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Help! My car won't start!; After changing engine compartment harness, won't fire
Topic Started: Sep 17 2015, 05:50 PM (1,715 Views)
Metromightymouse
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danielnv
Sep 23 2015, 08:22 PM
I found a wire connector on the ecu plug that was also for the up shift indicator, so I spliced into it and used a wire nut, so it will now connect all three places I found on my old harness. But I still don't have a spark.

Is there any reason I can't run a wire straight to the coil, with a switch on the dash?
You mean other than the increased likelihood of burning up your coil, increased complexity of your wiring, adding additional fail points in the system, oh, and the fact that the ECU controls when the coil fires, so if it isn't an issue with power to the coil it won't do anything? Nope, no reason. :D
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danielnv
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Metromightymouse
Sep 24 2015, 05:53 AM
danielnv
Sep 23 2015, 08:22 PM
I found a wire connector on the ecu plug that was also for the up shift indicator, so I spliced into it and used a wire nut, so it will now connect all three places I found on my old harness. But I still don't have a spark.

Is there any reason I can't run a wire straight to the coil, with a switch on the dash?
You mean other than the increased likelihood of burning up your coil, increased complexity of your wiring, adding additional fail points in the system, oh, and the fact that the ECU controls when the coil fires, so if it isn't an issue with power to the coil it won't do anything? Nope, no reason. :D
That's why i ask the experts, :thumb

I will try to find any other wires I need to change in the harness. The wire diagrams seem to go on forever.
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myredvert
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myredvert

Since it's supposed to the the first step in any diagnostic process, I'll ask...

Have you checked your OBD system for DTCs (codes)? If so, what are they?
Quote:
 
I found a wire connector on the ecu plug that was also for the up shift indicator, so I spliced into it and used a wire nut, so it will now connect all three places I found on my old harness. But I still don't have a spark.
Careful what you wish for. I have a feeling if you do get it running you may eventually end up with more sparks than you can imagine.

Can I ask what happened to the original harness that led you to want to hack it up so much? Respectfully, it sounds like you are in pretty far over your head and your electrical system is getting worse, not better.
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danielnv
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myredvert
Sep 24 2015, 07:24 PM
Since it's supposed to the the first step in any diagnostic process, I'll ask...

Have you checked your OBD system for DTCs (codes)? If so, what are they?
Quote:
 
I found a wire connector on the ecu plug that was also for the up shift indicator, so I spliced into it and used a wire nut, so it will now connect all three places I found on my old harness. But I still don't have a spark.
Careful what you wish for. I have a feeling if you do get it running you may eventually end up with more sparks than you can imagine.

Can I ask what happened to the original harness that led you to want to hack it up so much? Respectfully, it sounds like you are in pretty far over your head and your electrical system is getting worse, not better.
I have now checked the OBD system and have no codes. But I found MIL status off, misfire monitor ok, fuel system ok, comp component ok, catalist mon INC, Htd Catalyst NA, Evap System mon NA, Sec Air System NA, Oxygen Sensor Mon, INC, Oxygen Sensor Htr INC, EGR System INC. I'm assuming there isn't much to go on since I haven't been able to start the car since I reconnected the battery.

The wires in the quote above tested continuity on both harnesses, but the manual harness had continuity also on the wire that goes to the ignition for the upshift indicator, and I didn't see any other way to connect to it. I was hoping that was the only difference, but...

My original harness had been butchered pretty bad when I bought the car, although it worked for a few months. Then I discovered it wouldn't start cold because the temperature sensor wasn't connected, then the cam shaft position sensor wasn't reading, because of a shoddy wire splice that had been done, so I repaired that. It wouldn't start without a 100% charge, and seemed to always be around 95% when I stopped the car, so I was pretty sure something was shorting out in there somewhere that I couldn't find, especially when someone told me they smelled a burning smell from a short. I did find wires to a radio that had been taken out that were probably shorting out, and just removed the connector that didn't go anywhere anymore. I can't smell, but I was thinking there must be more hidden shorts somewhere within the harness. The metro has 195000 miles on it, by the way.

I wish I could find a chart that says what the difference is between the wiring of an automatic and manual. Maybe it is in this dealer repair manual somewhere.
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Metromightymouse
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Yes, the wiring for both will be in the FSM.
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