1983 242 No Spark after alternator belt change ?

dougburgy · Post by **dougburgy** » 06 Dec 2014, 16:32

Hey guys,
A bit frustrated on this one. I'm really not that good of an electrical guy, but trying.

My non turbo 1983 242 has always started for me. It's cold here in Oregon and the alternator belt was squealing something awful. I decided to change the bushings and belts, which went pretty easy and fast. I went to start for a test drive and it turned over but won't start, cough, or anything. I just moved and can't find my manual! Plus searches online aren't too helpful as they keep pointing me to things that my car doesn't even have (crank position sensor, radio sound supressor, hall effect sender at the distributor...at least i don't think I have that one, etc).

With key on, I do have power at the hot side of the coil. I do have power at the blue wire on the ICU on the firewall by the washer tank. All fuses and fuse box contacts are clean and in great shape. Fuel pumps both work. Brand new distributor cap, rotor, wires, and plugs (did about 6 months ago).

From there....not really sure where to go. Another forum was giving me a link to 1983-1988 electrical troubleshoot flow chart, but it's a bad link. Anybody got any ideas? I figure I must have done something while down there by the alternator, but can't for the life of me figure out what!

Thanks in advance, and Merry Christmas!

93Regina · Post by **93Regina** » 06 Dec 2014, 18:16

dougburgy wrote: Anybody got any ideas?

Testing Hall Sensor. Failure Modes.

There is a set of wires going to that Chrysler ignition box...you took a hack saw to them, right?

dougburgy · Post by **dougburgy** » 06 Dec 2014, 19:27

Hey 93, thanks for the reply! And no, I didn't hacksaw them, I used the sawzall....much faster

Anyway, I did find that page you sent me before, during my searches. However, it's pretty confusing since my distributor doesn't look just like that. I don't have the little black box on outside of distributor, but rather a little brown plastic "plug" (slides off upwards, and covers the wires going to hall sensor keeping them low and out of the way of internal spinning parts)...by the way, that little "plug" has kind of melted and broken away, leaving the wires "dangling" out of the dizzy now. not sure if I can find that little plug piece somewhere on line, can probably fabricate from plastic/epoxy if needed. The way my distributor/hall wires connect to the wires from ICU, is via a 3 prong round rubber connector. The wires come out of the distributor maybe 6", and into that plug. So I can't really see what wire is what color, nor how they correspond to the mating plug from ICU. I found a picture of a distrib and connector that looks like mine. See below link:
http://www.swedishautoparts.com/catimag ... 1349112769

I definitely pass the "Quick test", as my tach needle jumps with every crank of the engine. Based on the page you sent me, this would indicate the Hall is working (to some degree anyway). However, since I don't have the little "black box" connector that they show, I can't really do the other test (maybe I can, but need guidance). The connector that goes to my distributor connector has 3 wires coming from it: A yellow, green, and black. I was thinking that perhaps I broke one of those wires while messing with my alternator job (not sure how, but they do pass right along engine block there)...so I checked continuity from the connector by the distributor to the plug at the ICU for those 3 wires. Good continuity on all 3...so any signal/power coming from ICU should be making it to the distributor, right?

Not sure where to go from here? Please chime in anybody! Thanks!

93Regina · Post by **93Regina** » 06 Dec 2014, 20:51

dougburgy wrote:it's pretty confusing since my distributor doesn't look just like that.

Well now, a Hall Effect Sensor is a Hall Effect Sensor. So, your homework assignment is to read this

Understanding Hall Effect Sensors

and do whatever tests they suggested...voltage tests....just for your information.

>ICU for those 3 wires

One can create more problems via unplugging that connector at Chrysler Ignition Box; read my lips, "No, No, No."

Coil - Have you ohm spec'ed it yet? If your tach is bumping, it would suggest your Chrysler Ignition box is working via sending a ground to coil.

Have you pulled a plug and grounded it to see if spark exists?

93Regina · Post by **93Regina** » 06 Dec 2014, 20:55

After engine is cranked, does fuel pump come on?

dougburgy · Post by **dougburgy** » 06 Dec 2014, 22:09

Yep...that's how I found no spark, pulled a plug, grounded butt to good ground point, cranked. Nada.

Thanks for the assist, will do my homework and I'll leave the Icu plug alone (oops)

lummert · Post by **lummert** » 06 Dec 2014, 22:58

But what about fuel pressure?

dougburgy · Post by **dougburgy** » 07 Dec 2014, 13:19

All i've done so far regarding fuel pressure, is make sure both the tank and main fuel pump are running. I did this with key on, and jumper wire at fuse box. I didn't check the relay(s) yet behind the glove compartment...as I was focusing on the lack of spark. Question: can faulty fuel pump relay, or other source of poor fuel pressure (regulator, filter, check valve, etc) create a "no spark" condition? Maybe I'm looking at the problem from the wrong direction?

dougburgy · Post by **dougburgy** » 07 Dec 2014, 14:06

PROBLEM SOLVED:

Very much a "duh moment" over here. I appreciate all the help so far. Turned out that when the alternator pivoted down when releasing the bracket for bushing replacement, it unplugged the connector from the ICU (one spade / 2 white wires) that I think is probably the connector from main wire harness to the ignition wiring harness (not exactly sure, but makes sense). Since the other side of that connection, by the alternator, fell down and under the block I didn't see it while inspecting for unplugged wires, damage, etc. When I decided to go deeper on wiring inspection while awaiting more help on component diagnosis from you fine people, I saw that "dangler" and noted it reached perfectly to that that little plug from the ICU. I would have figured it out sooner, but I thought that plug from the ICU was probably for an option or bypassed component/system (a/c, turbo, cruise, etc). Since it has some mods by previous owners (wiring harnesses, by pass a/c pulley, bypass OD, etc, etc) seeing connectors with no partner is pretty normal on this car (should probably give all those the shrinkwrap treatment to avoid these things going forward). I know you would have helped me get to this point, but glad it didn't cost any money!
Thanks!
Doug

93Regina · Post by **93Regina** » 07 Dec 2014, 19:55

dougburgy wrote:PROBLEM SOLVED:

Not so fast....Electrical contact cleaner...air dry or compressed air dry...Silicone Dielectric Grease

Fill both ends with SuperLube Dielectric grease...plug together.