Old Jul 17, 2005 | 05:45 PM
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Reepicheep
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Joined: Apr 2005
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From: North Carolina, USA
Default Coil / Igniter question - '94 RS Won't Start

Evening all,
I need some help/advice. I replaced my dist. cap and rotor button this afternoon and afterwards, the engine would crank, but not start. (Engine ran fine before)

Here's what I've done to troubleshoot:
1) not a fuel delivery problem because I pulled the plugs and they were wet with gas.
2) pulled plugs and checked spark... no spark.
3) triple checked the wires and they are plugged into the proper positions on the cap.
4) no blown fuses

I did some research here in the forum and found a couple of interesting things:
1) that turning the engine over without the dist. cap on and without unplugging all connections to the distributor can blow the coil. (I did not unplug the dist. connections before turning the engine over... so I could get at the dist. button retainer screw).
2) that if the tach does not move when trying to start, the igniter is bad. (I checked, and my tach does not move when trying to start).

Now for a possibly embarassing admission... The distributor button retainer screw was a bi0tch to get loose. It destroyed a very nice craftsman #2 phillips head screwdriver. So the dude at Advance Auto suggested putting some PB Blaster on the screw so it would loosen up. He also specifically said that it would be safe to use inside the distributor. The PB Blaster worked on the screw but I am afraid that introducing that into the distributor has rendered my coil, igniter or both, FUBAR.

Also, could someone with a Helms post the values for checking the coil and igniter with my multimeter?

Peace!
Reepicheep
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