'91 Century Wagon 3.3L/V6: Intermittent spark
#1
'91 Century Wagon 3.3L/V6: Intermittent spark
Hello! Newb to the forum. Got a problem I hope someone can help me with.
Last Saturday I went and started the car to go to work. It was a little hard starting, at first, but started and ran for not even ten seconds and died. It would not start again until a while later. But, then it did the same thing. It ran for less than ten seconds, died, and would not start again. No problems getting the motor to turn over. It just won't fire until a little while later. Haven't exactly timed it, but maybe an hour or so. It'* flooding. I can smell the fuel. Pump is definitely working. Pressure regulator doesn't seem to be leaking through the diaphragm. Problem is the spark is intermittent. When it dies there is no spark until I've waited. It'* like it'* "timing out" or something. Maybe something is warming up and then shuts off once it'* heated up a little? Like an ignition component?
I'm much more familiar with early EFI Toyotas. Kind of at a loss on this one. I've located the crank sensor and the plug is clean with good connection. I can test it, but I don't know what the ohm specs should be. All I have is a Chilton'* manual. It sucks for anything more than the very basics.
Any help would be much appreciated! Thanks!
Last Saturday I went and started the car to go to work. It was a little hard starting, at first, but started and ran for not even ten seconds and died. It would not start again until a while later. But, then it did the same thing. It ran for less than ten seconds, died, and would not start again. No problems getting the motor to turn over. It just won't fire until a little while later. Haven't exactly timed it, but maybe an hour or so. It'* flooding. I can smell the fuel. Pump is definitely working. Pressure regulator doesn't seem to be leaking through the diaphragm. Problem is the spark is intermittent. When it dies there is no spark until I've waited. It'* like it'* "timing out" or something. Maybe something is warming up and then shuts off once it'* heated up a little? Like an ignition component?
I'm much more familiar with early EFI Toyotas. Kind of at a loss on this one. I've located the crank sensor and the plug is clean with good connection. I can test it, but I don't know what the ohm specs should be. All I have is a Chilton'* manual. It sucks for anything more than the very basics.
Any help would be much appreciated! Thanks!
#2
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,014
Likes: 168
From: Northern California
My money is on the ignition control module. Here is a step by step test.
https://www.gmforum.com/trouble-shoo...m-test-299761/
https://www.gmforum.com/trouble-shoo...m-test-299761/
#3
My money is on the ignition control module. Here is a step by step test.
https://www.gmforum.com/trouble-shoo...m-test-299761/
https://www.gmforum.com/trouble-shoo...m-test-299761/
The following users liked this post:
thook (10-30-2013)
#9
Forgive the above post. My first attempt at posting this wouldn't go through. And, I don't see any way to edit on this forum???
Anyway....
Finally found the time and dry weather to test today. I set my DMM to 20v/DC. I used a straight pin to probe wires upon the suggestion of a mechanic in lieu of having actual wire probes. I tested my meter directly to the battery to confirm accuracy and got 12v'*. With a pin probing the power supply wire to the ICM and black meter probe on the neg batt term, I only got .2v'*. I take that to mean insufficient power to the module. Ignition switch, perhaps? Maybe I should confirm that reading by removing the harness from the ICM and testing directly at the connector?
Anyway....
Finally found the time and dry weather to test today. I set my DMM to 20v/DC. I used a straight pin to probe wires upon the suggestion of a mechanic in lieu of having actual wire probes. I tested my meter directly to the battery to confirm accuracy and got 12v'*. With a pin probing the power supply wire to the ICM and black meter probe on the neg batt term, I only got .2v'*. I take that to mean insufficient power to the module. Ignition switch, perhaps? Maybe I should confirm that reading by removing the harness from the ICM and testing directly at the connector?
#10
they dont want people coming back and erasing things, i guess its been a problem.
as far as the icm i would check it with the plug off the icm because sometimes using a pin is a little shakey. you could have a bad fuse i dont have a diagram for that car.
as far as the icm i would check it with the plug off the icm because sometimes using a pin is a little shakey. you could have a bad fuse i dont have a diagram for that car.
The following users liked this post:
thook (11-10-2013)