QuestionQUESTION: This started with my battery dying and having to be jumped to start. Then my girlfriend told me that it would not start when being jumped so I replaced the battery, but it was not sparking after that. I pulled the spark plugs out and they were covered in oil.I took the valve cover off and noticed the grommets that seal the spark plug tubes were torn up so I figured that is were the oil was coming from.I replaced them but it still wont spark. I then replaced the plugs and wires but I am still not getting spark.I tested the voltage on the connectors to the coil packs and one was at 8.4 and the other was at 0.Then I thought it may be a fuse but was not sure which one controlled the coils so I pulled the three biggest and fuses and tested them with an ohms meter and they all three tested ok. So do you have any idea why I am not getting spark and/or what fuse is for the coils.
ANSWER: You should have battery voltage at the coils with the ignition key on, so the fact that you only have 8.4 and 0 Volts bothers me.
Check your battery voltage when cranking the engine. It should be above 10V. If it isn't, charge the battery and check for a blown main fuse in the underhood junction block.
Also check for a blown ECU fuse in the underhood junction block. This is the fuse that provides power to the coil (via the engine control relay). If your check engine lamp does not come on when you turn the ignition key to the on position, also check for a blown fuse #10 (10A, second row, leftmost fuse) in the dash fuse box. This circuit provides the signal to the engine control module (ECM) that the ignition is on. If the ECM does not receive this signal, it will never attempt to run the engine (and will not run the fuel pump or fire the ignition coils).
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: ok I check all the fuses with an ohms meter and visually and they are ok. the check engine light is coming on so it is not the little fuse you mentioned. and the voltage that I mentioned (8.4 and 0) was cranking.
AnswerYou haven't mentioned the voltage at the battery itself. I bring this up because if the battery voltage is too low, the ECM will not function properly and, as a result, may not fire the coils. What is the voltage across the battery terminals when you crank the engine? It should be greater than 10V.
You should have this same battery voltage (under the same cranking condition) at each white wire in each coil of the two connectors. Since we already know the fuse is good, you might try swapping the engine control relay with an identical relay not necessary for starting the engine. If nothing changes, you've verified the engine control relay isn't your problem.
Before I go too far with too many possibilities, report these results back to me, i.e.:
-- What is the battery voltage when cranking?
-- Are the 8.4 and 0V the voltages in the white wires? If not, what are these voltages?
-- Is there any change in the condition if the engine control relay is swapped with another?
This will help me know where to send you for further checks.
If you're trying to develop your own diagnostic routine, you might also go to www.hmaservice.com and register for a free account. There, you'll be able to view the schematic for your vehicle, and this will make it easier for you to determine what to check.
