Expert: Sean Halliday - 3/2/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hello. My daughter drove the car home one night and it would not start the next day. I checked the fuses for the ignition system with a multi-meter and the fuses are okay. Then I pulled a plug wire, placed another spark plug into the spark plug wire and grounded it against chassis ground to see if the plug would "spark" with the engine turning over and it didn't. I don't know where to go next.

ANSWER: It will be either the module or the crank sensor.The module is under the coil pack and can be tested at any good parts store.The crank sensor you cannot test so as the car is this old,i would change it anyway.99% of the time it is the 2 of these items that cause no spark.

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QUESTION: By "Module" do you mean the electronic control module? The computer box that is usually inside the interior, under the dash? Or am I really lost here?

Also, it is normal? Does this happen often?

Answer
No,not the pcm,i mean the ignition module which is usually with the coil packs.On most GM cars such as Buick and Oldsmobile,they have a  ,distributorless ignition system.The ignition module will be part of the coil pack and most coils are mounted on the module.Its where the spark plug wires come from,also known as coil packs.The crank sensor will be the only small sensor near the crank pulley.