my car wont start . dont get spark.

[tear2wo]

okay so i was reversing from a tmobile store and put the car in drive, hit the gas a little then let go and BAM it died on me. i kept trying to start the engine but i only hear the starter. i was lucky and a mechanic was leaving the tmobile store. he took a screwdriver and checkd for spark and said it didnt have it. he also checked the resistor (i think) in the fuse box and it was fine. how can i fix this. he says its the distributor, but i dont want to go and replace it if thats not the problem. if it is the distributor , how hard is it for me to do it myself ? and do i have to mess with ignition timing? when i turn the car on , my fans dont turn on and theyre wired to ignition.

i have a f22b1 auto with a f22a ecu

[LeosCB7h22]

Sounds like your main relay went. 90% sure

[tear2wo]

ahhhh .. i was also thinking that , but how does that mess with the spark?

the relay has been giving me troubles , especially on hot days.

[LeosCB7h22]

the fact that your fans dont come on is an indication of the Main relay. same thing happened to mine. i bet the fuel pump doesnt come on either.

[tear2wo]

how do i check if the fuel pump comes on or not?

[LeosCB7h22]

how do i check if the fuel pump comes on or not?

you can get under the gas tank and have some one turn the key to the on position and listen for a humming sound for 1-2 sec. thats the pump coming on.

or method 2, pull a fuel line have some one put the key to on position, have a rag handy, if fuel comes out, its working, if not, then the pump does not work.

[tear2wo]

okay thanx. also what can i do about the "no gettin spark" problem ?

[LeosCB7h22]

the main relay is located under the steering wheel. there is a plastic cover ( 4 screws) take that off and its a big green relay

[LeosCB7h22]

if its the mainrelay, i believe you will have no spark. but if your fuel pump AND your fans dont come on. its def your main relay. same thing happened to me.

[tear2wo]

well my fans are hotwired to the ignition. does it still apply 2 me?

any other opinions?

[tear2wo]

does anyone know if a faulty main relay would cause me to not get spark?

[NJ_STAMPEDE_LX]

Yea a main relay would F your spark up I think but dont rule out the distributor even if its brand new, I had the same exact problem. Go to autozone and just buy a new main relay its 70 bucks with tax I believe if thats not it return it and put the store credit towards a new dizzy thats what I did because as of right now the M.R if the cheapest part to go wrong right now and they do go frequently. BUT usually when its really hot inside the car also if it was the M.R sometimes unplugging it and tapping it against something will get it to start up again. but IMO its very possible that it IS the Dizzy! LMK man!

[NJ_STAMPEDE_LX]

This may sound EXTREMELY funny or retarded either or but check all of your fuses. It has happened to me before where a 10 amp fuse or 7.5 fuse will go and prevent the car from starting. Checkk all of them including the ones by the left leg of the driver side.

[tear2wo]

yea im going towards the main relay since ihve had the no start on hot days problem a lot. but now tapping it wont fix it. im going to replace it today to see if thats the problem. thanks everyone for ur help.

if its not the main relay, how hard is it to change the distributor myself? i need the car up and running tomorrow.

[ExplodingCake]

Main Relay (aka Main Fuel Pump Relay) only controls the fuel pump system unless you shot the hell out of the Main Electrical Relay on fuse box like said above, which I doubt because those are not likely to fail. Main components that fail which controls the spark are ignitor & ignition coil. Depending on what year you are , the coil is either internal or external.

I'd say swap them both with replacements. I'm pretty sure one of those will work.
Changing the distributor is easy , just mark it on how it was positioned.