stazja01

I have a bare bones stock 79 omni that won't start and was running fine before. It has plenty of gas and shoots it into the carb when the pedal is pushed. I was told to get a new ignition control module by a mechanic friend of mine. I got one easily http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/Pro...pe=194&PTSet=A but can't seem to find it under the hood to replace it. Where the heck is it? I thought I knew where it was but turns out that's the voltage regulator. Thanks in advance.

stazja01

When you say the right fender, do you mean driver or passenger side? It's night here now and about 20 degrees and I don't want to look until I have daylight again.

stazja01

I believe I found what you were talking about. Next to the battery mounted against the fender is a long black box with a vacuum advance on it and about eight or ten wires coming off an electrical connection. This is on the driver side (right side if looking from front of car) and is in line with the air intake. I've started looking up lean burn ignition computers and it doesn't look good. What's my best course of action is this is the fault?

http://www.napaonline.com/MasterPage...mputer+-+Remfd

stazja01

I have 12 volts on the cable from the coil to the distributor but no spark. I pulled one of the plugs and cranked it and nothing. I've already replaced all the parts in the distributor except for the cap which looked fine. If the choke wasn't working, I'd expect it to struggle. However, I've got absolutely nothing besides cranking and gas right now. It really seems like it doesn't know when to spark. If I'd have realized this car had a computer before I probably would have figured this sooner. I already ordered the computer through napa (thank goodness someone carries it) and hopefully that will be the end of it. Are there any sensors besides the distributor pickup that would stop this car from sparking? I've already ordered a chilton's manual (read: car bible) but it won't be here for a few days.

stazja01

I'm pretty sure the distributor turns mechanically with the rotation of the motor. The rotor has been replaced but I left the cap alone as it looked fine. In any case, I didn't think cap failure was sudden. I parked the car one day and two days later it wouldn't start. I do have 12 volts coming out of the coil (which I have replaced just to be safe).

Thanks for your help. I had no idea this car had an lean burn ignition system. I'd have probably thought twice about buying it if I had. Hopefully the new part straightens it out.

stazja01

I don't believe mine has any kind of clips holding things together. Also, I already recharged the battery and it is holding 12 volts. Two new questions while I'm waiting for my new computer:

1: I noticed that the air intake hose from the lean burn box to the air cleaner is disintegrating. Would it be possible that if it wasn't drawing enough air through the lean burn box that it wouldn't start?

2: Is the wire from the coil to the distributor supposed to have resistance? I did a continuity check and showed some resistance instead of a straight current. The one end of the wire is gold and the other is silver. Also, the rubber boot on this wire at the coil end had a crack in it which I wrapped electrical tape around several times. Any problems with that either?

stazja01

I've been testing things out now that I have my new computer and I'm still befuddled. I've got spark at the plugs (sat one on the engine and cranked it) but still not even a stumble like it's going to start. I'm recharging the battery as it had gotten somewhat low but I'm just not sure what's going on here. Pressing the gas puts fuel in the carb. I've got spark at my plugs. The car was running fine when I parked it so something like the timing belt slipping at the exact moment I stopped the car seems very unlikely. The only issue I had with the car prior to this was a bit of dieseling when I shut it down from time to time.

stazja01

Well, she started. I recharged the battery and that seemed to do it. All the cranking and cranking seems to have diminished it enough that it wouldn't start the car. She's running a bit rough but considering I've replaced a few distributor components I'm not real surprised. I'm changing the spark plugs and wires and the distributor cap in the next couple days and then I'll put a timing light on it. I'm not sure what the actual problem was as I replaced quite a few components but my money is on the computer.

stazja01

Now I've got an interesting problem... When cold, I have to unhook the fuel line and crank it then hook it back up and it's fine. When the car warms up it starts right up but when it's cold I have to do this.

stazja01

I don't have it right in front of me but I don't think so. Also, what controls when the cooling fan comes on? It runs when I directly hook up 12 volts to it but I've never seen it move on its own. This includes long periods of idling. I may just wire it into a wire that's hot when the ignition is on if it isn't going to screw anything up.

stazja01

I do not have AC. I did notice a sensor on the engine where the coolant goes in (or out) via the upper radiator hose. It is around 30 degrees here lately so maybe that's the case. However, I'd think any car idling even in cold weather at normal operating temp would need some cooling. I busted one of the old heater core hoses last night right by the clamp on the engine and I think temperature had something to do with it. Also, the car idled fine for like 10 minutes and suddenly acted up when it got hot.

I'm starting to wonder if maybe something is wrong in the carb. It did sit for three years and I've had similar problems with holley four barrels that have sat for long periods after steady use (shrinking gaskets, etc.) where it would start fine and then act like it wanted to stall when brought to a stop after reaching normal operating temp.

TVLynn

79 Omni has a 1.7 VW motor