Sound like a bad distributor?

agtmurphy · 08/29/2008, 10:29 PM

So one of the girls I work with has a 98 RS, and it just stopped running on her and will not crank up now. Motor turns over with starter but does not run, I checked all of the fuses, made sure there was fuel in the tank, stuck a screwdriver into the spark plug wires and had someone turn the key, no spark to a ground, so I am thinking the distributor is bad. Just wanted to see if anyone thought that sounded right, or if there is anything else I should look at before I go ordering parts, since no part stores here have or can get the distributor for it. I am trying to keep her dad from having to come down here and tow it 4 hours north to his mechanic in Atlanta, and any help or input would be greatly appreciated.

Bitter · 08/29/2008, 10:41 PM

broken timing belt?

agtmurphy · 08/29/2008, 10:48 PM

oh yeah, meant to mention that, I took off the cover, it looks good, that was my first concern when she asked me to look at it. She said she has had it for about a year and a half and bought it from a guy that owns a shop that put a new motor in it before she bought it. On a side note, the guy put an intake on it that is obviously not meant for the car, just kinda sitting in there, held on by the hose clamp, about 2.75" or 3" pipe running into a bent up reducer to connect to the engine. So, im really not sure how much whoever put the motor in actually knew what they were doing...

Bitter · 08/29/2008, 10:51 PM

you need to see the engine crank and the timing belt move. it can be snapped down by the crank and you wont see it. or the tensioner could have failed the belt isnt tight enough to engage the crank or cam sprockets.

agtmurphy · 08/29/2008, 11:00 PM

I pushed on it and it seemed pretty tight, but will take it off again tomorrow and have someone turn the key with it off and see what happens. Would that explain the lack of spark from the ignition coil? This is the part I am looking at getting if the belt isnt the problem. NAPAONLINE®

Thanks for the help btw

Bitter · 08/29/2008, 11:01 PM

yes, that would explain no spark AND lack of pulse to the fuel injectors.

so would a bad crank or cam position sensor

agtmurphy · 08/29/2008, 11:02 PM

any way to check to see if those are bad? and how hard to change those?

Bitter · 08/29/2008, 11:05 PM

you'll need some diagnostic knowledge and either a code scanner with data stream display or a multi-meter.

agtmurphy · 08/29/2008, 11:07 PM

got a multimeter, dont have a code scanner, but could probably borrow one

agtmurphy · 08/29/2008, 11:08 PM

you have a link to the manual for 2nd gen eclipse? I have the one for the 3rd gen, or is the motor pretty much the same?

Bitter · 08/29/2008, 11:10 PM

no, you're more similar to the DOHC motor in the same years of dodge neon than any mitsubishi engine.

agtmurphy · 08/31/2008, 11:03 PM

Ok, so now pretty sure the crank position sensor is the problem. Once I found it, removed the bolt, and the plastic part outside the engine fell off, leaving the sensor itself with a piece of the plastic attached stuck inside the block. Only way I can come up with to get it out is patience with a pair of pliers/screwdriver/etc. Any other ideas on getting it out?

08/29/2008, 10:29 PM	#1 (permalink)
agtmurphy Just some guy Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Valdosta, GA Vehicle: 2002 Eclipse GT Posts: 24	Sound like a bad distributor? So one of the girls I work with has a 98 RS, and it just stopped running on her and will not crank up now. Motor turns over with starter but does not run, I checked all of the fuses, made sure there was fuel in the tank, stuck a screwdriver into the spark plug wires and had someone turn the key, no spark to a ground, so I am thinking the distributor is bad. Just wanted to see if anyone thought that sounded right, or if there is anything else I should look at before I go ordering parts, since no part stores here have or can get the distributor for it. I am trying to keep her dad from having to come down here and tow it 4 hours north to his mechanic in Atlanta, and any help or input would be greatly appreciated.

08/29/2008, 10:41 PM	#2 (permalink)
Bitter Zoom FTW Join Date: May 2004 Location: Homewood, Il Vehicle: 2007 Camaro Posts: 29,046	broken timing belt? __________________ bosorio187: dude bosorio187: the streets are my race track bosorio187: i am tardo 1993 Geo Prizm 7A-FE/A245E with 130K miles. K&N drop in, deleted intake snorkel, +15 degrees base timing, Ebay Header, no rear muffler=zoom zoom peppy :) - still need to do the tbelt +10k miles overdue.

08/29/2008, 10:51 PM	#4 (permalink)
Bitter Zoom FTW Join Date: May 2004 Location: Homewood, Il Vehicle: 2007 Camaro Posts: 29,046	you need to see the engine crank and the timing belt move. it can be snapped down by the crank and you wont see it. or the tensioner could have failed the belt isnt tight enough to engage the crank or cam sprockets. __________________ bosorio187: dude bosorio187: the streets are my race track bosorio187: i am tardo 1993 Geo Prizm 7A-FE/A245E with 130K miles. K&N drop in, deleted intake snorkel, +15 degrees base timing, Ebay Header, no rear muffler=zoom zoom peppy :) - still need to do the tbelt +10k miles overdue.

08/29/2008, 11:01 PM	#6 (permalink)
Bitter Zoom FTW Join Date: May 2004 Location: Homewood, Il Vehicle: 2007 Camaro Posts: 29,046	yes, that would explain no spark AND lack of pulse to the fuel injectors. so would a bad crank or cam position sensor __________________ bosorio187: dude bosorio187: the streets are my race track bosorio187: i am tardo 1993 Geo Prizm 7A-FE/A245E with 130K miles. K&N drop in, deleted intake snorkel, +15 degrees base timing, Ebay Header, no rear muffler=zoom zoom peppy :) - still need to do the tbelt +10k miles overdue.

08/29/2008, 11:05 PM	#8 (permalink)
Bitter Zoom FTW Join Date: May 2004 Location: Homewood, Il Vehicle: 2007 Camaro Posts: 29,046	you'll need some diagnostic knowledge and either a code scanner with data stream display or a multi-meter. __________________ bosorio187: dude bosorio187: the streets are my race track bosorio187: i am tardo 1993 Geo Prizm 7A-FE/A245E with 130K miles. K&N drop in, deleted intake snorkel, +15 degrees base timing, Ebay Header, no rear muffler=zoom zoom peppy :) - still need to do the tbelt +10k miles overdue.

08/29/2008, 10:48 PM	#3 (permalink)
agtmurphy Just some guy Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Valdosta, GA Vehicle: 2002 Eclipse GT Posts: 24	oh yeah, meant to mention that, I took off the cover, it looks good, that was my first concern when she asked me to look at it. She said she has had it for about a year and a half and bought it from a guy that owns a shop that put a new motor in it before she bought it. On a side note, the guy put an intake on it that is obviously not meant for the car, just kinda sitting in there, held on by the hose clamp, about 2.75" or 3" pipe running into a bent up reducer to connect to the engine. So, im really not sure how much whoever put the motor in actually knew what they were doing...

08/29/2008, 11:00 PM	#5 (permalink)
agtmurphy Just some guy Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Valdosta, GA Vehicle: 2002 Eclipse GT Posts: 24	I pushed on it and it seemed pretty tight, but will take it off again tomorrow and have someone turn the key with it off and see what happens. Would that explain the lack of spark from the ignition coil? This is the part I am looking at getting if the belt isnt the problem. NAPAONLINE® Thanks for the help btw

08/29/2008, 11:02 PM	#7 (permalink)
agtmurphy Just some guy Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Valdosta, GA Vehicle: 2002 Eclipse GT Posts: 24	any way to check to see if those are bad? and how hard to change those?

08/29/2008, 11:07 PM	#9 (permalink)
agtmurphy Just some guy Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Valdosta, GA Vehicle: 2002 Eclipse GT Posts: 24	got a multimeter, dont have a code scanner, but could probably borrow one

08/29/2008, 11:08 PM	#10 (permalink)
agtmurphy Just some guy Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Valdosta, GA Vehicle: 2002 Eclipse GT Posts: 24	you have a link to the manual for 2nd gen eclipse? I have the one for the 3rd gen, or is the motor pretty much the same?

08/29/2008, 11:10 PM	#11 (permalink)
Bitter Zoom FTW Join Date: May 2004 Location: Homewood, Il Vehicle: 2007 Camaro Posts: 29,046	no, you're more similar to the DOHC motor in the same years of dodge neon than any mitsubishi engine. __________________ bosorio187: dude bosorio187: the streets are my race track bosorio187: i am tardo 1993 Geo Prizm 7A-FE/A245E with 130K miles. K&N drop in, deleted intake snorkel, +15 degrees base timing, Ebay Header, no rear muffler=zoom zoom peppy :) - still need to do the tbelt +10k miles overdue.

08/31/2008, 11:03 PM	#12 (permalink)
agtmurphy Just some guy Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Valdosta, GA Vehicle: 2002 Eclipse GT Posts: 24	Ok, so now pretty sure the crank position sensor is the problem. Once I found it, removed the bolt, and the plastic part outside the engine fell off, leaving the sensor itself with a piece of the plastic attached stuck inside the block. Only way I can come up with to get it out is patience with a pair of pliers/screwdriver/etc. Any other ideas on getting it out?