QuestionQUESTION: I've read all the questions and answers pertaining to my problem on this site and i have done all the the things it said to do and I'm getting all the correct reading that it said they need to be. So I'm stuck and need some more advise to continue on with this project. Let me tell you what all this car has been doing before I came to this problem. First the check engine light was coming on so i took it to a shop to get it checked and the code said it was the 1st O2 sensor. I didn't change it because i didn't have time to. Well the next thing that started happening when you where driving down the road after you have gone through all the gears (around 40 to 60 mph in speed) the rpm's would jump from normal to 1500 to 2000 more and then back down to normal.So i took it back to the shop and they hooked it back up to the computer and it said that it was mis firing on plug 1. So I changed the plugs,plug wires,distributor cap,and rotor. Everything seem to be going real good until i got about 30 miles down the road and it started back doing the rpm's raising and lowering again. So i drove it like that for about 3 weeks and one day I drove it for about 30 miles and I killed it I went to crank it right back up and it wouldn't crank. So I waited about 30 mins. and it started right up. Well it done that a couple time after that. Then one day it wouldn't crank at all,so I started to check in to it myself and found out that it wasn't getting any spark. what I did to find that's what it was I took out a plug and put a spark tester on it to the motor.I have put a new distributor,battery,and cam sensor on it as well. I have racked my brain on this project for awhile now and I need some help Please!
ANSWER: Hi James,
Did you mean a cam sensor was put on, or a new crank sensor? The cam sensor is part of the distributor, while the crank sensor is mounted on rear of the engine/trans bellhousing. If you didn't do the crank sensor too then that might be a reason for the no spark.
But it might be a voltage supply issue to the spark circuitry. Is there any chance you can borrow a code reader and see what that shows?
The '97 year is a tough one to get codes, except with a reader.
Let me know about the sensor and perhaps borrown a code reader to see if you get another hint.
Roland
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QUESTION: I put on a new crank sensor. I borrowed a code reader and i didn't get a code thats whats making it so confusing. I try to crank it last night and it started by spraying some starter fluid in the intake. when it was running, it ran rough and i couldnt give it any gas. i just had to let it idle. it did it twice and then it wouldnt do it again. so i checked the spark and there was none.
AnswerHi James,
If there are no codes, and you could get it to start but couldn't give it gas, then I would suspect that you have a mixture issue, not a spark issue. I can't explain why you wouldn't get spark the third try, but nonetheless if you don't have codes then there is no basis for looking at the spark system unless for some reason the rotor or distributor cap is bad because those don't have code detection possibilities.
Have you checked for the egr valve to be moving freely? Check the valve stem by putting the tip of a screwdriver in the slot in the stem and move it back and forth. Notice if the internal spring-action moves the stem to a dead, firm stop or is it sticking slightly short of a full stop. Were it doing that, sticking ajar, you would have a common cause for a too lean mixture to idle well or allow acceleration because the mixture is too lean.
If the valve appears to be sticky in its action, spray some WD-40 in the stem where it enters the valve body and then work them stem some more with tip of the screwdriver. Then see if it will start.
Roland
