1990 Plymouth Acclaim Cranks but won't start

kevin_r · Posted at Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:08 pm

Electrical problem
1990 Plymouth Acclaim 4 cyl Two Wheel Drive Automatic 103000 miles

Have this problem - driving down the road, my car will sputter out and stall - happens mostly at stop lights, but sometimes while driving as well. I thought I had determined it was not a fuel problem by spraying some fuel into the EFI by the air filter.

I changed plugs, wires, distributor cap, and rotor - still same problem. Testing for spark by removing cable from distributor cap and grounding it against chassis - testing spark directly from the coil, I get a spark, but it doesn't seem like the typical vibrant blue that i've seen, more orange.

I'm pretty poor, so I don't have the means to take it to a shop - I have no problem changing parts myself, I just wonder what exactly it could be without replacing my whole electrical system. If it's even the electrical system.

Docfixit · Posted at Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:22 pm

Spark must be blue/white coil is most likely weak

kevin_r · Posted at Thu Jul 02, 2009 1:49 pm

Replaced the coil - still an orange spark ... very weird. What else was weird - first attempt to start off of a "jump start" worked - but charge does not make sense to me as with a meter, the battery reads 13v turned off, and almost 14v running.

Docfixit · Posted at Thu Jul 02, 2009 1:56 pm

Alternator output should be 14.5 to 15.1 but if batt with 13V static output seem good. Can't figure orange spark. Check battery ground and check voltage to I think Red or orange wire on coli.

kevin_r · Posted at Thu Jul 02, 2009 1:59 pm

coil voltage seems to fluctuate between 1.5 and 1.7v, not sure what nominal should be though

Docfixit · Posted at Sat Jul 04, 2009 7:51 am

Need system voltage to coil something wrong with that circuit. Try running a jumper wire to coil see if it lights.