Ignition Question/ No fire

[dhall1693]

My little commuter car: 01 Mazda Protege

Scenario: Was headed to go scout a piece of property. When I cranked the car at lunch, it sputtered a bit when I gave it some gas. Got down the road and it was fine. Stopped for lunch, got back in cranked fine, no sputter.

Got going down the road about 5 miles and the car cut off. Was able to drift off a back road and stop. Car wouldn't crank back up. All lights, radio etc still worked. Fuel pump kicks in when I try to restart. All belts turn over, but you can tell nothing is firing, you can just hear the belts turning over.

Got it pulled back to the house, and started initial diagnosis.

Checked coils: One was really hot to the touch, the other was ambient temperature. Checked fire with no fire on 1,3 the others are attached to coil. ( only two coils and 2 spark plug wires) Coil 1( 1,4) Coil 2(2,3).

Checked relays and fuses and seemed to check out.

Googled and Googled, what I find is one( bad Crank position sensor, bad mass air flow sensor( took it off and cleaned very well), or Computer.

However I'm not sure how to determine a bad Crank position Sensor or bad computer.

Any thoughts on this?

[swampshooter]

If you have check engine light on, I would scan and get codes first.

[dhall1693]

If you have check engine light on, I would scan and get codes first.

Well here is the kicker, duckcutter came to get me, I had to take my battery out to use for his winch on his trailer. Thus clearing to codes. We tried to code check it after putting battery back in, but no prevail.

[turbo]

*avail

You should be able to test the CPS with a multimeter. You just need to work some google fu to figure out what the acceptable ohm range is.

I'll wager you're going to have a fuel pressure code when you do get it to throw a code (fuel pump). However, I can't explain your lack of fire on those coils other than I'm assuming you're missing a good ground when you try to test it.

A sensor goes out over time. Eventually, when it works out of range, a CEL will present itself. If you had/have no CEL, I'm doubtful its the sensor.

[KRT]

If you don't have fire, I'd start with crank sensor. The code would have been helpful, some scanners (better ones) will tell you history codes. Again a good scanner will tell you if you have RPMs in status request while trying to crank. If it reads 300 or higher as it turns over then usually crank sensor is fine. No fire on one cyl per coil is odd.

I'd make damn sure you have fuel pressure. Not sure about a Mazda but some cars will kill fire if there is no fuel pressure.

[turbo]

#samesies

[KRT]

I was typing as you hit post.

But know some cars kill fire if fuel pressure is in lack of presence.

[XHailGC]

Timing belt.

[turbo]

I was typing as you hit post.

But know some cars kill fire if fuel pressure is in lack of presence.

Noted and filed in the back of my head.

Never ran into that one.

[Chuck the Duck Slayer]

sure its not the ball joint?

[Gone South]

Lose crank signal and you'll lose spark. I'd check there

[marsh chicken]

What they said...

[Duck cutter]

If you don't have fire, I'd start with crank sensor. The code would have been helpful, some scanners (better ones) will tell you history codes. Again a good scanner will tell you if you have RPMs in status request while trying to crank. If it reads 300 or higher as it turns over then usually crank sensor is fine. No fire on one cyl per coil is odd.

I'd make damn sure you have fuel pressure. Not sure about a Mazda but some cars will kill fire if there is no fuel pressure.

My scanner won't pull a past code, it's a cheap one.
I paid less than a dollar for it

[dhall1693]

I'm getting no RPMs, so that's leading me to the Cranks position sensor like all posts above. When I finally found the sensor, it is covered in oil, so it has me believing more that the sensor is bad.

Thanks all for the input, will try to replace tonight and see if that helps.

[KRT]

My scanner won't pull a past code, it's a cheap one.
I paid less than a dollar for it

Long as it does what you want it to do then it doesn't matter. The Snapon Zeus I'm looking at is 21K with the work station. Imagine having to write that check.

[Duck cutter]

Long as it does what you want it to do then it doesn't matter. The Snapon Zeus I'm looking at is 21K with the work station. Imagine having to write that check.

I don't want to imagine that, I wouldn't mind seeing What all that machine is capable of doing though.

Mine was an inexpensive unit off Amazon, bought the same day I renewed my prime membership. It threw some sort of weird discount because I renewed that day and it wound up being like $0.89. It's helped me to figure out a lot of stuff though.

[turbo]

Long as it does what you want it to do then it doesn't matter. The Snapon Zeus I'm looking at is 21K with the work station. Imagine having to write that check.

Having a unit like that at your disposal is worth every penny and you know it.

[Chuck the Duck Slayer]

Tommy would have to show him how to use it.

[KRT]

He doesn't do well with technology. Tommy still uses a typewriter.