94 Tempo no spark - Ford Forums

mb58 · 09-07-2009, 06:48

For starters the Tempo was tested with bad control module so I replaced it. It ran good for about a couple weeks and now won"t start... had module retested, it passed. Fuel pressure good, new coil, rotor turns, but no spark.. Need help with ideas on what to test and where to start...

Thanks for any help that you might have... Have a good Labor Day !

mb58 · 09-07-2009, 07:33

Here is another test i did if it helps anyone.... on the plug/harness wiring to distribitor module with a test light I got....

orange- white stripe... "nothing on test light"
yellow... power
red-green stripe... power
white-pink stripe... nothing
pink... nothing
blue.. nothing

thats with key on and the same on cranking..

also have spark from coil .... jumps about 1/8 in. blue.. (new coil)

any thoughts?

e40water12 · 09-07-2009, 08:50

Possible dist. could be failed, Hows the wires from the dist? also is the ground wire working on the dist.?

**rtg143** · 09-07-2009, 10:21

If you get a spark from the coil when it's cranking and none at the plugs, then there's aproblem in the distributor cap or rotor. Here's the diagram.

mb58 · 09-07-2009, 11:26

thanks for diagram.
I'm thinking maybe pick up coil in distributor...?

Took out and looks like that I need a press to remove gear from shaft to
install pick up coil assy.

**rtg143** · 09-07-2009, 14:47

If you get spark from the coil while cranking, the pickup coil wouldn't be defective. The spark goes into the center of the distributor cap and when the rotor spins, it jumps the gap to the plug wires.

mb58 · 09-08-2009, 06:44

Hummm.

I was told that the control module that plugs into the pickup coil under the distributor, sends a signal for when the coil needs to send power to the cap while cranking....?

I'm no mechanic... just trying to get ole-betsy running again..lol Thanks. I might go and try another distributor with pickup coil. 70 bucks at autozoone.

**rtg143** · 09-08-2009, 09:43

Before you buy anything, pull the coil wire from the distributor and set it close to a ground. Crank the engine and see if it sparks steady. If it does, put it back in and pull one of the spark plug wires and put something in it that will get the wire part close to the engine somewhwere. Crank the engine again ad see if you get a spark less often than the coil wire. If you get a steady spark from the coil wire, there's no reason to buy the pickup coil. If you do and none from the plug wire, that would mean you need a distributor and/or rotor.

mb58 · 09-09-2009, 04:44

thanks for all the help.....I put in a distributor assy. and she has spark and fired right up...

omg.... what a brain buster for me...lol

happy trails...

**rtg143** · 09-09-2009, 11:37

Great, thanks for letting us know.