Intermittent no start condition

Rob Petrie E395 · 09-17-2013, 01:07 AM

Get a spark tester. It looks like a spark plug with a clip on the side (get the one that looks like a spark plug not the cheap plastic adjustable one if possible you will now what I mean when you see it). Unplug the coil wire and put the clip on your coil terminal and plug the coil wire on the spark tester like you would a spark plug wire. So that the spark tester is inline between the coil and the coil wire. While your at it get a noid light too. If you are not familiar with what a noid light is is plugs into the harness connector that plugs onto the injector. You can buy both of these tools at any auto parts store for probably twenty bucks or less. Then try to start the car until it does not want to start. You will know right away when you are trying to start it if it has spark because you will hear the spark tester snapping. If you have spark and it wont start quickly unhook a injector harness from a injector and plug in the noid light and crank it over. It should flash when cranking. This will allow you to figure out weather it is a injector pulse, spark or both problem. I dont have Accell system I use Holley, FAST and GM stuff on my cars. Does the Accell system use the OPTI for a crank signal or do you have a crank trigger?
Edit I just re read your posts so I know know it has a crank trigger. So See if one of the above is acting up (no injector pulse or no spark). Could be alot of things but we can figure out alot from knowing the results of the above tests. IE if its just no injector pulse or just no spark could be some things. IF it does not have spark and injector pulse it narrows it down some. Let me know what you come up with and I would be happy to try and help.

John Nechiporchik · 09-17-2013, 09:27 AM

Rob, I will get a spark tester and noid light tonight and run the tests. I'll post results.

Thanks for the tips. Testing these systems is a lot better than starting to throw money at parts.

John Nechiporchik · 09-17-2013, 09:35 AM

Steve and SS 3011
Sunday when the engine was running, the fuel pressure was rock steady at 45psi.

Also, the set up has a crank trigger and I have no knowledge as to the questions SS raised on the signal source and timing of signal.
I'm hoping the problem lies in the coil, regulator or perhaps crank trigger as these are relatively easy (but not cheap) fixes. The tests Rob suggested will provide some direction. If this is an ECU based issue.....that's a whole different scenario!!

buzzinhalfdozen · 09-17-2013, 09:55 AM

I may be wrong but I seem to recall the digital 7's having an LED on them that when blinking during cranking indicate it's seeing a trigger (crank sensor input), you may want to read the instruction manual on that. If it's in fact the case and you're seeing it blink, that would indicate to me that the triggering is working correctly. I'm not familiar with your system but most merely piggyback off the MSD for RPM (trigger) events which it needs to operate. Would be a quick way of determining what side to look at spark or fuel. Joe

John Nechiporchik · 09-17-2013, 09:58 AM

Thanks. I'll check out the MSD instructions.

09-17-2013, 01:07 AM	#1
Rob Petrie E395 VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Woodlawn IL Posts: 1,092 Likes: 162 Liked 216 Times in 77 Posts	Re: Intermittent no start condition Get a spark tester. It looks like a spark plug with a clip on the side (get the one that looks like a spark plug not the cheap plastic adjustable one if possible you will now what I mean when you see it). Unplug the coil wire and put the clip on your coil terminal and plug the coil wire on the spark tester like you would a spark plug wire. So that the spark tester is inline between the coil and the coil wire. While your at it get a noid light too. If you are not familiar with what a noid light is is plugs into the harness connector that plugs onto the injector. You can buy both of these tools at any auto parts store for probably twenty bucks or less. Then try to start the car until it does not want to start. You will know right away when you are trying to start it if it has spark because you will hear the spark tester snapping. If you have spark and it wont start quickly unhook a injector harness from a injector and plug in the noid light and crank it over. It should flash when cranking. This will allow you to figure out weather it is a injector pulse, spark or both problem. I dont have Accell system I use Holley, FAST and GM stuff on my cars. Does the Accell system use the OPTI for a crank signal or do you have a crank trigger? Edit I just re read your posts so I know know it has a crank trigger. So See if one of the above is acting up (no injector pulse or no spark). Could be alot of things but we can figure out alot from knowing the results of the above tests. IE if its just no injector pulse or just no spark could be some things. IF it does not have spark and injector pulse it narrows it down some. Let me know what you come up with and I would be happy to try and help. Last edited by Rob Petrie E395; 09-17-2013 at 01:32 AM.

09-17-2013, 09:27 AM	#2
John Nechiporchik Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Grosse Ile Mi. Posts: 316 Likes: 84 Liked 13 Times in 7 Posts	Re: Intermittent no start condition Rob, I will get a spark tester and noid light tonight and run the tests. I'll post results. Thanks for the tips. Testing these systems is a lot better than starting to throw money at parts.

09-17-2013, 09:35 AM	#3
John Nechiporchik Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Grosse Ile Mi. Posts: 316 Likes: 84 Liked 13 Times in 7 Posts	Re: Intermittent no start condition Steve and SS 3011 Sunday when the engine was running, the fuel pressure was rock steady at 45psi. Also, the set up has a crank trigger and I have no knowledge as to the questions SS raised on the signal source and timing of signal. I'm hoping the problem lies in the coil, regulator or perhaps crank trigger as these are relatively easy (but not cheap) fixes. The tests Rob suggested will provide some direction. If this is an ECU based issue.....that's a whole different scenario!!

09-17-2013, 09:55 AM	#4
buzzinhalfdozen Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bellevue Ohio Posts: 984 Likes: 0 Liked 11 Times in 8 Posts	Re: Intermittent no start condition I may be wrong but I seem to recall the digital 7's having an LED on them that when blinking during cranking indicate it's seeing a trigger (crank sensor input), you may want to read the instruction manual on that. If it's in fact the case and you're seeing it blink, that would indicate to me that the triggering is working correctly. I'm not familiar with your system but most merely piggyback off the MSD for RPM (trigger) events which it needs to operate. Would be a quick way of determining what side to look at spark or fuel. Joe __________________ Joe Buchanan SS/BX 3117

09-17-2013, 09:58 AM	#5
John Nechiporchik Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Grosse Ile Mi. Posts: 316 Likes: 84 Liked 13 Times in 7 Posts	Re: Intermittent no start condition Thanks. I'll check out the MSD instructions.