# No spark!



## madmax240 (Apr 1, 2007)

I have recently purchased a 1989 240sx hatchback with a sohc ka24. I knew the engine didn't run when I bought it, but I decided (for grins) to see if I can get it running. Planning on an engine swap in the future so I'm not real set on making sure the engine is running. . . Anyway back on the subject shall we? I know the engine has fuel, I have not done compression or leak down tests yet, but I do know that there is no spark present. I suspect the coil to be at fault. The engine has 191,000 miles on it, I have the papers to show that it recently passed emissions right before previous owner decided to do a "tune-up"(Thats all the explanation I got) and the car never ran again. I'm new to Nissan altogether. Any help in reviving the dinosaur would be highly appreciated!!! Thanks.


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## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

Welcome to the forum. I would say the previous owner, in his infinite wisdom, probably left something unplugged. Check to see if there is spark at the coil; if not, check for 12v at the power lead into the coil. Also insure that the power transistor and the resistor/condenser are plugged in.


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## madmax240 (Apr 1, 2007)

I am pretty new to not only the car but also the whole distributor thing(sounds ridiculous I know) You mentioned a 12v power lead? What am I looking for?


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## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

There's a harness connector for the ignition coil. One of the wires supplies 12v to the coil.


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## madmax240 (Apr 1, 2007)

Okay, that didn't work the connector to the coil is hooked up, what is the power transistor and the reisistor/condenser that you'd mentioned earlier?


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## b-inky (Feb 13, 2007)

madmax240 said:


> Okay, that didn't work the connector to the coil is hooked up, what is the power transistor and the reisistor/condenser that you'd mentioned earlier?



the power transistor is a three pin sensor connected to the coil ignitor. i dont have a picture of it but if you look on the coil pack its the only connector on the coil pack with a three pin connection, closest to the fenderwell. i hope this helps. i recently replaced mine. so good luck


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## madmax240 (Apr 1, 2007)

This is just making me laugh! Now it seems as if though I need to know what you mean by "coil ignitor". Is that the deal that bolts right up to the bottom of the coil bracket? As always thanks for your help.


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## madmax240 (Apr 1, 2007)

I don't get it! I've replaced the coil, the power transistor looks as if though it was also replaced. All of the wire connections have been checked for secureness, and corrosion. The only thing that I don't know how to check is the camshaft sensor which I've learned is not attached to the distributor, but rather part of the distributor. I don't know how to check the sensor, or even if it could play any part in the reason that I have no spark. The person who had it before me said (and proved) that the car had just passed emissions (which tells me it was not only running but running pretty well) whereby he decided to do a "tune-up" which he never got into detail what his "tune-up" consisted of. After this "tune-up" he said that he could never get the car running again. What I can see is that it looks as if though the distributor rotor, spark plug wires, spark plugs, and possibly the power transistor have all been victims of his workings. Is there a step he messed up? Could he have messed something up (i.e. computer?)? Is there something that is commonly screwed up when a "tune-up" such as this is performed by someone who may not really know what they're doing? Please help! I plan on someday (soon I hope) on just doing an engine swap but its killing me to look outside my window everyday at the car I've tried to attain relentlessly over the past year and know that I can't drive it! Should I check the computer? Is the computer even something that regularly goes out on this vehicle? I'd imagine that the vast popularity of this particular vehicle would surface somebody who might know exactly the right direction in which to point me? HELP!


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## DriftX (Mar 29, 2007)

The only things that could be at fault here are wiring problems, crank angle sensor/distributor, plug wires, coil, ignition control module (ignitor) and computer.

I would inspect wires first, then I would see if your getting power to the coil, check voltage through the coil, might be out of service limit. If your not getting anything to the coil, more than likely its a bad ignitor. All an ignitor is is a resistor and with voltage spikes, they can blow really easy. I doubt it's your computer, the usually don't go bad because they have tons of fuses to protect them and by the time a voltage spike hits the computer there is enough resistance in the line to tame it down. As for the crank angle sensor, im not sure. I'm in the same delima right now. I can't get any spark. I have a used distributor on the way and a new ignitoin control module. i'll put them on as soon as they get here and let you know.


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## madmax240 (Apr 1, 2007)

I see you have a 89 240 as well? Sweet! The thing that really caught my eye is that you said you got it for 600 dollars, me too! Anyway, thanks for the information. I bought a Chilton repair manual, so I can test a few things per their instructions. Please do let me know what happens when your distributor is replaced because thats my next step, I just don't want to replace it if its not broken you know, the repair manual is great for a parts replacer, but the troubleshooting section is pretty vague thats where this forum has come in handy. I just think that the guy who had it before me didn't know what he was doing, and I hate fixing someone else's project! He liked the "idea" of his car but as far as knowledge goes. . . well let's just put it this way, he's got one of those things you put in your aftermarket muffler so that it sounds as if though you have a turbo, if ever there were a definition of "ricer" in the dictionary a picture of my car would be next to it! Thanks again, get back with me soon, I'll let you know how the "test's" went.


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## madmax240 (Apr 1, 2007)

Alright! To all those who helped me out, thank you! I found the problem just today. It took awhile because I couldn't find my voltmeter, so after purchasing a new one (which means my old one should surface soon) I finally got to test the cam sensor which I've learned is built into the distributor. While testing I got results that were. . . well. . . frankly they resembled nothing that was described in the repair manual. At first I thought I was doing the test wrong, but step by step with manual in hand I did it again. . . and again. . . and again. Same results. Finally I threw my hands up, and in desperation took off the distributor cap, nothing wrong here. I continued on, off went the rotor and the metal cover underneath exposing the cam sensor. What I found threw me for a loop. The sensor looked find, but apparently around the rotor there is metal ring with 360 slits each representing one degree of rotation. The cam sensor reads position by reading these slits. It was that ring that I found to be defective. How you ask? It looked chewed up, like something was off center and every time it turned it got worse. The shaft where the distributor enters the engine was also slightly deformed. The cam sensor can't read a chewed up ring, the sensor happens to be serviceable on this distributor, but that ring is not. So replacing the distributor would be the only way to get this car running. Unfortunately the plan for this car has never been "build and turbo the KA sohc". An engine swap was planned and mapped out before the car was ever purchased, and 300 dollars is more than I'd like to spend on an engine I just plan on ditching any way. Thanks again, if anything you all have helped me learn a lot about this car. Peace.


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## DriftX (Mar 29, 2007)

well you can get a used distributor out of a junkyard or ebay like I did for 30 bucks. Might want to give that a try.


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## madmax240 (Apr 1, 2007)

Actually, I just did that yesterday! 50 bucks! I checked the distributor just to make sure it didn't have the same problem. I've installed it and well. . . I have spark! It hasn't started yet, but I figure its probably just in timing now. As soon as the weather clears up I'll give it the ol' college try. I'll let you know how it goes.


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## madmax240 (Apr 1, 2007)

Sweetness! Just as an update, I wanted to let all y'all know that the car is running. I've never driven a 240sx before. I am pleasantly surprised with the sohc ka engine, she's a runnin' son of a gun! Mashed on the gas and she flat took off! Way fun! Can't wait too blow it up! Thanks everyone for your help. Peace.


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## b-inky (Feb 13, 2007)

congradulations man glad to hear it!


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## DriftX (Mar 29, 2007)

I'm still not getting any spark, but you replaced yours and it ran fine? I replaced mine also and I still have no spark.


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