1988 Nissan Sentra - No Spark

Tiny
TENNILLEDAT
  • MEMBER
  • 1988 NISSAN SENTRA
1988 Nissan Sentra, 98,000 miles. Has no spark to spark plugs. Replaced coil, power transistor, distributor cap, rotor, plugs, wires. Crank Angle Sensor (distributor) checks out ok. But, when I tried to check for bad codes on the E.C.M. Computer, there were no led lights showing at all. Checked ECCS fuse, fusible link, all ok. Replacing the ECM is expensive, how do I know if it is really not working at all? Nissan was no help at all. Thanks.
Monday, January 23rd, 2006 AT 6:25 PM

5 Replies

Tiny
FISHERMAN
  • MECHANIC
  • 937 POSTS
I used to have the same problem with a jetta (VW)
I found another car exactly the same and ask the owner to let me tried the ECM on his car.
Didn`t work!
I had to replace it!

Tried that way!

I remember when I was looking for a place to test my ECM. It was a nightmare!

Hope it helps!

Manuel. :)
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Tuesday, January 24th, 2006 AT 8:48 AM
Tiny
GREASEMUNKE
  • MEMBER
  • 35 POSTS
Did you check your igniton control module. Cheaper then a ECM.
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Monday, January 30th, 2006 AT 1:30 AM
Tiny
DAEMON240SX
  • MEMBER
  • 17 POSTS
If it has a distributor it probably dont have an ICM
probably just a single coil to up the spark voltage. If you got any junkyards by you see if they have a ecu like yours and ask if they will let you try one of them out before you buy it.
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Monday, January 30th, 2006 AT 9:50 PM
Tiny
BEDDIEB64
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
I have the same problem with my 1988 Sentra. I have a distributor and a module. I replaced the module and the coil and nothing.
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Saturday, January 1st, 2022 AT 4:28 PM
Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
Sorry for the delay, when these older questions are updated, it doesn't list it as a new question, so it doesn't get immediate attention. Sorry about that.

If you have replaced the distributor, module, and coil then we need to check a couple more items. There is an inhibitor relay that will cause this issue.

However, the way we are going to have to find this is to take the wiring diagrams below and work backwards through the system tracking voltage until we find it. I assume you have no voltage from the distributor to the power transistor and then continue backwards. You will see the coil and transistor on page one and then pick it up on page two in the lower left corner.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-wiring

Let's run through this and let me know what you find. Thanks
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Tuesday, January 4th, 2022 AT 2:58 PM

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