91 D50 with ignition problem. no spark

Hey guys,

I need some help figuring out my ignition issue. I was driving down the road and suddenly I lost spark half a mile from my house. I decided to be lazy and figure it is the ignition coil. So i decided to replace that and just do the cap and rotor since i'm there. Well sure enough I put it in and still no spark. My factory service manual is only listing the power transistor as another possible suspect. Anybody else ever have this problem? or some insight at least. Because now I could just keep throwing parts at the car but i'm worried i'm going to burn more $$$ than i need too. I was looking for it in the FSM but could find no mention of it, but rock auto has a starter relay listed as well. Could that be it? Im out of ideas and am hoping somebody here may have an idea!

Check voltages on the dropping resistor.

where is the dropping resistor located?

I want to say it's on the firewall. It's a ceramic rectangle about 4" long. Do you have any voltage at the coil?

Im not sure. I have to buy a multi meter sadly enough. I keep all my regular tools at my parents farm an hour and a half away... does me no good there lol. Im looking at the wiring diagram and outside of the ECU, the only things that show up on there are a noise filter and the power transistor. The power transistor is next to the ignition coil but the noise filter I have no idea where that is. No mention of a drop resistor on the diagram. I can't go take a look because I have stolen the girlfriends car and she has my car keys. She works 6a-230 and I work noon-10 so I have to wait all day to check. But i'll get a multi meter in the mean time at least.

Im just a bit surprised that it would cut out like that while the vehicle is in use. stupid small electronics.

if the dropping resistor is the same as the ballist resistor,it will be on your drivers side inner fender well,behind the battery.little whitish/grey looking creamic thing with a wire or two on it.Ours went out and the thing crumbled when we touched it.
this is where ours was on the 88max we had a few years ago.

Attachment 3293

Humm I would get you to bring it down to the shop if you can get AMA to tow it here and I could take a look. I'm down in Ogdon and have a small shop I work out of behind the house. MPH Racing is my Company.

Thats a great offer but the only issue is have is that the tow would cost $150 because i'm up in varsity. And at this point its narrowed down to this drop resistor or the power transistor so either way a cheap part. I called chrysler to see what the power transistor would go for and they are having a hard time finding it in their parts system. Im guessing it could be that because based on the circuit information it acts as a sort of switch. I can confirm that better once I have a multimeter in my hands. Also, this is the 2.4 efi engine so does it even have the drop resistor? i'm not seeing it on the circuit diagram which is why i'm questioning if it even exists.

Pretty sure from remembering what my buddies 2.4 looks like under the hood that you don't have a ballast(drop?) resistor. The power tranistor will definitely mess/make you not have spark or actually power to the coil if it is going bad.

Well apparently the gods of the world have a hate on for me right now. The multimeter I bought is DOA; does nothing with power in it. So I cannot confirm in the coil is getting power. But I think i can theorize that the coil isn't getting power because if it was wouldn't the distributor complete the circuit and thus give me spark?

I looked for the drop resistor and I cannot locate any sort of ceramic brick in the truck. My datsun 280zx had one but this vehicle does not appear to have one. So its indicating that its most likely the power transistor... The part that my dealer does not have looks like. I'll call another dealership and see what I find, but I think i'm going to have to see who is parting one of these out online. Unless Fordubishi knows that we have a second gen d50 in the scrapyards around the city that I should maybe check out first.

if u have the 2.4,there isn't a ballist resistor

Well no ballist resistor only makes sense. My roommate just woke up and he happened to have a multi meter kicking around. Turns out the coil is getting power. So now i'm really confused. I figured if the coil is getting power the distributor cap and rotor would complete the circuit and thus give me spark. So this must mean the problem is after the ignition coil?

Could be the magnetic pick up in the distributor or the spark control modual died. Not sure where the Spark control is on these trucks. worst comes to worse you can go to Mopac and get a MSD 6a digital box.

Thats what I was wondering, but then wouldn't I need the custom install a timing sensor? I've never done one of those before. What is the ball park on getting one of those too? I might be in a time crunch so I might actually tow it down.

so i looked closer into the distributor, and it has a crank angle sensor on it. So its possible that is the source of failure. And mopac said since its a computer controlled ignition there is not aftermarket ignition system I could install on the truck. There is a possiblity of the computer being failed too.

First off when you order parts(or try to) from a dealer go to a mitsubishi dealership and order for a mighty max same year and everything as your truck, I have heard of tons of dodge dealers not knowing crap of these trucks as well as that there are still parts for them.

Yes it could very well be the ECU, if there are leaking capacitors(happens a lot on older mitsu ecus) then it most likely messed up the ecu, or even if no leaking caps the ecu could still be bad. You can pull the ecu out of the truck and open up the case that it's in and see if you see any capacitors leaking fluid all over the circuit board.

Well ive decided to give up on this truck. I'm going to sell it for a few hundred at this point... Fordubishi you interested?

I would be if I didn't have 4 other projects on the go right now. Give me a few days and i will let you know.

K sounds good. I really don't want to take it to a wrecker... just too few of these trucks around and i'd rather see somebody else bring it back to life and keep it going for a while longer.

Get it fordubishi, you know you want a 2nd gen to go along with ur 1st gen.

It could be the Fordubishi Reloaded.

Found the Transducer for you, Standard Motor Products Part# LX626, Auto Value has 4 at the warehouse and their around $165.00cdn. Or you can order one from Rockauto.com for a 3.0L, its the same part and its listed as the ICM under electrical for around $40.00us + shipping

It's the same one used on the 1.5L,1.6L.2.0L and 3.0L they just don't have it listed for the 2.4L for some reason.So you could go to Pick n Pull and grab one off one of those too.

so did he ever fix this problem?? because i am having the same one.. i am completely stumped

No spark issue? Is your coil getting power, this needs to be confirmed before any other help can be given

yes but when I crank it.. no spark

Sounds like a dead ICM on the distributor side of the deal. You got power in and the coil is live - only thing it could be (maybe a broken wire too but the ICM's don't work forever...)

i am having the same problem with my 90 power ram , it has the 3.0 and i have power to my coil but no power from it , power to my distibuter and no power from it and have replaced the coil ,distributor cap and rotor,ignition module or part number lx626 with a new one and still no spark now im really stumped as well ?

If they wont send a signal but are getting power its gotta be your ECU or main relay, since you pretty much changed all other ignition related items.