02 ZTS no spark

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Just picked up an '02 ZTS 5spd for almost literally nothing, it doesn't run and I've determined that the wiring between the coil pack and PCM are good, and the wiring from the crank sensor and PCM are good. I just installed a brand new crank sensor and still nothing. The coil pack has power but there's no firing signal from the PCM. What else could cause no spark? I don't know if the PCM is good or not, the only other ones I have are from Escorts. I have one from a ZX2 S/R and one from a '99 automatic sedan and several pre '95. I didn't bother pulling the one out of the '99 because I figured it would be completely different. I was thinking maybe the S/R computer would work but it's in storage right now an hour away from where the car is.


I'm trying to get this car going ASAP for as little as possible,the transmission went out in my Saab last night and I deliver papers every single day. I'm borrowing a van for the night but I need to get a vehicle going soon!


Any help is much appreciated, thanks in advance!

[Sponsor]

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Oh and I work at a shop so I have access to multimeters, LED test lights, regular test lights, all that fancy crap, which is how I found out all the wiring is good and there's signal from the crank sensor. I also have the ECU pinout so I can quick reference any wiring that I'm told to check.

[sleepyboy]

Could be the anti theft PATS system not letting it fire. What does the little red light next to the hazard switch do when you try starting it?

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It does nothing, it doesn't light up at any time that I've seen. I also forgot to mention that before I started messing around with stuff, it would spit and sputter a little, every couple seconds it kind of coughed like it was trying to fire but wouldn't start. Now that I've been messing with stuff it does nothing. Also when I went to check the crank sensor the bolt was loose and the sensor moved around inside the bell housing.

[sleepyboy]

But you replaced the crank sensor and it no longer moves in the spot right? The light should do something but I honestly forget what it looks like. I know it flashes and then stays lit when the key is in the ignition but I can't be sure as I never look at mine anymore.

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Ok so I think it is the computer, I moved it around and it started spitting and sputtering, and if I tap on it while cranking the CEL comes on and goes out and it spits and sputters more or less. What are the chances the computer form that '99 SOHC automatic Escort is close enough to let the car start?

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Ok so now that it's sputtering again, there is constant power to all three coil wires. o_O

[sleepyboy]

Check the ECU ground wires.

[sleepyboy]

Any ECU will not work you need one that has the same ECU code has yours. Even then I'm not even sure if it will work due to the PATS but I'm not too sure on that. I do know that ECU's are pretty cheap at junk yards if yours is bad. Typically though there might be dashes ---- on the odometer sometimes if it's bad. Surly someone with more knowledge on this will chime it. It's very rare that we see ECU's go out on our cars. Most of the time it's a grounding issue.

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Now that you mention it, when we were pulling the car back to the shop when I would put it in gear and let out the clutch the speedometer dropped to 0 and the odometer read ----

I'm going to assume the computer took a crap and see if I can get one form a junk yard.