One coil pack not firing, suggestions?

[MountainDew]

95 Talon AWD Turbo
Firing order 4-1-2-3


After a valve job the engine will not run properly. It runs rough and shakes and then dies. After some trouble shooting I determined that cylinders 1&4 will fire but 2&3 have no spark at all. I switched signal wires from working coil pack on the left with the right coil pack and the problem moved with the wire switch. I had the same results when I moved the plug wires. I even tried a friends working coil pack with the exact same results.

This tells me that I’m not getting the signal to fire the right coil pack. I’ve checked all the obvious things like wiring connections, shorted/grounded wires and haven’t found anything.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[absolute_DSM]

Try swapping your transistor out for a good one.

 

[Locke]

Did you remember to plug the cam sensor in?

 

[MountainDew]

Did you remember to plug the cam sensor in?

Yup sure did. All sensors and vacuum lines are hooked up correctly.

I'm going to check the transistor tomorrow, I found a diagram on how to test it.

Any other suggestions are appreciated.

 

[97 4G63]

Make sure the plug to the coil pack is in all the way i had that same problem but it was just the coil plug
You can also take your coils to autozone and they will take a look at them for you and tell you if there bad..

 

[MountainDew]

Anymore suggestions? I'm probably going to try and work on it again tonight.

 

[Cobrasatellite]

That friend with the coil pack, borrow his transistors pack and plug it in. And make sure those plugs are all the way in.

 

[MountainDew]

Does anyone know if a 1g transistor pack will work on a 2g? I'm thinking about running to the junkyards saturday morning and trying to get a few transistor packs.

 

[spooln4fun]

Does anyone know if a 1g transistor pack will work on a 2g? I'm thinking about running to the junkyards saturday morning and trying to get a few transistor packs.

Yes and no

<b>90 Transistor pack-<u>NO</u></b>
91-94 Transistor pack-YES

I had the same problem you do...mine also heated up and was hot to the touch, ended up being my transistor pack. swapped them out and it fired right up

 

[4g63t]

TRY testing your CAS when they get bad and go out this is one if the most commen signs. Did you plug it back in?. Or do 95s have the crank position senser?

 

[MountainDew]

TRY testing your CAS when they get bad and go out this is one if the most commen signs. Did you plug it back in?. Or do 95s have the crank position senser?

Pretty sure its the crank position sensor since it is no longer on the valve cover like the 6bolts.

And yes it's plugged in. All the obvious stuff is done I'm not that stupid.

But I know one of those little things can cause it.

Thanks for the info spooln4fun I'll go to the junkyard on saturday morning or something and see if I can find one. Hopefully it fixes it.

 

[MountainDew]

Well I don't think it was the transistor pack... Plugged a different one in and it did the same thing.

This car is pissing me off. I'm seriously about to just tow it and roll it off a cliff or something. Lol

 

[Captain D]

A bad ECU can cause 2 cylinders not to fire. If you go to www.motoguy's.com and look under symptoms it explains it in more detail.

 

[MountainDew]

A bad ECU can cause 2 cylinders not to fire. If you go to www.motoguy's.com and look under symptoms it explains it in more detail.

I highly doubt it's the ECU.. I mean the car worked fine before I did the headgasket job.

 

[Captain D]

A bad ECU can cause cylinders 2+3 not to fire or cylinders 1+4 not to fire. That matches the problem you have. Granted the car ran fine before you pulled the head but I learned a long time ago that parts don't fail when we want them to, they usually fail when we least expect them to. I would not rule out a bad ECU without knowing for sure that it is good.

 

[luv2rallye]

I switched signal wires from working coil pack on the left with the right coil pack and the problem moved with the wire switch. I had the same results when I moved the plug wires.

Did you actually test wire continuity with a multimeter of wires from coil to PT and PT to ECU? Also make sure they aren't being grounded. The only things in the spark generation are the coil, PT, ECU, and wiring.

 

[MountainDew]

Did you actually test wire continuity with a multimeter of wires from coil to PT and PT to ECU? Also make sure they aren't being grounded. The only things in the spark generation are the coil, PT, ECU, and wiring.

I'm not sure. My dad is the one who knows all the electrical stuff pretty well.

I pulled my ECU out and found out its an EPROM.. so I really hope that's not the problem.

I think I'm borrowing a turbo 2g ecu tomorrow and I'll plug it in and crank the key.

 

[MountainDew]

It's not the ECU.. Put in another 95' EPROM ECU and it did the same thing.

The only thing we can think of now is wiring.. Any idea on what to look for in the wiring or which wires?

 

[luv2rallye]

If you suspect wiring test the following wires continuity through their connectors (note: blue/black means blue wire with a black stripe). Also wiggle each wire while testing to check for intermittent breaks.
ECU pinout: http://www.vfaq.com/mods/ecu-harness-2G.html.

- Coil pin 1 (blue/black) to PT pin 1 (blue/black).
- Coil pin 2 (blue/red) to PT pin 8 (black/white). [Note this wire goes to the engine speed detection connector where it changes to the other color wire].
- [Note: coil pin 3 (black/white) is +12V with key on but this must be working].
- PT pin 3 (black) to ground.
- PT pin 2 (brown/red) to ECU pin 23 (brown/red).
- PT pin 7 (black/blue) to ECU pin 10 (black/blue).

- Did you test the PT like this? http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=229419

 

[MountainDew]

No I did not. I bought another Transistor and it did the same thing. So unless I have 2 dead ones, I doubt that's the problem.

Thanks for the wiring info though. I'll probably get started on it this weekend. My goal is to get it done THIS weekend! I miss it so much!

 

[Timechg]

I ran into the same problem after my engine rebuild. My cam angle sensor was cracked so it would not fire right. I'm going to guess this is your problem because your PTU and Coil packs were swapped out.

Tim

 

[MountainDew]

I ran into the same problem after my engine rebuild. My cam angle sensor was cracked so it would not fire right. I'm going to guess this is your problem because your PTU and Coil packs were swapped out.

Tim

I tested all the wires on both ends of the plugs with a volt meter. I'm sure the sensor is fine. Thanks though I will look into it and double check tomorrow. Maybe it became unhooked on the head?

 

[luv2rallye]

Yes I definately would test the CAS before the wiring.

 

[MountainDew]

Would I be able to check it on the head without taking anything off? Isn't the timing cover and all the belts and stuff in the way?

 

[luv2rallye]

1995-1999 cars all have both cam (CAS) and crank (CPS) sensors. 95-96s are hidden inside the timing cover.

Is your CPS plugged in and working?