Weak Spark

[sffans]

What causes a weak spark?

[stroked4.6]

Well it could either be a bad distributor, wires, or spark booster. How many miles do you have on the car?

[JIBBBY]

Also a bad alternator, loose battery ground cable, faulty ignition coil... Spark plugs and wires I would check or change first...Then check the cap and rotors....Lastly the alternator, battery cables and ignition coils...

[92Lex]

Why are you assuming that your spark is weak?

[sffans]

I have checked the external coil and it is good. I am putting new rotor and cap on and checking the pickup coil. I think my spark is weak because it is kinda yellow and not blue. If this is not correct let me know. I have tried just about everything else. There is 140000 on the car. Thanks

[sffans]

Distrubutor, coil, cap and rotor are all good or new. Wires are all good. Guess im taking it to the shop cant figure this thing out.

[92Lex]

Besides all that, how does the car run?

[sffans]

Dont know car will not start.

[92Lex]

Have you checked to make sure it's getting fuel? How was the car running prior to this? Are all the fuses and relays okay? Have you tried pulling codes from the ECU?

[sffans]

I checked the plugs and they looked like they were getting fuel on them. I pulled codes from the ecu and nothing came up. the car ran fine. All i did was have someone put in a new raditor. Then when I picked it up the car would not start. Dont know what they did. I checked the efi relay and it was good. I am going to check the open circuit relay next.

[JIBBBY]

Pull a plug wire and see if your getting a spark.... If your getting a spark and fuel then you are very close to solving this riddle....

[sffans]

I checked the timing and the crankshaft and camshaft pulleys are real close. But the rotor does not point to the number 1 wire. It points to the # 2 wire. the camshaft pulleys are off very little. wiil this keep it from starting? It should a least fire a little bit Shouldnt it.

[92Lex]

The rotor needs to point to the #1 wire, with the #1 cylinder at TDC. The timing belt was probably improperly installed.

[sffans]

Your rite the back camshaft was of a 1/4 of a turn. Car now starts, but then it shuts off after a few seconds. With the airflow meter plugged in it just turns over but if I unplug it it will start then shut off. Not sure what would cause this. Can you help? thanks

[92Lex]

Umm, have you considered testing the MAF sensor?