'88 Bonneville won't start (more info inside)

[DavidL]

Thanks again for all the help so far...

Lets say my budget can only afford 1 fix...coils are about $20 (and I need 3) and an ICM is around $80....which should I spring for first, ICM or coils? IE: Which is more likely to go bad?

Also, I can't seem to find exactly what ICM I need, parts store here has 2 kinds, both very different. Anyone know exactly which one I'll need or should I just go take out my old one to find out?

[myfirstbonnie]

Take a meter with you and hit the wreckers. I got the whole conversion (3 coils and ICM) for $30. Check the coils before you leave and get three matching ones. See techinfo for measurements.

[DavidL]

Not the coils (I assume). Replaced all 3 and the result is the same as before.

I can get a new ICM for around $80, should I bother replacing or should we reevaluate the situation?

[J Wikoff]

Have you determined if you have spark or fuel?

[myfirstbonnie]

Did you ever check to see if there was any spark? Did you do the light bulb check on the injectors to see if you are getting injector pulses? Have you tried to pull the codes?

3 things for a car to run: air, fuel and spark. Before throwing money at it, do the simple checks first.

1. Fuel: do the light bulb check mentioned before to see if you are commanding the fuel injectors
2. Spark: if nothing else, pull a plug and lay it on somethig metal to get a ground and have someone turn the key to see if it is getting spark

From these two, it will be a lot easier to narrow things down using the codes pulled from the ECM.

[DavidL]

IT'S ALIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE

Snagged a cheap ICM and that +coils got it running again.

Thanks a ton, guys. I'll bookmark this forum and it'll be my first choice for advice if I ever have other problems. You're all awesome.