Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Car doesnt start...help!

I put my 98 SVT contour in the garage one night, In the morning it wouldn't start. I determined that it isnt getting a spark so I took the coil pack off and cleaned everything and put it back on, still nothing. I put a code reader on, it didnt read anything. I think the coil might be bad but I dont know. While trying to start it I put a tool on the plug wires that illuminates when a spark goes through, it read nothing. The other day replacing the O2 sensor I started the car with the coil not completely hooked up, but it was fine until now so I don't know what the problem is. Any suggestions?
Thanks

The ignition switch provides power to the ignition coil. An ignition module or the ECM controls the spark like breaker points did in older engines.

I would start by checking for voltage to the ignition coilâ??s positive terminal with a test light. If it has voltage then connect the test light to the negative side of the ignition coil then try starting the car (if the test light glows steady and does not blink then there is a problem with the circuit that controls the ignition module). If the light does not blink then the Ignition module or the computer could be the problem.

There could also be a problem with one of the inputs to the computer. This could be the engine speed sensor not working. If the test light blinks then the circuit is probably OK and the problem could be the ignition coil or the plug wires.

There are a few other things also that could be wrong.

Here is a link to web site that explains how the ignition system works:
http://biz.howstuffworks.com/ignition-system.htm?printable=1

Check the Ignition Relay located in the under dash fuse box, if that went bad, or shorted iut would be possible that you couldn't start the car