Warning: The voltage generated by the electronic ignition system is significantly higher than in a conventional system. When the ignition system is on, special care must be taken. If you have a pacemaker surgically installed, stay away from ignition circuits, components, and test equipment. Always turn off the ignition before disconnecting or connecting parts and when using a multimeter to check resistance.
General information
1. Ignition system components are usually very reliable: most failures are due to broken or dirty connections, high voltage leakage due to dirt, dampness, or damaged insulation. Before suspecting any element of the system, first carefully check all electrical wiring and methodically make sure that this particular element is the cause of the malfunction.
2. The old practice of testing for a spark, by bringing the spark plug end of a high voltage wire to the engine, is not recommended: not only because you risk a powerful electric shock, but also because this can damage the electronic control unit, high voltage coil, or switch. Likewise, never try "diagnose" ignition failures by removing the high-voltage wire caps from the spark plugs in turn because, in addition to the risk of electric shock, the test may be useless, since later models are equipped with an ignition system that has the ability to detect and temporarily disable high-voltage circuits that are open.
3. In the event of problems that are not described in the following subsections, contact a service station.
If the engine does not start
4. If the engine either does not crank at all or rotates very slowly, check the battery and starter. Connect a voltmeter to the battery terminals (positive voltmeter lead to positive battery terminal), disconnect the high voltage wire of the ignition coil from the distributor cap and measure the voltage with the (no more than ten seconds) starter. If the voltmeter reads less than 9.5 volts, check the battery, starter, and charging system as described in Part A of this chapter.
5. If the engine rotates at normal speed but does not start, check the high voltage circuit by connecting the ignition check indicator (according to the manufacturer's instructions) and turning the engine with the starter: if the indicator flashes, the voltage reaches the spark plugs, so you need to check them first. If the indicator does not flash, check the high voltage wires first, then the distributor cap, the center electrode carbon and "slider", as described in chapter 1.
6. If there is a spark, check the power supply system as described in chapter 4.
7. If there is no spark, check the voltage at the contact "+" ignition coils. The cause of the malfunction may be the ignition / engine control system. In this case, contact a service station.
Misfiring
8. Irregular ignition failures indicate that either the contact has loosened or some intermittent malfunction has occurred in the primary circuit of the ignition coil, or a malfunction in the high voltage circuit from the ignition coil to "runner" distributor.
9. With the ignition off, carefully check the entire system, make sure all connections are clean and secure. If you have the right equipment, check the low voltage circuit as described above.
10. Make sure the ignition coil, distributor cap and high voltage wires are clean and dry. Check high-voltage wires, spark plugs yourself (replacement if necessary), then check the distributor cap, center electrode carbon and distributor rotor ("slider"), as described in chapter 1A.
11. Regular ignition failures most often occur due to faulty distributor caps, high voltage wires and spark plugs. To check for high voltage on all wires, use the ignition indicator mentioned above (see point 5).
12. If there is no high voltage on the tip of one of the wires, then this wire or its tip or distributor cap is faulty. If there is high voltage on all wires, then the candles are faulty - check them and, if necessary, replace them.
13. If there is no high voltage on any of the wires, check the ignition coil - under load, current leakage may occur in the secondary winding.