Help!! not sure about the mechanic!!!

[chupacabras]

Hello all!!

I have a Renault 19 Chamade 1991, and it was not starting. Engine was cranking but not turning over. I changed the plugs, and also the ignition coil. Still nothing...So I got a mechanic to look at it.......What he did got the car fired up right away but I'm worried that it might cause problems in the future.
What he did basically, was to bypass the ignition module by running a wire directly from distributer to the coil. After that, the car fired up and seems to be running fine. He said I could just throw the module away and that I didn't need it !! Question is....do I really need the module, and also, will not having a module lead to problems in the future????? Seems strange that I don't need something that the manufacturer installed!?!
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!
Thanks in advance!

[fredjacksonsan]

Putting a jumper between those parts as your mechanic did was a "quick fix" just to get your car running. It's probably a good idea to replace the module.

[chupacabras]

Thanks for the quick response !!

As for replacing the module I think it's probably a good idea also.....but does anyone know exactly what the ingition module does??? Just for me, because I'm quite the interested amateur, and I'm living in France where it's hard enough to speak the language, let alone "Automobile Terminology"!!!

Thanks Again!

[fredjacksonsan]

You are welcome!

Said simply, the ignition module controls when the spark is sent to the coil and/or the spark plugs.

If you would like a more technical description, go here:

http://autorepair.about.com/cs/gener.../aa072200a.htm

http://autorepair.about.com/cs/gener.../bldef_341.htm

Hopefully those are helpful; I didn't find anything more detailed.