Have a '97 Civic EX, stick, 128k miles. Driving it the other day when it died. Have no spark. Did resistance check on coil, tested within parameters. Had igniter tested at auto parts store, tested bad, purchased new one, installed it, still no spark. Whre do we go next?

 

Check that the rotor turns when you crank the engine. Timing belt failure will cause a "cranks but no start" with no sparks.

Check for battery voltage at the coil with the key on. Both little terninals should have battery voltage.

Scan the ECU for any codes.

 

Yeah, check for a broken timing belt and whether the distributor connector is getting battery power when the ignition key is turned to ON. If not, start by looking for a blown fuse (#41 and 42 under the hood). By the way, does the fuel pump prime when the ignition key is turned to ON?

 

Rotor turns, have power at both terminals at the coil, ECU is showing no special code, though it stated something about not being able to check three different parameters. My partner in crime pulled the codes and he cleared them yesterday and he is unavailable at the moment to give me the rundown on the codes.

 

Checking a coil by resistance is inconclusive. With the cap off, crank engine and try to draw sparks from the output spring of the coil to a grounded test wire. Should be strong blue sparks that can jump up to an inch. If you only get tiny orange sparks the coil is bad. If you do have strong sparks from the coil then obviously they're getting lost in the rotor or cap.

If no sparks at the coil check that the primary voltage is still present with the key on start as well as on run.

 

We have blue spark, BUT at max it wouldn't really jump more than a sixteenth of an inch. Used heavy jumper cables attached to the negative battery terminal. It would only really spark as we moved the jumper cables from touching the spring to pulling it away from the spring, then only a weak blue arc. Thanks!

 

Change that coil. Bet it'll fire right up.

 

"Change that coil. Bet it'll fire right up." You are absolutely correct, it was the coil. That after we replaced the ignitor because the auto parts store said it tested bad and he said they replace about 70 ignitors to every one coil. Thank You very much!!!