Engine/Ignition/Distributor Problems (92 Eclipse 1.8L)

[vyking]

An afterthought at the start...?
I probably could have just avoided spending two and a half hours typing this up and formatting it nicely so that it can be easily read. Instead, I could have made this a "help testing distributor" post. I will, however, keep the body of this message just in case there is a problem that extends beyond the distributor. If you're not concerned with the general problem, please scroll down to the red*** to see where this issue stands at the time of this original posting.

The basic problem, unfortunately, still stands.

Introduction
Well first off, as I'm sure you can tell by glancing to the left, I'm new to these forums -- so hello.

The only other vehicles I've worked on were pre-1990 dodge vans (so many fewer wires!) and all problems were mechanical (unless you count the time I made a jumper/switch from the battery straight to the ignition coil was pretty entertaining to take the key out and still have the engine run till i flipped a switch. Anyway...

With the introduction aside, I will try to make this as short and informative as possible, but be aware, I don't know that much.

You guys seem to be very generous with the time you've spent helping others, and I'd subsequently like to make this require as little as possible.

The Car
1992 Mitsu. Eclipse 1.8L - 5spd manual - All stock. 102k miles

A Problem Arises...
While on my way to a job interview a few months ago, I was driving along just fine and dandy. Bottom of a hill, slowed down and turned a corner, radio at a modest volume. Went to accelerate out of the corner and nothing happened. Pressed the gas again. Nothing. Looked at the tach. 0 rpm... Engine stopped. Hoorah. No noises were heard. Though the radio was on, the volume was nowhere near substantial enough to drown out any significant noises.

To make a long story short, we use a jeep to push my car up two hills and back in to the driveway.

Additional Backstory
This might help put two and two together or may be completely irrelevant... I really don't know. For a while, on really steep hills and/or long hills the car started to lack the power it used to have, but has been running for a very long time. Also idled roughly. I suspect the timing, but never had the chance to do it.

Further Symptoms
After dying, the engine cranks (I think that's the right word ... that high pitched chirping/whirring sound.) but does not start.

Diagnosing
Here's a rundown of what I've tried / checked:

General Items

• Fuel Level - OK
• Battery Voltage - OK
• Battery Terminals - OK
  Some corrosion present. Cleaned. Good connection.
• Fuses and Fusibile Links - OK
  Performed both a visiual inspection and a continuity test to be certain.

Ignition / Electrical :22yikes:

• Spark Plugs - OK
  Pre-gapped Champion plugs isntalled about 6 months ago. Upon inspection, no sign of abnormalities. No sign of abnormalities on the old plugs either, but figured it couldn't hurt to change them
• Fuel Pump - Audible test - OK
• Spark test - FAILED
  Didn't have any wire on hand. Used a small, uninsulated screwed drive wedged in the boots. No spark. Filed the edge of a bolt to insure good ground. No spark. Got a piece of 10 wire stuck it in the #4 boot and used the same ground. No spark. Different ground... No spark. Convinced yet?
• Wires - OK
  No damage to insulation. All 4 passed continuity test. All connections clean.
• EFI Control Relay - OK
  Resistance was around 10 ohms higher than what the spec says, but for a relay this shouldn't be a big concern as the value is within a 10% tolerance. (95ohm spec, appx 103 ohms actual)
• Distributor - Coil body insulation resistance - OK
• Distributor - Electrical connecter - OK
• ***Distributor - Secondary resistance - NOT SURE
  I have the Haynes manual... Page 5-3 Section 7.5 -- Connect leads to secondary terminal (coil tower) and terinal numebnr 1 or 2. As the distributor is still mounted on the engine, I could not see a way to hookup the test lead to the secondary terminal. In fact, I'm not sure if I'm even looking at the right part to hook up the test lead. According to the crummy diagram it has, I've got the right point (its like a stud with a hollow center sticking out on the coil body) I tried all sorts of "ways" to do it to no avail.

In closing
While its no super-duper sports car, it's definitely a fun car to drive and has given me minimal difficulties even after some serious abuse. If I can get this thing going again, you just might see some posts on a forum about doing the body work (I know a little..) and some aftermarket parts (if its even worth it hehe)

I hope to hear back from you guys soon as I've been sharing my girlfriend's car, and the hours she works makes my work all but completely prohibited. If its any additional motivation, my puppy has been dying to go for a ride in it

Thanks in advance...
!vyk

P.S., Pardon the excessive animation -- I'm just tired enough to think its cute. heh.

[vyking]

Random thought wihle outside working on the car some more today ---

The aftermarket parts I'm talking about are a matter of fuel efficiency and replacing worn stuff with something new. Body work refers to cleaning up some problems that come with age and a minor parking lot accident.

No rice for this soup nazi.

[vyking]

Well if nothing else, I guess typing this all up made my head clear ... I remembered I had an old old battery tester that was my grandfather's before he passed away... Analogue. Hooked it up to the diagnostic terminal and got steady short pulses "All OK."

Not believing this was going to be the case, I tried starting the car for ten seconds three times... Low and behold the check engine light came back on.

Turns out the crankshaft position sensor is shot. Joy. Only way I see to replace it is by replacing the entire distributor/coil body.

Tomorrow comes the junkyward