For the second time in a year I'm left with a no-start/ no-spark situation.

the first time, it was the Ignition Control Unit which is screwed onto the side of the distributor. Now, I'm not sure that's what's broken this time, but it might be.

I've replaced within the year:

-all high tension wires
-Ignition coil
-spark plugs
-Ignition Control unit

I tested for spark on the primary HT wire before the distributor... and nothing.

Besides something wrong inside the distributor, what could cause recurring shorts or failing ignition electronics?

 

poor battery and battery cables. wiring chewed by rats, mice or squirrels. ignition switch. ecu

 

well it looks like it's the ignitor, again. I would like to be sure though. I went through every test in the FSM and at the end it said something like, "if all these tests are okay, replace the IC unit." Is there any test I can do to be positive that the unit is bad? these things aren't cheap and there's no 280zxs in the junkyard around here.

what would cause one to go bad so quickly? i just replaced it last year.

 

look on the net for how to test a transistor with a VOA. that is all the ignitor is - a power transistor. probably anyone would work that could take the current. they are pretty rugged if you put in a new one I would doubt it was bad or something is wrong in the circuit that caused it to fry.