'88 GXE auto - codes / no spark

ultraclyde · Oct 25th, 2009, 05:33 PM

I've got an 88 GXE (CA20E) auto Stanza with 147k. It recently died while driving. It's getting plenty of fuel - flow and pressure. It has no spark from either coil. It will fire and run intermittently, but shuts off like tyou flipped a switch and it's back to no spark. There was oil around the crank sensor, so I cleaned it but it acts the same. When I put the ecu in diagnostic mode, sometimes both red and green LED blink together, sometimes I just get the red one, but it's always the same pattern - 2 slow, 3 fast, 4 fast, 5 fast, 1 slow

I've searched the forums to no avail - what the hell does that diagnostic pattern translate to??!!

I've read several threads with this same problem, but no one ever posts if it was resolved - anyone?

I think the crank sensor id flaking out, but I'm afraid the ecu may be bad - are there any other tests to sort it out??

Thanks!

pulsar86 · Oct 26th, 2009, 04:36 PM

Have you checked that the coils are not accidentally earthing out to the body. If the negative side of the coil accidently earths to the body[ a bare wire etc ] it is the same as having a kill switch on the coil. Actually that is how to rig a kill switch just earth the negative side of the coil to the body through a switch,.

ultraclyde · Oct 26th, 2009, 08:13 PM

I'm fairly sure it's not shorted out. When trying to start, you get no spark from a coil wire to ground until you shut off the starter. You then get one good arc as the coil loses power and the primary field collapses. If it were grounded it would never develop the primary field.

I ordered a replacement distrib with crank sensor today. I hope that solves it.