Coil pack has no spark for cylinders one and four

Tiny
STW
  • MEMBER
  • 1988 BUICK REGAL
  • 120,000 MILES
Coil pack for #1 and # 4 has no spark. Replaced it, still no spark to plugs. Tested prongs at mount tabs and found 12 volts on one, none on the other, but so do the other 2 sets of prongs for the other 2 coil packs.
New plugs (.045) and wires, and the coil pack. Runs on 4 now instead of three. Long story.
Bottom line, where do these coil packs derive their power pulse? Why only those 2 cylinders? I put the "bad" one on another mount and it worked fine, did the same for the new one, it works as well, on any other set of cylinders. No spark at all for the pack at #1 and #4, first one on pass. Side. Help!
I'll gladly donate a tidy sum for the cause and repairs necessary.
Saturday, January 19th, 2013 AT 9:54 PM

7 Replies

Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
I would suspect the module underneath the coil pack. Replace it and the wires as well as they most likely caused the failure.

Yes, 12 volts on 1 side but the module toggles the ground to fire the coils.

Roy
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Saturday, January 19th, 2013 AT 10:09 PM
Tiny
STW
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Roy, so you feel that item can cause only 2 cylinders to be dead?
Others have mentioned crank triggers and sensors, but I "assumed" if those were bad, none would fire.
Is my assumption on track?
Thanks, Steve
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Saturday, January 19th, 2013 AT 11:03 PM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
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Your assumption is dead on.

Roy
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Sunday, January 20th, 2013 AT 1:37 AM
Tiny
STW
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  • 3 POSTS
Kewl, I'm ordering one tonight. $109.00 from Napa and on hand.
Any special warnings for removing that? I see TINY phillips screw heads, with a mirror.
I did the entire job yesterday by braille.
Where's the donation link?
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Sunday, January 20th, 2013 AT 1:41 AM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
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Remove the 6 screws for the coils, remove the connector and it should come up

the donation link was on your original posting.

Roy
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Sunday, January 20th, 2013 AT 1:54 AM
Tiny
MIKE QUEENAN
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Okay, so I have the same issue that you had but you never posted a follow up if the ignition module fixed your problem.
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Saturday, May 16th, 2020 AT 10:35 AM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
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The ignition module is the failure. That is what controls the coils.

Roy
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Saturday, May 16th, 2020 AT 10:55 AM

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