Electrical Problem

[88SDIME]

My 88 S-10 (4.3 V6) Turned Off While Idling In The Driveway Like I Turned The Key Off, No Spark Going To Cap From Ignition Coil. Any Suggestions As To What It Could Be.

[MT-2500]

Is the spark getting to all of the spark plugs?
Has it got good fuel and fuel pressure?
MT

[88SDIME]

Good Fuel / Fuel Pressure (as Far As I Know), No Spark To Any Plugs, And No Spark From Ignition Coil To Cap. Pulled Coil Off But Could Not Figure Out How To Test

[MT-2500]

Check all fuses.
Is coil getting 12 volts on one side?
A test light may trigger coil spark.
Parts place may be able to check coil.
Is dist rotor turning?
Common problem is ign module in dist or pickup coil in dist wire broken.

[88SDIME]

PARTS STORE TOLD ME COIL WAS BAD (HAD EVIDENCE OF ARCHING ON COIL), PUT A NEW ONE ON AND STARTED UP FINE, TODAY I GOT THE TIMING CHECKED (IT WAS 15d OFF) AND IT DROVE FINE, AFTER SITTING FOR 20 MIN IT WOULDN'T START (TURNED OVER BUT WOULDN'T CATCH) I WAS LATE FOR WORK SO MY WIFE TRIED ABOUT AN HOUR LATER AND IT WORKED, WHEN I GOT HOME IT STARTED FINE ALSO. WHAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED THIS, ALSO WHY WOULD THE COIL HAVE BEEN ARCHING?

[MT-2500]

Did the coil actually test bad?

A lot of them will have arching on the coil case.
Not really a sign of bad coil.

If no start it is back to the drawing board.
When no start check for lose of spark or fuel.
If good spark check for lose of fuel/fuel pressure.
Will it start with a shot of carb cleaner when the no start happens?
Let us know how it goes.
MT

[88SDIME]

NO PROBLEMS SINCE THEN, IT WAS SITTING FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS BECAUSE OF THESE PROBLEMS (DIST. / SPARK) AND NO TIME TO WORK ON IT. ITS BEEN RUNNING BETTER TODAY THAN THE DAY BEFORE, SMOOTHER IDLING AND DRIVING. IF ANY MORE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS I WILL DEFINATELY BE ASKING. I AM GETTING A DIAGNOSTIC DONE ON IT SOON, AND WILL KEEP POSTED.

OTHER POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS BUT KIND OF COSMETIC:
1. WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK WHEN I TURN ON TURN SIGNAL OR BUMP STERRING COLUMN, SOMETIMES JUST FOM A BUMP IN THE ROAD THEY WILL ALSO WORK.
2. CRUISE CONTROL ONLY WORKED WHEN WIPERS WERE TURNED ON, NOW DON'T WORK AT ALL.
3. POWER WINDOWS ONLY WORK WHEN DRIVER SIDE DOOR IS SHUT.
4. POWER LOCK MECHINISM ON DRIVERS SIDE DOES NOT OPERATE PASSENGER, BUT PASS. OPERATES BOTH.

[88SDIME]

Truck Worked Good For About A Week, Yesterday (1/7) Engine Cut Off After Going Over Speed Bump, But Started Back Up. Later Lost All Rpms While Driving Back To Work And Engine Cut Off, But Started Back Up And Got Me To Work. After Work Would Not Start. Engine Cranks But Won't Catch. Checked For Spark And Had None Anywhere, Pulled Cap Off, Rotor Spinning, While Cap Was Off Noticed Plastic Inside Cap And On Top Of Rotor Looked Torn Up. Made Sure That Cap Was Tight But Still No Spark. Could The Ignition Module Be Cause, Also What Is A Knock Sensor, And If I Have A Crank Sensor (4.3 V6) Where Is That Located.

[MT-2500]

On a 88 almost everything to trigger ign and coil is in dist.
Check ign switch and wiring and fuses.
Check dist ign pickup in dist and pickup coil in bottom of dist.

[88SDIME]

Originally Posted by MT-2500

On a 88 almost everything to trigger ign and coil is in dist.
Check ign switch and wiring and fuses.
Check dist ign pickup in dist and pickup coil in bottom of dist.

WHEN I HAD DIST OUT ABOUT A MONTH AGO I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING ON THE BOTTOM DO I HAVE TO PUL THE DIST AGAIN

[MT-2500]

Originally Posted by 88SDIME

WHEN I HAD DIST OUT ABOUT A MONTH AGO I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING ON THE BOTTOM DO I HAVE TO PUL THE DIST AGAIN

The pickup coil is in the bottom of dist.
Dist has to come out and apart to replace it.
Bad about breaking the lead in wires with a vacume advance type dist.
With cap off and module unpluged wiggle wires to pickup coil and ohm it out.
And if the ign coil in dist cap make sure you installed the ground stap on it.

The dist modjual can be replaced by pulling the dist cap and rotor.
Check it first.
Good Luck

[88SDIME]

I Checked The Module And It Seems To Be Bad If I'm Reading The Multimeter Right, The Pickup Coil Checked Out Okay. If The Module Is Bad And I Replace It Should I Get A Diagnostic And If So What Is A Diagnostic And What Does The Garage Do To Do A Diagnostic

[MT-2500]

Somne parts places can test the module for you after it is off.
The dist module is just plug and play.
If it is bad replace it.

But a good idea to check base timing and for codes after you get it running.
Good Luck
MT

[88SDIME]

How Do You Check Base Timing? Do You Need A Timing Light

[MT-2500]

Yes.
Check the under hood sticker for insturctions and specs on base timing.
MT