Extremely Stumped...Please Help Me!!!

[panterawhiskey]

Hello Everyone this is my first post. I have looked for hours trying to figure out if anyone else has had my problem but i just cant seem to narrow it down. Anyways here it goes, any help will be extremely appreciated. The car is a 1998 Chevy Cavalier 2.4 . Heres the problem. The car was making a very loud ticking/clicking noise when i would accellerate and at idle it wouldnt be as loud but it was definately noticable. When i would accellerate the car just wouldnt respond it would bog down and take a long time for it to "kick in" and actually go. I could hold the pedal down to the floor and it would only cruise around 30-35-40mph and then it would kick in. well the other night i was sitting parked with the car idling and it died alltogether. I could turn the key and it would try to start but wouldnt. I tested to see if i was getting a spark, and im not getting a spark on any plug. The battery and everything is fine i charged it back up and everything comes on lights radio etc.... I am clueless as to how to fix this. Can anyone help me?!!! If you need more info then that please let me know!!! THANKS!!!!!

[BlasZ24]

So when you said it tried to start what do you mean? Does the fuel pump come on? Does it crank? .... There is a chance it is the spark coils...

[panterawhiskey]

yeah it cranks but there is no spark so i mean it obviously wont run but i dont know what caused it though. you think it could be spark coils?

[JaredH]

Sounds like your alternator or distributor cap. Go with the less expensive cap first. If that doesn't do it you need an alternator.

[dwb985]

Originally Posted by JaredH

Sounds like your alternator or distributor cap. Go with the less expensive cap first. If that doesn't do it you need an alternator.

you get to learn something new today. the Cavalier 2.2OHV,2.3 Quad,2.4 Twin Cam and 2.2OHC (ecotech) is a dis-less system......meaning no distributor and the 2.3/2.4 does not have plug wires the coils are overtop of the spark plug connected by boots and springs.

the ticking/clicking sounds like a lifter. theres a video on some website of a guy on here who blew his motor and you can hear what a bad lifter sounds like if someone else can remember the website and the name of it.

could be a bad coil packs.

which tranny? if one of the autos, while going 30 to 40MPH did it downshift and still not take off or did it not even downshift? did it buck or anything?

[jonamart]

I actually had the same problem and it turned out to be two different things. First, the clicking during acceleration is sounds like a bad ignition module. Does it idle roughly? You can get a used one for fairly cheap. The not-starting part is probably a bad wire going to your computer. Start with finding and fixing the bad wire, and then if the clicking is still happening, get another module and coil assembly. They're easy to change.

[ruger48731]

i think it could be a crankshaft positioning sensor. i'm kinda having the same problem but only in my wife's 92 2.2

[ricrok1]

I would have to agree to check the crankshaft sensor if you have the sensor tested and it is okay you should check for a changeing voltage signal at the ignition module if it is receiveing a changing signal from the crankshaft sensor remove the coil or coil package and with the key turned on check for voltage at the positive terminal of the coil if it gets nothing replace the coil