Checking an ignition module...

[jeansond]

I recently purchased an 01' Grand Am SE 2.4L with 102k Miles on it.

About a week after the purchase... driving along I experienced an engine shut down. No electrical problems, the engine simply died. It's died a few times on me coasting into stop lights and will not crank for 15minutes or so once i drive it somewhere and park it for a few hours. My first thoughts were fuel pressure / filter / pump, and Im still not sure if its not the pump, but I spoke with a GM cert. mechanic today and he speculated that it was the ignition module.

To test this, he recommended carrying a few gallons of water around with me and, when the car doesn't want to crank, to pour it over the coil/plug/module cover on the engine. I am wandering, is there any more of a sure-fire way to test the ignition module without straight up replacing it.

I know similar problems have been posted before, and i've read most of those posts... I appologize if I missed the answer to my own question.

-- Jason

[xeroinfinity]

i think the ignition module/coils are under the top engine cover. I'm sure it can be tested with a voltage/ohms meter, but I'm not sure on the specs. Check back I'm sure someone knows exactly how.

[jeansond]

Aye, the coils, ignition module, and plugs are located under the top engine cover. Everything is pretty easy to get to involving the module... just 4 bolts, then 7 smaller bolts to get it off... so thats not a huge deal. I just need some way to test it and make sure thats my problem.

[GTP Dad]

I have a few questions that your mechanic did not answer. First, did the security light come on just before the car died? Second, this sounds more like a crank position problem than an ignition module problem, did he mention anything about that? Third, does the car run ok when it is running or do you have a miss or a hesitation problem? Finally, are you getting any kind of check engine light?

[jeansond]

There are no engine lights and the car runs perfectly when its running. The mech. didn't mention anything about the crank position.