No spark on s13 DOHC swap, not the usual issue

[tr4c3]

The car is a '90, has a '95 KA in it. Swapped all S13 dohc parts, and I'm not getting spark. Getting pretty constant voltage to the coil, but nothing to the 4 pin on the distributor, maybe like .1 volts. All the fuses are good, swapped ECU's and coils off a running car and still nothing. I'm thinking the problem lies in the harness.

The DOHC harness didn't have the efi-body harness plugs(the 2 in the engine bay) so I used my SOHC plugs and matched the wires but had some left over. Could the problem be in that wiring?

My next step is to track down a new harness that is complete and try that, but I would rather try everything else I can first because it will be a bitch to swap harness's lol.

[tr4c3]

To the top

[tr4c3]

No one..? I need this car running..

[93nismo]

if i were you i would track down some efi-body harness plugs and use those. if you can find a junkyard with an s14 or an engine from an s14 just cut and paste. id think that would fix it. however i only have a moderate understanding of electrical systems. but if there was left overs then id try that first. i mean, unles youve hacked up the harnes in other spots youd have a complete harness, if im understanding right.

[tr4c3]

The harness is a s13 dohc harness, and it didn't have those 2 body connectors in the engine bay so I used the connectors off my sohc harness and color matched them and had a few left over. Tried to make it as clear as possible lol.

[Shadowhunter]

Sounds like you butchered the shit out of your harness. Leftover wires? Come on dude, either set the whole thing on fire or go get some proper harnesses and do it right.

[thundertiger25]

Which two body connectors? Can you get a pic? Make sure you check your grounds and that all the connectors are clean, these were my problems after I swaped KAs.

[tr4c3]

The gray 8 pin(I think) and the small red-ish 6(?) pin that connect the EFI harness to the body harness by the passenger fender/fuseblock area.

No, I didn't butcher anything. I have wires left over because the colors don't match for a few and I don't know what they're for/where they go. I'll go outside in a few and get the wire colors.

[tr4c3]

You can see one next to the battery here. The gray one and a red one

http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/96/l_e59e1cad246849438110d90b53024ed0.jpg

[93nismo]

The harness is a s13 dohc harness, and it didn't have those 2 body connectors in the engine bay so I used the connectors off my sohc harness and color matched them and had a few left over. Tried to make it as clear as possible lol.

like i said, if i were you id go find the right connectors from a dohc in a junk yard or whatever and splice those in. then you wont have anything that is left over and you can go from there. and itl be a bit cleaner.

just to clearify, were the wires that dident match on the connectors from the sohc? or were they in the harnes for the dohc?

[tr4c3]

Both the sohc and dohc connectors had left over wires, I think 2 or 3 each, all different colors.

I'm trying to source a dohc efi plug but can't find one, and no junk yards around here have s13's really so I was trying to make this work or just buy a whole new harness that I know is good.

What else can cause the 4 pin dizzy plug to not get power?

[93nismo]

Both the sohc and dohc connectors had left over wires, I think 2 or 3 each, all different colors.

I'm trying to source a dohc efi plug but can't find one, and no junk yards around here have s13's really so I was trying to make this work or just buy a whole new harness that I know is good.

What else can cause the 4 pin dizzy plug to not get power?


im not entirely sure, my car can dohc so i never had this prob.

you might be able to find somebody on here that has some. but your best bet is a junk yard. if none around you have an s13 or an s14 with it then you could always try to find somebody on here to run to a junkyard and get them for you and paypal. id do it for you but there arnt any yards around here that i know of

[Veracity84]

SInce you're rocking a 1995 KA:

1. Are you using S13 or S14 Distributor? Answer: s13 dizz or C.A.S. (crank angle sensor)
2. Was this originally an automatic car? Answer: loop inhibitor harness switch
3. Are you using S13 or S14 Trans? C.A.S.

Other possibilities:
4. Coil has ignition but won't ignite 4 spark plug wires? Answer: Dizzy Cap and Rotor
5. Ignition won't turn on/over: Answer: Ignition Fuse/relay


You would have to let use know what happens when you turn the key/ignition on:

1. It does nothing, no noisies when you try to turn the car on?
2. It Cranks over but doesn't start?
3. It click click clicks?

Kind of hard to diagnose, you need to be very specific.

[tr4c3]

Car turns over fine, just doesn't start. I'm using a s13 dizz. Car was not converted to 5 spd., all original. Using a S13 trans.

It ran fine before the swap, just had problems with the sohc engine like burning coolant and oil etc.

[Veracity84]

Car turns over fine, just doesn't start. I'm using a s13 dizz. Car was not converted to 5 spd., all original. Using a S13 trans.

It ran fine before the swap, just had problems with the sohc engine like burning coolant and oil etc.


Make sure you do the timing right.

1. On the compression stroke, make sure it's on Top Dead Center.
2. When you put the dizzy in, make sure the Dot on the dizzy shaft lines up with the line. You need to make marking the dizzy's rotor and a marking on the cap because when you put the dizzy in, it tends to turn because of the gears.

Once you've marked the rotor and cap, and put it in, the lines on the rotor must match that of the cap, otherwise you'll be way off.


ROTOR - - CAP

(Scratch a mark on the end of the rotor (where it is opposite from the metallic piece which conducts electricity)

(Scratch a mark on the cap which lines up to)

[tr4c3]

I know how to time it, I'm just not getting any spark, from all the cylinders.

I know it's not a timing issue, because I already timed it. And I'm pretty sure it's not the dizz because I'm not getting any power to it via the 4 pin.

[Veracity84]

I know how to time it, I'm just not getting any spark, from all the cylinders.

I know it's not a timing issue, because I already timed it. And I'm pretty sure it's not the dizz because I'm not getting any power to it via the 4 pin.

1. Unplug all the spark wires, disconnect the fuel pump fuse and take out the spark plugs.

2. Crank the engine and see if the coil is sparking/grouding.

3. If there is spark from the coil, then the wires, dizzy, rotors, aren't working.

4. Then try to hook up the coil wire onto the coil and see if it sparks and grounds.

Then, hook up spark wire #1 crank it and see if it sparks, then hook up #2 wire and see if sparks/grounds and #3 and #4 wires.

Make sure each wire is grounded/sparks.

[tr4c3]

But that is not going to fix the main issue, which is why I'm not getting any power to the dizz. I'm getting power from the coil, but not to the 4 pin that goes to the dizz.

[tr4c3]

So I swapped the harness, ecu, coil, distributor, maf and spark plug wires, and still no spark. All parts came off the same car, and he drove it over here so I know they all work.

What else could it be? I'm only getting 1.5v to the 4 pin on the distributor while cranking also. I have 12v coming out of the coil to the dizz too.

[tr4c3]

Bump. Could use some help!

[tr4c3]

Anyone...?

[tr4c3]

bumpity bump

[tr4c3]

Current status..

Pulled off the whole ground cable and wire brushed every contact/connector and where it bolts to the battery tray and engine. Also did the same for the engine harness.

I'm getting 12v out of the coil going into the distributor, but still no spark.

So far I know my ecu, efi harness, distributor, coil, plugs and wires, maf, egi relay and grounds are good, so what else can cause no spark?

[omgshawn]

What other relays are needed for making spark? Am i supposed to be getting power to the 4 pin on the distributor? And if so, what would cause me not to.

*tr4c3 is my brothers account I was using his when I made this thread before I registered*

[omgshawn]

Alright, so I was checking on all my grounds again and noticed the alt. ground was a little loose. So I took it off and put a washer on so it would tighten down all the way and now I'm getting power to the 4 pin on the distributor! But still no spark. The power on the 4 pin goes .1v-12v-5v-5v. Is that how it's supposed to be? I have power going into the distributor everywhere it's supposed to and it's still not working so I swapped dizy's, re timed it and I'm still not getting spark.