when ignition switch was in the start position. I tried to follow it back but the scematics arent that detailed and the wiring harness is a maze I get quickly lost in. The only thing left in the ignition path I have not replaced is the ECC. Could there be a bad sensor that would not let the ECC send the signal to the TFI to fire off in the start phase. Also find it odd that the fuel pumps whines in the run position. Book says it might also be a vacuum problem but I checked all the hoses and they look ok. Also did the electrical test for the ignition switch...was desperate... it passed. Let me know if you have any new ideas. thanks
Joe..still walkin in Spain
AnswerHello and thanks for the reply...I'll try to help.
Yes, it's called the stator.......as far as anything else that might cause a no spark condition....there isn't a sensor on the engine system other then the ECM. The ECM could be faulty, but to really verify this you need a scanner and a "break-out" box.
Pin 4 is FROM the ECM to the TFI module and is Tan/with Yellow tracer--- I would check at the ECM connector and the plug it back in and check at the TFI connector for voltage.......if voltage isn't present.... in theory, it is likely that the ECM is shot.
Hope this helps,
Erik
