I don;t have my service manual handy but from what I recall ...

The tach is fed from the inducer? (not the coil)? I also recall that the inducer has some wimpy 18 guage wire running to ground (on the firewall?). If the ground has gone bad, you could get your symptoms.

As for testing spark, the ONLY reliable means is with the plugs in, under compression, and using a timing light. Pulling a plug wire and seeing a spark to ground doesn't show that the PLUG is actually firing. If the spark is weak, you might see a wire spark, but if the timing light inducer can't pick up spark from the wire (with plugs in under compression), then you know you really aren't getting spark.

Other items to check ...
cap/rotor (carbon traces?, hair?)
is the wire to the distributor getting consitant fire (using timing light with plugs in)?

You might have gone down this road already, but sometimes the simple crap get's your hair pulled out ... (i.e. what's the fuel guage read:) )

Rob

I'll check my manual, but what is the "inducer"?

I did have the 1/2" ratchet handle near the coil & surrounding wires when removing the plugs.  I checked the wires, but probably need to check them again.

I guess I should check the coil voltage too.  And, I'll hook the timing light up to all four plugs (one at a time of course).  I was getting a timing light when hooked up to #1.

Thanks.

92Sidekick4x4  & Wildgoody,

I would have thought that with fuel and spark (that is enough spark) that it would run too.  I would think that  if something was wrong with the computer, it would keep either spark, or fuel, or both from working.

But, given the nature of cars & computers these days, I wouldn't bet money on it      It'd be interesting to have someone with a running vehicle unplug their computer and see what happens.  My guess would be that it would run, poorly maybe, but that it would run.

Thanks all, I appreciate the thoughts.  This has been EXTREEMLY frustrating  

OK, this is simple mechanics, if you
have fuel, and a spark in the cylinder
it will start, it has to, assuming there
is compression, that's laws of nature,
sorry I can't change that.

You need to verify the cam is still timed
right, that the distributor is turning, and
that the plug wires are on the right plugs.

All this checks out and it won't start, fuel is
the problem, verify with starting fluid (spray)

The trucklet will not run without the computer,
that is what pulses the injector, no pulse, no
fuel. the ECU does not have any spark control
that I am aware of on the earlier Track/Kicks,
later models have some control, don't know when
it started, I know at least some 16V engines do.

Weak spark will not jump the plug gap, but you
should be able to tell with a look at the plug if
it has a hot spark or not, if unsure have the voltage
tested, or replace the coil with a known good one
before buying parts.

Check the grounds by the distributor, these are the
main grounds for the computer system, without them
it will not work properly, if at all, check for broken wires
as there are several grounds there, seems like 5 or 6
wires if I remember right.

Double check the fuel, starting fluid is cheep and easy
to check with, and might save you lots of time/headache

Wild

Side Note:

When I hooked up the MegaSquirt I tried
to use the factory tach signal, it caused a
no start condition, seems the tach signal
is read by the computer, no signal no
continued run, I could get a little bit of
start, but it was a hard start and no run
situation.

If the Distributor has an electrical problem,
I bet the engine will not run, same as my
ground out tach signal problem.

What year is this truck
8V ? etc.

OK, this is simple mechanics, if you
have fuel, and a spark in the cylinder
it will start, it has to, assuming there
is compression, that's laws of nature,
sorry I can't change that.

You need to verify the cam is still timed
right, that the distributor is turning, and
that the plug wires are on the right plugs.

All this checks out and it won't start, fuel is
the problem, verify with starting fluid (spray)

The trucklet will not run without the computer,
that is what pulses the injector, no pulse, no
fuel. the ECU does not have any spark control
that I am aware of on the earlier Track/Kicks,
later models have some control, don't know when
it started, I know at least some 16V engines do.

Weak spark will not jump the plug gap, but you
should be able to tell with a look at the plug if
it has a hot spark or not, if unsure have the voltage
tested, or replace the coil with a known good one
before buying parts.

Check the grounds by the distributor, these are the
main grounds for the computer system, without them
it will not work properly, if at all, check for broken wires
as there are several grounds there, seems like 5 or 6
wires if I remember right.

Double check the fuel, starting fluid is cheep and easy
to check with, and might save you lots of time/headache

Wild

well, when mine went it had spark and fuel going to engine, and also on the friend of mine her's died and we had our friend who is a  mehcanic  came and test for spark, it had spark, chekd fuel was getting to the engine and it did, thats all im saying thats what happend.

So what was the problem ?
What fixed it ?

a new computer fixed both, mine and my freinds, a dam high cost too

I'll check my manual, but what is the "inducer"?

I meant to type "igniter" (it's the little piece mounted just above the coil).

I meant to type "igniter" (it's the little piece mounted just above the coil).

Gotcha.  Thanks.

when the cpu went in my 91 kick it had spark and fuel when being turned over and it was baffling so i did some reading on here and yanked the computer out. being the computer junky i am took it apart and wow it was not an epoxy board good news.well i went down to the shop got the schematic for the puter and started tracing the fuel circuit to find a bad trace in the board which was caused by a bad capacitor that leaked and from what i see with the computers it is the same think with all of them that mess up..the reason it won't start when the fuel and spark is there is because the computer is not sending the signal at the right time for the thing to start. take a squirt bottle with some fuel in it and sqirt it in the fuel body and if it runs you now it is the puter or run 12volt power to one of the wires on the fuel injector and that opens it and will run....been there done that and now have fixed alot of these cpu's and it is like way cheap. capacitor is like 2 bucks and i took it out of an old dss receiver. just my 2 cents...