I have a 1987 Delta 88 which has had a mysterious electrical problem with the ignition and I think I have replaced everything else over the years. This time I was going to replace the cars computer and I can't find where it's located. Anyone have an idea?

 

It should be near the glove box. I had a 1993 Buick Lesabre that had a quad driver fault in the ECM. I got a replacement from the salvage yard and installed it with an ESD mat and bracelet. It fixed the fault I had.

Your 87 Delta 88 is practically the same car as the Buick LeSabre. What codes do you have when you short the A and B terminals of your ALDL?

 

I did find the something like that online. This morning I tried to look behind the glove box with an inspection camera and didn't see it. I thought I better get some better advise before I started taking the car apart to get in there.


I don't have a code reader to tell what that might read. All I know is with a brand new ignition module I was just driving down the street and it suddenly quit firing. The car will work for a while and suddenly without any warning quit. Sometimes if the car just sits for a few days it will start working again. I know over the last several years every other thing involved in the ignition has been replaced. I even replaced the key switch.
Thanks.

 

You can either take your car to an auto parts store to have the codes read, or you can do it at home. Use a paperlcip to short the A and B terminals of your Assembly Line Data Link to flash the codes. Do this with the key in the run position.



The Check Engine light will flash 1,2 1,2 1,2 and then it will flash any codes that are stored. It ends with 1,2 1,2 1,2 and then repeats.

 

You were right, the computer was behind the glove box. I got it out and will put the replacement computer in this morning. I have to get out later and will see if I can find a code reader for it. I believe it takes a OBD 1 reader.

 

You are correct, it should be a GM Type 1 computer. As I said, you don't need a specific code reader to communicate with the computer. By using a paperclip you can "flash" the codes. However, you would want to flash the codes before replacing the ECM. If you already replaced the ECM then hopefully it fixed your problem. If not, you need to drive it and wait for the codes to reset.

 

My 1987 Delta 88 had a mystery ignition fault which turned out to be the coil pack and ignition control module (under the coil pack) both failed at the same time.

Roger.

 

check the leads off the module. If the insulation is dry on them, they can cross talk. Spread them wide apart and see if the problem sorts itself.

 

with your symptoms it's not likely you have any codes,the crank sensor on those cars was notorious for intermittent stalling along with the module.

 

Maybe it burned up like my sister's cooking and took them both out?

 

The car has had I know 2 ignition modules and 1 coil pack. It's been worked on by several different mechanics. I know my mother was stranded a half dozen times in that car over about 10 years. I have no idea who she had working on the car but since I've had it I had a Chevrolet dealer work on it once.

 

This is what's making the car difficult to work on. One shop I had the car at replaced the crank sensor and I think within a couple weeks it quit again.

 

do you know that when it shuts off that it doesn't have spark? it could easily be fuel pump or relay

 

It's not firing. I put a spark tester on each of the wires.


Sorry to keep you guys hanging, I came down with some kind of stomach flue and haven't been able to do a thing. At the rate I'm going it might be a problem for the next owner.

 

just because it got a new crank sensor doesn't mean it's good,would be far from the first time i've gotten defective parts.there is a way to mimic the crank sensor by momentarily grounding a wire that goes into the module,i'm not sure which one(purple i think) you should be able to find that test somewhere.jc