So my 86 na 2+2 5 speed has been hit and miss recently. Sometimes it will start and run, other times it will not start at all and it likes to die when driving. I think it is the lack of a spark because, it has backfired when it died in gear multiple times. So far I have replaced my ignition coil which I thought solved the problem until this morning when it drove a whole block, died, and would not fire again. Where does the ignition coil get its power from? The ECU? Not sure if this is relevant but last week I did replace my alternator. Any help or ideas are greatly appreciated. I will be pulling ECU codes tomorrow morning to after-noon.

Thanks

 

ecu codes probably not much help. sounds like someone fubared the alternator replacement and you don't have the volts to run the electronics. igntiion module a possibility. downoad the fsm from xenon and READ IT. GEt your battery load tested. Be sure you have clean, tight corrosion free terminals on both ends of your battery
cables. Be sure the ground (negative) cable goes to a bolt into the frame before going to the starter. grounding

through the starter is not a reliable connection. Z's don't like low voltage. causes the electronics to act funny.

it is possible to have enough amps to crank but not enough voltage to run the electronics. If you have one size fit

all cheapo clamp on terminals they are a problem waiting to happen.

Clean the connectors for the maf, ecu and tps. Deoxit by CAIG is probably the best connector cleaner on the market.

spray with CorrosionX after cleaning and before putting together this will help prevent any further corrosion.

 

I would check for a short in the wiring, or the ground.

 

the alternator is charging the battery when the car runs so I don't think its that. I'm starting to think that its a grounding problem because I followed my ground cables (3 of them) one went to the starter, a small one went to the body (right by the battery) and I could not find the end to the third (another small wire). I had it idling today for 25 mins then it randomly shut off. Went to restart it, the engine turned over, no ignition. Hit the starter a second time and heard an electrical pop, and all electronics died in cabin. I'm getting ready to go at the battery terminals and connectors again.

 

Got the battery load tested at auto zone. (they charged it first). It failed. I still don't think that the alternator is the culprit because the car continued to run when I disconnected the positive battery terminal. Is it possible that the problem is just the battery and nothing else? What is most likely? I will be putting another battery in the car tomorrow to see what it does.

Thanks for the help.

 

Put a new battery in, no change. Although I did notice that one time that it died, I saw some minor smoke come out from underneath the passenger exhuast manifold. My brother also said it smelled like something electrical was burning. That was before I saw the smoke though. Any ideas if ignition wires come from there? How close is the wire harness to the exhust manifold? And I have repaired some ground connections that go to the chassis (which did not seem to make a diffrence). I got the same effect of the car dieing if I unplugged this (condenser? if I read the schematic correctly) that goes to the coil. The connector is the one on the middle right side.

Any help or ideas are greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

get under there and look. We can't do it for you from here.

 

Problem SOLVED!!!! It wasn't the burning line (an old vacuum line). Not knowing what else to do i pulled ecu codes got 21 (ignition signal missing). So I replaced the power transistor and it still died. Pulled codes again. Now it displayed 11. Got a junkyard dizzy assembly, threw it in there, and now its running just as the day I bought it!

Thanks for all the help!