1989 All Other Makes All Other Models Repair Question
1989 Astro 4.3L has no spark and will not crank
Richard Detroit
Asked by poet042005Answer
Sounds like you might have blown a fusable link. They are located on the starter. The reason for the back fire is you still have a manifold leak and a lean mixture or severly out of time, will cause a back fire. If you removed the distributer then you may have it out of time.
Rotate the engine until the crakshaft timing mark is on #1. Verify that the rotor is pointing to #1 plug wire. If not--you have your answer.
Let me know
Well friend I checked the fusible link and found that wasnt my problem. But I was thinking the coil pack and ECM are used parts I gotfrom a junkyard, I call mysel tring to save money. I took a test light and checked the wirs that run to the starter and the coil pack it shows that their is power going through all the wires, but for some current is not going through the spark plug wire that connects the coil pack to the distributertheir is no spark at any ofthe plugs. Doyou think it could be the coil pack or the ECM or both. Last question friend is is #1 on the distributer cap the top left plug on the distributer.
please reply Richard
A GM 4.3 engine is a 350 with the back two cyls missing. Everything on the front is the same.
No one cyl on the cap is at 5 o'clock with 12 o'clock to the firewall. firing order is 1-6-5-4-3-2. left bank looking forward is 1-3-5 Right is 2-4-6. Dist turns clockwise.
I have had some problems with that year ignition module. (in the distributer)in that year. The coils are bullet proof. before you start pulling things apart you might want to invest in a new module, they are cheap. you will need a 5.5 mm socket to get it out of the distributer. Some of the models have a phillps head. Make sure you put the heat sync paste between the distributer plate and the module.
The ECM is a very rare failure one in 10,000. I wouldn't bother with it. Let me know
Good luck
Well it wasn't the ignition modual the van when I turn thekey says nothing at all and again the distributer has no spark but everything else gets power. I figured that the ignition modual would not stop it from turning over I have had that problem before. Anyother tips would be helpful the only thing left is to pull the wiring and see if a wire is bad. I need to find out everything that would cause this problem to see if i have missed anything Im gonna have my battery tested thats all I have notdone yet even tho its new. I truly thank U for your interest in helping me. Thanks again man Richard
Well it wasn't the ignition modual the van when I turn thekey says nothing at all and again the distributer has no spark but everything else gets power. I figured that the ignition modual would not stop it from turning over I have had that problem before. Anyother tips would be helpful the only thing left is to pull the wiring and see if a wire is bad. I need to find out everything that would cause this problem to see if i have missed anything Im gonna have my battery tested thats all I have notdone yet even tho its new. I truly thank U for your interest in helping me. Thanks again man Richard[/quote:f696dee39c]
I found out the problem. There was two things wrong, first I found out that the batteries ground wire was not grounded to the motor, it was resting on the frame. Second the timing on the distributer was was off and Ihad to reset it. After fixing both problems the van runs like new.