Turns over, no start, no spark, no dtc’s

When this whole thing started I checked all the engine to chassis grounds I could find. Maybe I need to trace the black ground wire from the coil to its engine ground. Maybe I missed it.

Buckeye57 wrote:

Yes, that contains the coil pack wiring.
The Solus Edge is the only thing I borrowed that works. The Snap On Vantage I borrowed is inop. What would you recommend for a low budget scope?

I don't have an automotive oscilloscope. I own a cheap 2 channel  picoScope ( 2204A). I can't really recommend you one. A professional technician who is following this thread should be able to help you with that.
 

Buckeye57 wrote:

When this whole thing started I checked all the engine to chassis grounds I could find. Maybe I need to trace the black ground wire from the coil to its engine ground. Maybe I missed it.

For the coil not to spark, it has to miss something. Either power, ground and control from the ECM. Or the coil itself may be defective. 
 

I ran around the neighborhood this morning and while recording the live data, the vehicle stalled and I rolled for a short distance.  Just before it stopped, it recovered. I pulled over and hit the save button. I downloaded the SnapOn smart stream software to view this file. The screen shot of the rpm signal shows the rpm drop at the 260 point as marked. 
I will try to extract a report and upload it when I figure out how to do it.

 

 Between the vertical lines is where the stall happens. I had made a 90 degree turn, and after the turn the stall occurred. As I was coasting, it recovered as you can see in the scope picture. The first return to idle was the coasting, the second idle event was where I pulled over to save the file and look at the waveforms.
 

Are we now dealing with a start for a few minutes that stall or are we still dealing with an occasionally crank no start, no spark? I have a test procedure for the coil now. If you need it, let me know. By the way, have you cleaned the throttle body recently?

Yes I am still dealing with stalls with intermittent crank no start.

I would like the coil pack test, and I just cleaned the throttle body yesterday.

You have good power and good ground already. Ground to ground should be less than 5 ohms or less than 500 mv while cranking. The 2 other wires going to the ECM should have more than 10 v while cranking. If they don't, replace the coil. If the do, check for opens and shorts. (opens : one test lead on each end, less than 1ohm and shorts :one lead to either end and the other to ground, more than 1 M ohm. If no opens or short are found, check ecm contacts. If good contacts, check fuel pressure.
Spark plug wires should have 10 to 15 k ohm.

I checked all the items you listed and all items checked within limits, except for the 10v minimum from ECM to ignition coil. The signal is supposed to be between 1 and 3.4 vac. What I did was to monitor voltage of coil pack supply, signal voltage of one wire, and an inline spark tester. I got it started *and then it quit running. When cranking, it did not start after a long crank. What I noticed was the voltage supply never stopped, the signal wire showed around 2 vac, the spark tester showed no spark.

Hmm. Bad coil?
When I got it started* the first time I saw my setup show supply voltage 12.6, and the VOM on the signal wire of around 1.4  to   2.6vac, and the spark tester was flashing.

Would you mind checking both wires in Volt DC? According to Mitchell, the coil is good if both of them read more than 10 V DC during cranking. Voltage should increase as rpm increases.
If you get less than the  minimum 10 vdc, the coil needs replacing.

I connected my VOM as shown in the pics. The first 2 pics are reading pins 1&2. The last pic is showing the 12vdc input. The engine started and was running during these pics.

I walked away to keep my cool. 

I put my spark tester/ signal setup back on and took a video. It did not start and noticed this time the signal voltage was 0.002vdc and the spark tester was not glowing.

I turned the key off, waited 20 seconds, and attempted a second start. It started. The same signal voltage was .9 to 1.6 vdc and the spark tester was flashing.

Buckeye57 wrote:

I connected my VOM as shown in the pics. The first 2 pics are reading pins 1&2. The last pic is showing the 12vdc input. The engine started and was running during these pics.

I walked away to keep my cool. 

I put my spark tester/ signal setup back on and took a video. It did not start and noticed this time the signal voltage was 0.002vdc and the spark tester was not glowing.

I turned the key off, waited 20 seconds, and attempted a second start. It started. The same signal voltage was .9 to 1.6 vdc and the spark tester was flashing.

I am not sure what the voltage should be on the 2 wires coming from the ecm  with the car running. I do not have that information.  I can assume that .9 and 1.6 v may be correct since you have spark and .002v, incorrect when there is no spark. I attached a file on how to test the coil itself. Hopefully, it will help you determine if the coil is good or not.  is it possible that you can go back to the shop and see if they can try another coil or do a throughout  diagnosis? 
The shop should be able to return the part and get a new one under warranty.
If you had not replaced the coil yet, I would  suggest  replacing it. It is a tough call that only can make.
 

I have a question, why does your reference material and the Subaru diagnostic say the voltage on both of the signal wires is supposed to be 10v or more when cranking when the pin outs for the ECM show 0 for (Key on engine off), and 1.0 to 3.4 with (engine running)?

I wonder if I was to unplug the coil connector and monitor the voltage of the signal wires while cranking. What would that tell me if I was to measure 10-12v?

I would think the ECM is my problem.

One thing I thought of that happened last year and early this year, the vehicle experienced a bad miss. I replaced plugs and wires first. Problem went away for a little while. It came back after 1000 miles.
I found two plug wires had came off. For the next few months every time it started missing, I would find a wire or two popped off. I removed the spark plugs for inspection and found them fouled and all the plugs were loose. I used a calibrated torque wrench when I installed them. I put OEM plugs and wires on. 

I went for a while without the missing. I would check the wires for security every morning and the wires stayed in place.

Now this stalling and crank no start issue showed up.

Is there a chance that the ECM drivers for the ignition signal were damaged? 

Measured 13.3 K on both coils.

I Just performed the test of disconnecting the plug to the call pack and monitoring the voltage of the signal wires and I was getting one to 9 V on both signal wires. The voltage seemed to climb the longer I cranked.

The procedure says to do the test with the connector plugged in. I may have not read it right
 

Buckeye57 wrote:

Measured 13.3 K on both coils.
The coil windings may be good, but the ignitor(module) inside of the coil fail.  If we have to go with the testing procedures, once we don't get more than 10v with the coil connected while cranking, the coil is the issue. Unless the manufacturer messes up the testing procedures.
 

This ignition coil testing if for a 2004 year
 
This video may help. The only difference is that the ignitor is inside of the coil.

I bought an Ignition Coil Tester QDB-3A. Found the coil only fires when signal voltage is above 5vdc.

I have a Uscope coming tomorrow. Stay tuned LOL.