91 escort wagon won't start

[Rocky123]

escort has been sitting 6-8 months, new battery, cranks great, no spark, added fuel into manifold to check for spark or fuel, no spark? need to get running, buyer interested, only if it runs.

[denisond3]

A couple of things: Make sure the 'fuel cutoff switch' hasnt popped open. Its located behind a little door inside the rear section of the wagon - sort of below the speaker on the curbside of the vehicle. Be sure the button on top of it is pushed down fully. Second, disconnect and replug the connector for the coil pack, to make sure the contacts arent just dirty. If the connector is nut fully seated, the wires may not make contact. Third, make sure all of the fuses are okay in the fusebox near the battery -and- in the fusebox that is by the drivers door hinge, below the dashboard.
Last but not least - there is a crankshaft position sensor, that sticks out and can get broken off. My Escort has the 1.9 L engine, and the sensor is tucked away on the back side of the motor, above and close to the vibration damper pulley. Its not easy to see even if you know where it is. I took my engine out, and broke that sensor off while 'carefully' hoisting it.
Im assuming the wires from the coil pack to the plugs are still in the proper 'sequence'. There are several ground wires on a 91 Escort. All of them seem to be important.

[Rocky123]

Checked the fuel cutoff working as intended, checked all grounds and cleaned all I could find inside the engine compartment, no luck, Tried to retrieve the error codes using the self test plug and a Volt meter, it will not report any codes at all??? I can tell the connections are godd can hear clicking during the procedure??? ever ran into this?

[denisond3]

The escort has a small electronic item called an EDIS - which is the igniter that fires the two coils of the distributorless ign. system [with inputs from the PCM]. Mine is located next to the drivers side strut housing, between that and the battery. If it fails; no spark. You might check its connector too. Ours has a nylon cable tie around it, as if to hold the connector onto the unit. And since our family has had the car since new, I know that cable tie was on there when the car was new. I bought an extra unit on ebay, and take it with us on long drives - because I dont know any way to test it except by replacement.

[Davescort97]

Try to get one at the salvage or e-bay. They are expensive at the dealer and a used one will work as good as a new.