My Fiero won't start, no spark.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 11:09 pm

Hey!

So my buddy was driving my car today, and I guess it died and won't start again. It has gas and is getting gas, so there is something up with the ignition.

What are the most common parts to go out that could cause this?

Doug, if you are reading this, any ideas?

It probably isn't a big deal, but we don't have a clue. I'll keep ya updated if he gets it started or whatever.

Thanks!

Shaun41178(2) · Post by **Shaun41178(2)** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 11:20 pm

does the tach move when you try and crank it over?

If not its the ignition module.

could be several otehr things like coil or the pickup coil in the dist but the no tach I have always found to be the module.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 11:32 pm

Apparently my tach does not move at all while cranking.

Do you think it would be a safe bet to go ahead and replace the module?

If so, how hard is it to change? I've never done one on a 2.8l before, I typically stick with the DIS cars. Any advice while changing it?

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 11:57 pm

Shaun is fucking genius.

One of the retaining clips for an electrical plug on the ignition was broken, and I guess when my friend was experiencing Fiero handling it came undone. So simple little problem, I'm glad they found it.

Shaun, thanks a lot for your help, 10.2 cool points and a + headed your way!

crzyone · Post by **crzyone** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 12:01 am

You let people drive your car?

I won't even let my wife drive my car... hehe

Shaun41178(2) · Post by **Shaun41178(2)** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 12:04 am

was it the retaining clip on the coil or on the module?

I would guess the coil since that was probably replaced before if not more often then the module.

Invest in a Haynes when you can. Read over it in your spare time. Will save a lot of time when diagnosing simple items.

And yes I know I am a genious. Certifiably so I think.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 12:32 am

Not quite sure, he wasn't very good at explaining it, just the retaining clip for an electrical plug.

I would, but the Haynes manual would be worth more than the 2.8...I guess I'm just expecting it to last until X-mas without any problems, at which point it gets taken out and sent to the tritum for use on his boat.

:salute:

MiZer · Post by **MiZer** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 1:27 am

crzyone wrote:You let people drive your car?

I won't even let my wife drive my car... hehe

haha!! same here!

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 1:53 am

crzyone wrote:You let people drive your car?

I won't even let my wife drive my car... hehe

Well he's been a freind for a long time, and was in love for Fieros back when I hate them. I still had the faded paint broken down burnt up 84 notchy in my mind. Tehn he started showing me the GTs and such, and I started investigating, learning about swaps and such, and went out and bought a nice 88GT 5-speed. IT KILLED HIM. But he isn't in the position to buy one.

So while I'm out at school, he pretty much has open access whenever he wants. He has a key to the garage that its in. He really doesn't even have to tell em he's got it, I trust him. The only deal is that whenever something breaks, he has to fix it, he has to keep it clean, and change the oil. And gas of course. Other than that, he can have at it. Every time he calls me he won't shut up about how much he loves it.

You guys might someday experience how nice it feels to let someone else drive your car. It really is cool seeing others enjoy something like that. I remember letting a kid I met at the hangout who was riding a dual sport dirt bike, and we were talking about bikes, I was on my RC51, and I aksed him if he wanted to ride it. His eyes lit up, and he grabbed the keys out of my hand. He took it out in front of us, and opened it up in 2nd gear. God my smile was ear to ear. He got back, and was shaking in awe. It felt really good to allow someone else to enjoy it as much as I do.

So when it comes down to it, its a car. Big deal. It is a slow, cheap (relatively), car. So he can have at it. If he wrecks it, he's up shit creek without a paddle. But I'd trust he'd take care of it.

You can mark my words when I meet any of you, if you want, the car is your's to drive, I just get to drive your's as well :thumbleft:

Mach10 · Post by **Mach10** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 2:16 am

aaron wrote: You guys might someday experience how nice it feels to let someone else drive your car.

PhotoRadar has obviously not come to your area yet.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 2:18 am

Mach10 wrote:
aaron wrote: You guys might someday experience how nice it feels to let someone else drive your car.
PhotoRadar has obviously not come to your area yet.

Explain please, I don't get it..

Mach10 · Post by **Mach10** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 2:22 am

Our meter maids don't have fuck-all else to do than to hide in grey or green astro-vans with radar-triggered cameras in them. Blow by them at 11kph or more over (that's what, 7mph?) and flash-flash!

Two weeks later you get ticket addressed to you complete with a picture of your car, your license plate, and the back of your asshole friend's head.

Of course, you can't tell it's your friend, and 2 weeks later you're wondering "What the hell was I doing in the North End at 2am?!?"

:cussing:

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 2:26 am

Mach10 wrote:Our meter maids don't have fuck-all else to do than to hide in grey or green astro-vans with radar-triggered cameras in them. Blow by them at 11kph or more over (that's what, 7mph?) and flash-flash!

Two weeks later you get ticket addressed to you complete with a picture of your car, your license plate, and the back of your asshole friend's head.

Of course, you can't tell it's your friend, and 2 weeks later you're wondering "What the hell was I doing in the North End at 2am?!?"

:cussing:

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!

I work as a "Meter Maid." Actually, a Cadet for the Parking Division of CowCollegeCops (Formaly OSU Police). Ironic...

That's pretty funny though! We don't have parking meters in CO, or cameras at lights, so if he fucks up, he'll get pulled over and get the ticket. And they'll probably think its stolen...lol

Mach10 · Post by **Mach10** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 2:31 am

aaron wrote: I work as a "Meter Maid." Actually, a Cadet for the Parking Division of CowCollegeCops (Formaly OSU Police). Ironic...

The last thing you'll see as you're writing the ticket on a bagged-out looking white 84 Fiero double-parked in front of an ambulance AND a fire-truck is the pavement rushing up to make friends with you...

:cussing:

Nothing personal, it's the principle of the thing

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 2:42 am

Hehehe, I lot of people get really pissed off at me, but luckily I normally don't confront them, just leave em a little gift shop on their windshield for them to find a few hours later.

I had some guy start cussing me out once, all over a $5 ticket! He showed up like 15 seconds after I printed it, so 15 seconds too late, otherwise I would've cancelled it. I told him it was just a $5 ticket for an expired meter, but he was PISSED. He was like, I demand you void this right now, otherwise you're in some deep shit. I told him I couldn't void it, and that he can go speak to my boss, leave me alone, or I could call an officer and have him deal with it that way.

He said "Leave you alone? You want me to leave you alone??? Fine, I will. I'll go talk to your boss, get this bullshit ticket cancelled, and have your ass fired." I said "Go for it," and I walked off. He screached his tires out of there on his cheapass Acura, it was sooo funny. He never did talk to my boss either, but the incident was caught on camera, and my boss called him and warned him not to mess with the cadets again.

crzyone · Post by **crzyone** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 4:18 am

aaron wrote: So when it comes down to it, its a car. Big deal. It is a slow, cheap (relatively), car.

I'm into my fiero for about $10-11k. Thats not alot of money, but the time invested in it makes it worth alot more to me.

And its definitly not going to be slow. Nobody is going to drive my car after the N* is in. Hell, the 3.4dohc was alot of motor to handle in a fiero for a person not expecting it. People tend to test the limits in cars when they test drive cars. Pretty dangerous to test the limits of a mid 12 second car on the street. This is why nobody will drive my car unless they are familular with fast cars.

Post by **eHoward** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 8:52 am

For me it depends which car and if they gave me a hand working on the car at some point.

crzyone wrote:You let people drive your car?

I won't even let my wife drive my car... hehe

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 1:13 pm

crzyone wrote:People tend to test the limits in cars when they test drive cars. Pretty dangerous to test the limits of a mid 12 second car on the street. This is why nobody will drive my car unless they are familular with fast cars.

Now I agree with that 100%. But my Fiero isn't exactly a mid 12 second car. Maybe mid 12s, in the 1/8mi....

I havn't let anyone drive our 55 project (About 450hp). And I only let a few people drive my Lumina, and I doubt it could do better than a 13.5.

Once my Fiero has the 3.4, I'm sure few people will be allowed to drive it. But he can, he will have also helped me throughout the swap, probably putting in just as many hours as me. And in trade off, I expect to get the keys to his 420hp 1998 Cavilier that should be done over X-mas break.

Mach10 · Post by **Mach10** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 5:52 pm

aaron wrote: And in trade off, I expect to get the keys to his 420hp 1998 Cavilier that should be done over X-mas break.

That's the bone-stock Cavalier that you remove the seats and use to transport a ZZ4 crate motor in, right? :bootyshake:

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 4:11 pm

Ok, some news, not so great either...

When I first went up and bought the car, and ever since, it has had trouble starting. The starter turns fine, it just takes it a few seconds of cranking to finally catch. This had me worried, but it never failed to start, so I figured it was something associated with the suckiness of the 2.8.

Well just today the Fiero failed to start again, and when he finally did get it started, it died over at his house and won't start again. Turns out my distributor is all fucked up, and loose. My friend didn't describe it well, but it apparently moves pretty freely. He said whenever it tries to start, it vibrates itself so it won't start.

Anyways, he is going to replace the distributor, rotor, and cap. This should fix it without a problem, to the tune of $260. Good thing I have a friend at Advanced Auto Parts, who all the sudden needs to buy a distributor cap and rotor at cost ($100). So I got a good deal, and hopefully this fixes it, and makes it start quicker.

Doug, I demand a full refund on the purchase price, you sold me a car with a bad distributor! Pretty sad when I actually considered garaging the Fiero and letting it sit until X-mas when I do the swap instead of spending the $100 to fix it...lol...BUt I figure the $100 will be worth it when I go to sell it (the motor).