Need help testing an igniter.

[lloydjv1]

Short and sweet, does anyone know which pins to connect the ohmeter to and what the specs should be for the igniter on a 93 Paseo? This is the 174 igniter.

We recently swapped the engine and although we used the same components, disty, sensors, intake and exhaust from the old engine, we are getting no spark. We have changed the disty with no success as well. Still no spark. We had it running initially by the spark was so weak, it kept shutting down, and now nothing. The engine turns just fine.

In case you're wondering, I don't know exactly the model of the engine removed, but I believe it was a 4EFE or something like that, and the replacement came from a 91 Tercel 1.5. The blocks were identical, but I feel I am missing something.

Also, does anyone know how much a factor the coolant vacuum sensor plays in the role of the engine operation? The one on the Thermostat housing lost one of it's arms, so there is no way to hook it up, and I could not remember which orifice it went to.

By the way, we are using the original harness and ECU.

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.

[Donald]

Let me see if I got this right. You put the engine from a '91 Tercel into a '93 Paseo, and are using the Paseo wireing, ECU, and sensors?

The Tercel engine should be a 3E-FE. The Paseo engine is a 5E-FE. The blocks are essentially the same but not exactly, the differences are minor though.

Do the heads look alike?

What was wrong with the original Paseo engine?

[lloydjv1]

I honestly wish i knew exactly what engine it was that we pulled, but I don't. The only identi fying marks were on the cam pulley which was st amped with 4E and 5E. The blocks, heads, etc. appeared almost identical, though. All of the sensors, injectors, TB, intake, and exhaust were interchangeable. I just don't know why we aren't getting any fire to the disty. I ordered a replacement ingniter in hopes that we narrow this down.

[lloydjv1]

By the way my son ran the original low on oil, as kids do, and 2 mains froze. The number 2 and 3 rods snapped, put holes in the block and the pan.

[Donald]

If you got a 4E engine it is a 1.3Litre, the 3E and 5E are 1.5Litre.
The 4E and 5E are twin cam, but the 3E is single cam.
The 4E and 5E look alike but the 3E looks different.
I don't think 4E's were installed in any cars sold in the US. (I might be wrong though)

So we know that everything in the wiring / fuel control / ignition systems worked until the engine froze.
I suggest that you check to make sure that the igniter is properly grounded to the body - if not, no spark.
After that I would check all your connector plugs to make sure they are secure. You might also want to check that no dirt got into any of them during the engine swap.
Look for cracked or stretched wire insulation at the base of all connectors. Stretched insulation might have broken wires inside. It should have a much lighter color at the stretched point than the rest of that wire.

Are you sure it is a spark problem and not a fuel problem?

(Coolant Vacuum Sensor) - Vacuum switching valve.
You need to plug those vacuum lines until you replace that vacuum switching valve. That could be a big part of your problem.

Check the vacuum hose to the MAP snsor for cracks - (that little black thing on the firewall that has one vacuum hose from the manifold and one electrical connector going to it. If that has no vacuum, you will get no spark) - espcially if it has a spyral wrap on it. Pull that off and check the hose

[lloydjv1]

Thanks for the response again. everything in the swap went well, and the wiring is in very good condition.

The one thing that concerns me is that the BVSV in the thermostat housing lost an arm, but in my experience that would not cause a no-spark condition. Even if the timing were off by several degrees, there still should be some type of spark.

The engine is getting plenty of fuel as well. we have checked the pressure and it is up to specs.

Prior to the swap there were no other problems with the old block while it was running. So this has me stumped.

The engine we placed in the car is definitely SOHC, not DOHC, so perhaps it is not a 4E. The dimensions are nearly identical and even the cam gears wear identical except for the markings.

My experience would say that when the old block froze and my son continuously tried to start the engine, perhaps the igniter became shorted. As far as I can tell, it is the original.