Engine turns over but wont start, no spark to plugs

[robbybobby]

WELCOME ! Robby

New to the site. Just some background information:
1992 Geo Tracker 2 door convertible, 5 speed, 4x4, A/C and power steering (which engine?)
I bought the Tracker a couple weeks ago and have been fixing parts on it to get it drivable. (new clutch and cable, fuel pump and filter, radiator, etc.) I got it running well and have been driving it with no issues for several days.
On the way home last night, went to start the engine this is the sequence of events:

1) Started up and ran for a few seconds, started running rough and died.

2) Smoke started coming out from under the hood, so I raised the hood to see what was going on, nothing noticeable.
3) Tried to start engine again, would turn over but not start
4) At this point, lots of smoke! Jumped out to look, wires were on fire!
5) Got the fire put out. Definitely won't start now.

The wires which caught fire are on left side of engine under intake manifold coming from the 2 VSV. I believe this has the wiring for the O2 sensor (which goes across to the other side of engine) bundled in it as well.

depends on which engine, this and if calif or federal 02 sensor.

the o2 wires hit the exhaust and shorted, this is the all time top fail on most cars, with wires not tied back like new.






Noticed a fuse was blown in the FI spot but I replaced.
It was a 30A (obviously wrong size, should be 15A). he (PO) DID that and he caused the fire.

I checked all fuse holes in box and they are all getting power with key turned on.
I have replaced the wiring for where it caught fire, checked to make sure I am getting power at the VSV plugs now (seem to be getting power now).
There were 2 blue wires which got burnt up, one comes from the wire bundle to ECU, the other comes from the distributor plug.
Which VSV does the blue wire from distributor plug go to (red or blue)?


Tried to start and nothing.
Car will turn over but not start.
I checked all spark plugs, NO fire.
Checked for power coming out of ignition coil to distributor, I am getting power to distributor with key on.

A few notes from reading information:
- Check engine light has not come on this entire time, (no power to ECU or the PO, pulled the lamp to hide DTC errors)
- The tach does not move any when trying to crank

Is this an ignition problem or ECU problem? Distributor? (all the above it is)
Ignition control Module? Ignition Coil? ECU? not sure where to go from here.
dont worry this easy problem, but tedious fix.


On another note, the engine started having trouble starting first thing before the fire.
Would have to turn over engine and pump the gas for a bit to get it going and it would run rough for a few seconds.
It didn't do this when I first got it running.
Could this be caused by the same issue as the wires catching fire I assume? YES iT WAS

I plan to attempt retrieving of codes from ECU when I get home. Thanks in advance for the expertise and help!

Robby

ok the 30 amp fuse for sure burned up major power wires.
but i can not help you much not knowing which engine it is,, 8v or 16v. TBI or MPI.

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i dont think its the 02 sensor
the O2 blows IG-coil each time and never FI.
all the blue wires have a stripe, so is it blue-black (strip is black)
????
if yes that wire is FI main power.
any wire can short, but the top loads on that FI wire
are,fuel pump line shorted.
the FI feed blue-blk powers the distributor Cmp but IGcoil fuse runs the COIL and ignitor.
so the DIzzy needs 2 fuses to make spark and a working ECU.

as you can see igcoil runs the CEL lamp if lamp is good then ECU is bad. or has lost power.

id bet pins b1 AND b7 ARE 0V IN TO ECU , NO POWER.

NO MY GUESS.

MOST CARS BURN UP FI for these reasons
1: ECU shorted. the infamous bad caps, deal.
2: fuel pump (unplug fuel pump relay and get power back to ECU, and see if fuse holds.) it wont run but you can test with TEST FUEL in this mode.
3: or wires shorted (blue-black) anywhere, since yours burned up not under dash but hood, then I PICK THIS.




my guess 8v engine

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and do not forget the full power page
here.
DISTRIBUTION 8v and 16v, BOTH !
http://www.fixkick.com/power-elect/95%20...istra1.pdf

Ok, it's an 8 valve.
I tried testing for codes with the CEL and nothing. Couldn't get the light to come on at all.
The fuel pump relay is good, ruled that out already...
The wire is blue with black stripe. So does it matter which VSV it connects to? Paired with the white/green wire (red plug) or the green/yellow wire (blue plug)?
Thanks, working on it now so which direction should I head?

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Also on the plug going into the distributor:
White white reading 10v with key on
Black wire is ground
Blue with black stripe wire isn't reading anything... Should it be?