I’m working on a VE30DE engined Maxima, I’ve got a basic question re distributorless ignition:

Owner of car said he was driving and engine ‘just stopped’, didn’t report misfire, just sudden stop. Engine turns over, ok compression etc etc.

I have no spark at the plugs, so start to test ignition. First the power transitor, all the correct resistance readings across the unit, so checks out ok.

Then the individual coil packs. None of them give me any resistance (0 ohms) on the meter, testing between pins 1 & 2 (+ and -). I should be setting a reading of 0.8 ohms according to the manual.

How could it be that none of the coil packs report resistance? Has something else relating to ignition caused all the packs to fail?

I would have thought that one or two coil packs failing would be normal, not whole lot at once. But I’m pretty old school non-electronic mechanic so would appreciate advice.

I’m planning on testing crankshaft sensors tomorrow.

I don't have a scanner to check the engine codes, trying to organise one...

I’ve told the owner of the car he has no air filter in the car. He was quite surprised. I showed him the deposits of grit and rubbish on the inside of the intake manifold. He was even more surprised!

 

on my isuzu i had the same problem, but it was only one coil. it was weathered and had a crack on the underside of the pack. but for all of the packs to just not be responding, you would have to of had a wire come stripped/loose, or a grounding wire may have also come loose and shorted them out. quick question, are the coil packs located together or are they slpit up on opposite sides of the engine? let me know if you can, and you probbaly already did this but trace the wires that are suppose to be giving the DIS power all the way back to the main harness. and test the packs individually, with some kinda current and a test light. and if you happen to know some one else with the same car and they will let you borrow it, just switch out the packs and see if the car runs on your packs. but i honestly think that the packs are fine. but good luck and god speed! always wanted to say that.

-jarrett