Hello,

I just got a 1988 Suzuki Samurai!  My first Samurai.  anyways I was cruzing at about 60mph on the hi-way then instantly the engine lost all power and the RPM's went to 0.  Even though I still had the motor in gear going about 60mph the tach showed 0 rpm.  Everything else worked, lights, radio, starter.  so I had it towed home, tested for spark, none.  no power to the coil or distributor either, I checked the fuse box but they were all good.  Battery volts at 12.40.  I am stumped, any ideas would be greatly appreciated!  Thank You.

I'm not a Sammy pro, but it sounds like something simple, like a power lead to your ignition source gone bad or disconnected. Try following all the leads to the coil and ignition pack to see if theres one disconnected.

Thank You, I will give that a try! 

I can't remember what all is affected by it but there is a very small slider switch under the steering wheel that will cut the engine it is sorta like the dummy lights on new cars telling you to service it (I think) anyway you can slide it to it's other position and see it it helps if everything else checks out good.

That switch is just for turning the 'Check Engine' light off, it shouldn't affect your ignition. 

Not much to these vehicles if it is not getting spark I am sure it will turn out to be something simple,let us know what you find out.

Thanks, I will let you know as soon as I know : )    I haven't really had time to work on it, because of work, but I've got Monday and Tuesday off so I'm sure it will be running by then.  I got one of the Chilton repair manuals, looks like it has some helpful wiring diagrams. 

I just had spark problems too. Mine was a bad computer so hopefully you are more lucky than I am. Take a meter and check for power at your coil and the ignitor (which is the thing right next to the coil). I have fuel injection so my situation is a bit different I guess but maybe that will help a little.

Well, I found out that the coil was bad(had it tested), thus no spark.  I got a new coil, and now there is spark!  ..... but in between all this I took the distributor off and checked it out then put it back, of course I didn't realize that it mattered what orientation I had the rotor when re-installing.  So I am trying to re-align the distributor with the firing sequence.  I put the #1 cylinder at tdc compression stroke (by putting my finger over the spark plug hole to feel air moving out for compression.)  Then I aligned the distributor rotor with spark plug #1.  No luck, it just cranks over but doesn't fire up.  Am I missing something or doing anything wrong?  

... Update:  Just found out that the distributor rotor is not turning when the motor turns over.  Maybe the timing belt broke?

So I met some guys that knew about Samurai's and they helped me out, we found out that the camshaft snapped in half!  It looks like that part of the cam wasn't getting oil..  I'm thinking of just getting a whole new head.   Pics!  :  

Can't tell from the photo where the cam broke, but it does look pretty spooged up in there.

Yes it looks pretty dry and that's the reason it must have snapped. Now you need to change the cam and check that it is getting oil.

maybe a motor flush and new oil pump? I think I would get a complete rebuild. did that cam snap right through a lobe? and is it hollow? pretty cool carnage

Yeah the cam is hollow!  I guess to save rotating mass.  It split right after the lobe, and yeah it is pretty cool : )  So far I've got it lined out to get a complete head off of a guy i knows running motor, then replace the oil and water pumps.  You guys think it should be rebuilt as well?  I was thinking it would be good to go with that... ?  I have the head sitting on my bench