Please Help! 95 3.4 Won't Start No Spark

[elvisnut]

Greetings. Just bought this car on Friday, drove all day, turned off and on numerous times. Saturday morning, it would not start. Cranked fine. Sunday I shot some starting fluid, she started. Sunday and Monday, no problems. I had it a the mechanics on Monday, found no problems and did some maintenance (front brakes, bulbs, air filter, etc). Tuesday it would not start in the AM and hasn't started since even with ether. Cranks fine, won't start.

Fairly recent tune up (wires, plugs) discovered we are not getting spark. Replaced the module today, no luck. I've been through the forum yesterday and today, can't find the answer I am looking for. My mechanic and friends are puzzled.

PLEASE HELP! I am a single dad, totaled my car over 1 month ago and got this a temporary ride until I can get some cash saved for another Explorer. Unfortunately, I'm stuck. Please help, my liver can't handle anymore drinks!!!

[ctwright]

You need to check that you are getting fuel and spark. To check for spark pull a plug wire loose from a spark plug, stick a screwdriver inside the boot, and hold it about a quarter inch away from a ground. Make sure your hand is not near the metal part of the screwdriver. Have someone turn the car over, and look for spark. To check for fuel what I usually do is take the line loose somewhere and put in a bottle and turn the key on for bit, look and see if any gas poured in. Some cars have valves you can press a key down on a stem and gas will spray out.

[elvisnut]

I tested it with a screwdriver, no spark.
It is getting fuel

[ctwright]

Next step would be to check your ignition fuse and make sure it's not blown. Then you need to make sure you are getting power to your ignition coil. You should have 12 volts positive to the positive side of the ignition coil with the key in the on position. The negative side of the coil gets negative pulses from the ignition module. If you have 12 volts on the positive side and no pulses on the negative side I would suspect the crank sensor or ignition module. If you are getting both to the coil like supposed to then replace the coil.

[elvisnut]

Thank you for your assistance. The fuses are fine. Haven't checked the coil. However, it has the 3 separate coils, I can't imagine that all 3 are bad? I was also told it could be a cam sensor. It was at times running a little rough on acceleration. Hmmmmmmmm. I will post my findings once I resolve this. It seems that there are lots of postings that the original poster never responded with what the solution was. Thanks again

[elvisnut]

Thinking cam sensor from what I have been reading. Any thoughts from anyone out there?

[ctwright]

Yes you are right then it having the coil packs, not likely for all three to go bad. I would then just suspect the crank sensor or the ignition module.

[elvisnut]

Crank sensor before the cam sensor? Also, we did swap the module, no luck

[wrightz28]

Crank snensor is what's used for spark, cam is for the fuel system. (Generally speaking)

[elvisnut]

Just wanted to follow up. . . . .
It was the crank sensor. The brain also needed to be reprogrammed for some reason(?) Thanks for the assistance