Why won't my spark plugs fire?

[Dave7]

This is driving me crazy - I can't get my spark plugs to fire on my '89 Micra.

Here is the story - can skip this if you want - car drove great for almost two months when my insurance company insisted on a safety inspection. I don't know a good mechanic so I just took it somewhere. They BS'd me with the usual needs rear wheel bearings repacked and replaced a ball joint. Took a week to do it as well. Fine - I got ripped off but that is the usual fare for safety inspections sadly. Now here is the issue on the way home the car stalled at the traffic lights a couple times on the way home - never done that before. I get home and fine but it has never started since. I can't prove they did anything and it is an old car but the timing is awfully suspicious. Damned if I am giving them $100/hr to look at it though.

So I determine the spark plugs aren't firing. Replace the plugs since they are old and nasty. Nothing. Replace rotor and cap. Nothing. Use a set of known good spark plug wires. Nothing. Get coil from the scrapyard. Nothing. Replace coil with brand new unit. Nothing. Argh. What the heck.

I've got almost new battery charged up.

The car has the electronic coil. I have a junkyard spare coil with a spare set of the electronic bits. Made no difference.

Engine turns over, distributor turns, power to coil. But no spark plugs fire. Definitely getting fuel. What the heck? Any ideas?

 

[K10 SHED]

Sounds like your doing well.

you have taken a plug out reattached it to a the lead held the plug near the cylinder block an SEEN no spark.
Do the same with the main HT lead from the coil if no spark i would suspect the coil but also check the plug gaps arnt too wide.
Also look at the condensor these are cheap to replace and if faulty cause weak sparks.
condenser is on the side of the distributer looks like this

I would also look at the ballast resistor next to the coil it supplies battery voltage to the coil during starting this may need replacing. if faulty it "should glow in the dark lol "

silly things like any moisture inside the distributer cap will cause problems worth a look.

Good luck dont give up you may have two duff coils

 

[Dave7]

Thanks,

Spark plug gap is ok.

I don't seem to have a condenser at all. I believe the resistor is that box next to the coil. I wish I had the old style two cap coil not the electronic one. I've tried three coils now. The old one, brand new one and a junkyard one. I'd be surprised if they were all bad.

 

[K10 SHED]

sorry i missed the new coil didnt work bit.

The only thing i can think of ignition wise in the distributer is the points and this condenser

Manual says faulty condenser = poor starting and uneven running and yours hasnt got one

I would get one and try it as its a cheap part to replace.

just thought check those little vacuum pipes behind the carb for any not connected properly or split
for when you get it going

 

[Dave7]

Gave in and took it to mechanic. He couldn't get much further but figures it is the ignitor but possibly the distributor.