would my car still run if all coils showed 0 resistance?
 

Hi everybody! Even though this is my first time posting and I have just registered, you have all been helping me for quite some time. This site has been indespensible to me since Ive got my bonneville (lemon). I didn't even get it home before the motor developed a fatal rod knock. So my first experiences with my new car werent to enjoy driving my new beauty, but changing an engine the first weekend I owend it. My car has persistant stalling problems,especially when the car or weather is hot. I have just checked the resistance on the coils, the secondaries are fine, but I get a 0 reading on all three primaries. I dont know if my readings are right or if I screwed up, especially cause I got the same reading on all three coils. Its tough to find something to fit into the little slots for the primaries, so I used a staple. Im just a little worried bout my technique. Sorry about the seemingly simple question, but if ya dont know, you dont know.

Your technique is probably flawed. It's not zero, but very very low. Read Techinfo for the specs, and make sure you use a quality meter capable of displaying a tenth of an ohm.

you were right, thanx. switched from my good tester to a 30 dollar radio-shack multimeter and got the right readings. But unfortunatly the coils were good, so the search goes on. Any ideas, Acts up mostley in the heat, normal operating temp, rpms race, speedo spikes, warning alarm bings 3 times then just shuts off. Starts right back up usually, I just bump it into neutral, turn it over, and drive on. I recently changed the engine, and I`m not sure if the problem was ocurring with the old engine or just started with the new one. The warning bell still goes off when the engine is still hot if the key is in the on position but the engine is not running. Im not sure if it was coincedence or not, but when I bumped the fuse and relay panel on the firewall the engine stalled. today I pulled the panel, checked all the fuses, cleaned contacts and examined the wiring looking for obvious shorts. finding nodthing I put it all back, no change though. I dont know what the relays do or how to check them though. I have changed the mass air flow sensor, EGR, plugs and wires and Im getting more and more frusterated all the time. HELP!!!!

We need to start with your year and model. We don't know anything until we know what engine/trans combo you have.

Please edit your profile and add that info to your signature. We'll take it from there.

I have a 94, and I think its an se, but there are no markings on the car to base that on. I forgot to mention that I checked the ground bus on the drivers side sill, found some melted wires (yikes) replaced the works from a doner, same problems

IIRC we already had you check the battery cables.
Let's also remove the coils & icm & clean off any corrosion between the mounting plate & bracket and icm & mounting plate.

did that, applied di-electric grease. ran worse than ever on the way home. stopped to see a mechanic freind of mine and he is convinced that it is the crankshaft position sensor. Im gunna swap that out and see how I fair.

Just did the water test on my hot engine, and it ran for a couple of minutes when before it wouldnt. So good news, I think Ive located the problem finally. the bad news, Ive got to change the cps. wish me luck.....

OK, Ive managed to get that mother of a bolt out, but the ballancer still will not budge!! I was told it usually just about "falls off" of front wheel drive cars, but mine refuses to come off and I dont want to do any damage. Do I need to use the puller, and if so where do I run the bolts? also, is there a way to check a cps, cause Im pulling the sensor off the old engine I have, but Id hate to do all that work for nothing

No way to check the sensor without an o-scope on a running engine to my knowledge.

You MUST use a puller, and the bolts are 6mm, not 1/4-28. If you rent a puller, you MUST get 6mm bolts the right length (one will bottom out in a blind hole, the other two will not).