Bad Ignition Coil?

VolvoTurbo850 · Post by **VolvoTurbo850** » 05 Apr 2011, 18:17

Never had a 97 but these cars do not always though codes for the component that is bad in my experience from 96 back.

I would suggest you start with the simplest thing and work from there.

I agree that the distributor cap and the rotor be replaced first and see what happens there. It is odd that number 3 is not acting but does not always mean that it is the cap either.

If you pull off the maf sensor it is usually to test if the car is running better without it. In your case it just dies right?

I have saved about 8 coils from scrapped cars I had and yet have to use one on any of the cars I currently own. In general these are pretty dependable.

Cam sensors are less dependable on higher mileage cars as well as MAF sensors.

When was the last time you replaced the timing belt by the way?

kcjones · Post by **kcjones** » 05 Apr 2011, 23:30

Thank you for your inputs, guys. I'm glad to have found help with this after beating my head against the wall.

Glencoe: My driving is usually hwy/city mixed. I can get up to 24 if I baby it through the whole tank. Also, the only reason I don't suspect injectors is because of the manner in which the car is running and the fact that 4/5 injectors going bad simultaneously would liquefy my brain

PKC: I think you may be right. I'm working on a replacement. Updates to be had.

VT850: It is still a possibility that cap/rotor could be culprit, even though I'd like to think Bosch can outlast 9,000 miles. Car does die when MAF is pulled. From what I remember, timing belt was done just before I bought it around 120k.

Side note: Coil did not help. My ability to diagnose is still sub-par

Post by **jblackburn** » 06 Apr 2011, 08:31

Cam/crank sensors do NOT always throw codes.

Measure the resistance on the crank sensor (should be between 250-500 ohms). The crankshaft sensor is located just above the transmission housing; the camshaft position sensor is in a housing just behind the distributor cap on the engine block. Pin 1 to 3 of the camshaft sensor should read 12.5 V, 1 to 2 should read <5 V, and pin 1 should ohm out 0 resistance to ground.

kcjones · Post by **kcjones** » 06 Apr 2011, 21:23

Crank sensor: 350 Ohms

Cam sensor: Pins 1+2 - 12.2 V
Pin 2 to Ground - 0.18
Pin 1 to Ground - ???

Chilton told me to try pin 2 to ground (instead of 1 to 2 as you had suggested). I tried both, and got 0.18

I couldn't get a resistance from pin 1 to ground. I use a Fluke 77 for all my testing, not sure if it has ever read "0" on resistance.

To speculate, pin 2 seems awful low. I assume <5 means somewhere in 3-4 range....... I sure hope I'm not replacing wiring any time soon.......

I really don't have the $120 to blow on a cam sensor, especially if it doesn't solve my "8 misfire codes-a-day" issue.

I know something is wrong, but only because the stupid CEL is yelling at me all the time. Other than that, I haven't a clue what it wants. I don't want to replace part after part if I don't have to. Contrary, I think I'll stop for cap and rotor tomorrow. JIC.

kcjones · Post by **kcjones** » 07 Apr 2011, 15:34

So my cam sensor has some power. Any great way to tell if it works?

kcjones · Post by **kcjones** » 07 Apr 2011, 22:55

Well, I must've jiggled something right while playing with the volt meter; no codes today

Hope it holds up.

kcjones · Post by **kcjones** » 09 Apr 2011, 00:05

No dice. 4 more. Cyl 1,4,5, and multi. Cam sensor: $140 shipped. FML

Bad Ignition Coil?

Re: Bad Ignition Coil?