Ok, I got the engine all re-assembled in my '87. I went to fire it up and got no love, so I started running down the possible reasons. Got to spark, and found that I have no spark. Grabbed my spare distributor, and hooked that up, and spun it by hand. I can hear the solenoids in the carb start clattering when I spin it, but the coil doesn't do anything. I couldn't figure out how to wire in the coil from the '85, but I tried a few different ways, none of which worked. I checked all the fuses and fusible links. I'm definately open for suggestions, I'm at a loss. Oh, and I also tried different spark plug wires from the coil, just to make sure I didn't have a bad one on there.
Originally posted by UnaClocker Got to spark, and found that I have no spark. I couldn't figure out how to wire in the coil from the '85, but I tried a few different ways, none of which worked.
***** Una, let me make sure I get this right. You are trying to use an '85 [B11] round coil in the '87 [B12]? That certainly won't work. There shouldn't be any wiring involved. Simply use the original '87 coil and power transistor assy. If there is still no spark, try swapping the crank angle sensors [distributor assys]. They are interchangeable. It doesn't matter if it is a Mitsubishi or Hitachi unit, just the caps and rotors are different.
Originally posted by blownb310 ***** Una, let me make sure I get this right. You are trying to use an '85 [B11] round coil in the '87 [B12]? That certainly won't work. There shouldn't be any wiring involved. Simply use the original '87 coil and power transistor assy. If there is still no spark, try swapping the crank angle sensors [distributor assys]. They are interchangeable. It doesn't matter if it is a Mitsubishi or Hitachi unit, just the caps and rotors are different.
Yes, I swapped crank angle sensors first. When that still didn't work, I started looking for a way to hookup the older style coil. Never did find a way.. I guess I'll pull the coil off the '87 and have it tested. Who'd have guessed I'd get this close to having this car running, and something this rudimentary would stop me.. heh.. Thanks guys.
It's always the little thing, like a rusted bolt, that will screw over an entire project.
__________________
__________________
I had a '93 Sentra Classic (B12)
Mom's got an '03 Altima 2.5S
Dad had a '98 Sentra GXE
Current "rides": 2000 Kona Caldera "Callie", 1996 Specialized Hard Rock "Betty"
Ok.. I did some diagnostics today. Followed the instructions in my haynes. As I expected the distributor tested to be good. The coil seems to test as good too. I can also signal the coil to fire manually by grounding the black with red stripe wire running to it. So I'm down to the computer. It must be the computer now. Is there any sensor on this engine that, if not hooked up, would not let the coil fire? I did find out about the MAP sensor, and I hooked that up, but it doesn't make any difference. I hooked up a handful of vacuum solenoids that I had removed from the engine. They made no difference either. Maybe the EGR? Wish I just had a spare '87 computer to swap in. I checked the wiring diagrams and it looks like the '85 computer has a whole different wiring pin out.
Any advice or tips are appreciated. This bastard will fire eventually!
Una, I have looked in my shop manual, and tried to figure out your dilemma. But as you know, trying to figure out someone else's electrical problems from 3,000 miles away is difficult at best. Assuming you remembered to connect the engine harness ground loops at the front of the timing cover, your ecu might be toast. Who knows, maybe your coil/power transistor assy. might have been bad, but after trying to wire in the B11 coil, you might have fried the ecu accidently? Now you've replaced the coil assy with a good one, but it still doesn't have spark, due to the ecu now. Anyway, PM me if you need a good '87 E16S stick shift ecu. I'll send you one cheap!
Thanks guys.
Linear Mode
