Kids car won't start, no spark so we think its the coil (V6 engine). We are getting conflicting information, he went to autozone and they gave him what looks like an external coil (his description) but couldn't find anything that looked like it. He called AZ and they said he might have an internal coil in the distributor.

Any ideas or comments? I'm on my way over there to see if I can make any sense of it, the Chiltons seems to say it should have an external coil to.

Thanks Patrick

What year ? What engine ? My 84 S-10 has a 2.8 and uses an external coil. Later ones with the 4.3 might be internal, have to know year and engine to tell you for sure. Eigth digit of the vin would rally make it simple.

I got over here and found it, external. We are going to change it out and see it that fixes it (according to the friend mechanic that is the major cause of problems in these engines). FWIW its a 4.2 L six. Thanks, Patrick

what year? Vortec, carb, or TBI?

It's a Vortec FI. They had a friend that is a mechanic help with it today. They replaced the coil and some distributor internals and now have spark at the plugs. They rented some diagnostic tool that couldn't isolate the problem. They checked the fuel pressure and it looks weak so they are going to replace a relay or pressure switch that might be the cause. Pump is running but according to the mechanic this switch or relay often goes bad and won't allow enough pressure for the FI to work. Lucky for me I've never had the desire or need to figure out how to fix the new computer cars.

I was going to suggest the ignition module, but it looks like you got the spark part of the problem fixed.

Patrick, just for the sake of trying everything, make sure the alternator turns while trying to start it. I had a no spark issue once with a 4.3l v6, turned out to be a locked up alternator. Engine cranked over, but the battery voltage dropped too low to make a spark.

They have plenty of spark now so its a fuel issue. I'm wondering if there is a relay or something that needs to be reset to get the FI working again after the engine shuts down. Circumstances of it dying were they had started it up in the morning to warm it up, when they went out it was dead, no lights, nothing. Replaced the battery and got the lights, fans, etc. to work but no spark. Replaced coil etc. and got good spark. Fuel pump is running but injectors are not working. Mechanic thinks you can have the pump running but insufficient pressure at the manifold injectors OR a bad switch/relay that is telling the computer there is low pressure.