No spark, fuseable link location

Tiny
JBIRD
  • MEMBER
  • 1991 CHRYSLER LE BARON
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 85,000 MILES
Turns over but no spark
Do you
have the same problem?
Yes
No
Monday, February 20th, 2012 AT 6:24 PM

20 Replies

Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,699 POSTS
There's lots of fuse links. They're all by the left strut tower. Have you tried the Hall Effect pickup assembly in the distributor or are you just guessing at what's wrong?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+2
Monday, February 20th, 2012 AT 8:37 PM
Tiny
JBIRD
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
No power going to coil, coil checks good
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+3
Wednesday, March 7th, 2012 AT 7:39 PM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,699 POSTS
Have you tried the Hall Effect pickup assembly in the distributor?

How are you checking for voltage at the coil? Ignition switch on? Cranking the engine?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+6
Wednesday, March 7th, 2012 AT 8:08 PM
Tiny
JBIRD
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
Yes turns over no spark
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+1
Wednesday, March 7th, 2012 AT 8:23 PM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,699 POSTS
Yes what? Take the time to give me some details. I often type for hours but you have to give me something to go on.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+1
Wednesday, March 7th, 2012 AT 8:29 PM
Tiny
JBIRD
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
Had the coil checked ok but no power going to coil
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+3
Wednesday, March 7th, 2012 AT 9:26 PM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,699 POSTS
There will only be voltage to the coil for one second after turning on the ignition switch. The voltage will come back during engine rotation, (cranking or running). If it does not, the automatic shutdown (ASD) relay isn't turning on. I'm guessing you have the 3.0L engine. The Engine Computer needs to see pulses from the distributor before it will turn that relay on. Check if the rotor is turning in the distributor. The pickup assembly in the V-6 distributor has an extremely low failure rate. A broken timing belt is more likely. That would make the distributor stop turning.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+5
Wednesday, March 7th, 2012 AT 9:51 PM
Tiny
JBIRD
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
The rotor is turning
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Monday, March 19th, 2012 AT 6:47 PM
Tiny
JBIRD
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
Any other advice you can give me?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+2
Monday, March 19th, 2012 AT 6:49 PM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,699 POSTS
The first thing to do is monitor the automatic shutdown (ASD) relay. Use a test light on the ignition coil positive terminal. A digital voltmeter usually won't respond fast enough. The light should turn on for one second after turning on the ignition switch, then go back off. If it never turns on, swap the ASD relay with a different one like it such as the starter relay or possibly the AC compressor relay. You may also need to see if voltage is getting to the relay. I'll find the pin diagram if it comes to that.

If you do get voltage at the coil for one second, that proves the ASD relay and circuit are okay and the computer has control over it. Next, that voltage must come back when you start cranking the engine. If it does not, there is a problem with the distributor or the wiring to it. The 3.0L distributors cause extremely little trouble so I'd expect to find a broken wire or corroded connector terminal first. Check for 8 volts on the orange wire with the ignition switch in the "run" position. The black / light blue is the ground and should have no more than about 0.2 volts. If it's higher, there's a broken wire someplace. If those two voltages are correct, you'll have to measure the other two wires between the distributor and the Engine Computer to see if one is broken.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+2
Monday, March 19th, 2012 AT 8:47 PM
Tiny
JBIRD
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
Light does not come on when you turn the ignition on but comes on when your cranking the engine
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
-1
Friday, March 23rd, 2012 AT 7:19 PM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,699 POSTS
Something's wrong there. It can't come on during cranking if it didn't come on for one second after turning on the ignition switch. Where do you have the clip lead for the test light? It should be on the battery's negative post or on the engine.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Friday, March 23rd, 2012 AT 7:56 PM
Tiny
JBIRD
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
It comes on for one second after turning the ignition switch
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+1
Monday, March 26th, 2012 AT 1:42 PM
Tiny
JBIRD
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
What now?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Monday, March 26th, 2012 AT 4:35 PM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,699 POSTS
So now we have the ASD relay turning on for one second. It turns on during cranking. I'm guessing you're measuring the voltage at the ignition coil so you DO have power there. If you still don't have spark, that leaves the coil arcing internally or a computer problem. Chrysler had extremely little computer trouble in that era. I'd try a new coil. Checking it with resistance measurements only tells half the story. That won't test for internal arcing.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+1
Monday, March 26th, 2012 AT 4:38 PM
Tiny
JBIRD
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
I have 8.9 volts on the orange wire with the ignition switch in the "run" position. The black / light blue ground is 0.03 volts. The other two read 5. & 4.9
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+2
Sunday, April 1st, 2012 AT 6:13 PM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,699 POSTS
Why are you wasting your time with the distributor? We've already established the ASD relay is turning on so the distributor has to be working.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+1
Sunday, April 1st, 2012 AT 6:40 PM
Tiny
JBIRD
  • MEMBER
  • 11 POSTS
So what would be the next step?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+1
Tuesday, April 3rd, 2012 AT 5:09 PM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,699 POSTS
I'd suspect the ignition coil. If the ASD relay is turning on, everything else is working. If you don't have spark, all that's left is the ignition coil and Engine Computer, and the computers have a very low failure rate.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, April 3rd, 2012 AT 8:10 PM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,699 POSTS
A different approach that a mechanic would use is to connect a scanner that has actuator tests built in. I use the Chrysler DRB2. I also have the DRB3 that will work on older vehicles with a plug-in card. You can find both of them on eBay. The DRB2 can be found at a very reasonable cost but be sure it has the engine cable with it.

Under the "Actuator Tests", you can select the ignition coil, then the Engine Computer will pulse it about once per second. That will verify if the coil is good, the computer has control over it, and the wiring is okay.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+1
Tuesday, April 3rd, 2012 AT 8:16 PM

Please login or register to post a reply.

Sponsored links