I'm having an issue with my car not starting, starting today on the first day of the new year, whoopee. Anyways, I tried jumping it, to no avail. Listened for the fuel pump and heard it humming, pulled out spark plug #1 and plugged it into the plug wires and looked for an arc, as my wife turned over the car 1 crank and I saw no arc. Is this the correct way to check for an arc on a spark plug? Also, am I checking the correct plug?
The plug was pretty fouled and have not been changed in awhile, so this could be the culprit. Just wondering what the JBO had to say about it.
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If it was fouled, put a fresh plug in and see.
There's a tool out now to check for spark (safety thing), but that's the old school method.
I agree with Kardain
but
Was the body of the plug grounded to the engine block to provide the return path?
Alont
the only thing that it was touching was the metal of the spark plug wire.
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Ahh... the plug is grounded through the block, so you need to place it close to something metal (radiator support for example) for the spark to show.
Ok, I'll give it another go tomorrow, as its 10:45 here and my car is in another city. Thanks for the help guys.
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Well, the spark plugs arced, and I second guessed my wifes ear and I did not hear the fuel pump running while SHE turned the key on. I took off the intake and poured a little bit of gas into the TB and it fired right up. Looks like I get to change a fuel pump.
Got a quote from a shop for 168 dollars in labor for putting in a new fuel pump. They wanted to charge me 422 for the fuel pump, but I found it cheaper for 214 and the shop installs customer bought parts (thank god) so the total without taxes for the fuel pump is 382. That sound pretty decent for a fuel pump install?
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