Ok, here's where I'm at. I had the car towed to my house, did tests, checked connections, everything seemed fine. I gave up and tried starting the car again, it fired right up. So that's the worst scenario because I don't know what the problem was or when it'll come back.
I drove it around a few times, maybe 75 miles total, then it died again today in the same way. Last week I noticed missing outer insulation on the wires running to the CPS. I just replaced that a few minutes ago thinking even if it wasn't the problem, the missing insulation would be eventually. Still no start.
The main relay (white box under the glove box) clicks when I turn the key, so that's working.
It wouldn't be a blown fuse because I had the problem, then didn't have it, then had it again.
What else is there in the system? The diagnostic tests I did didn't tell me anything was wrong, other than my diagnostic port never working. What should I do next?
*HOW* do you *KNOW* the relay is WORKING...you *KNOW* that is is CLICKING that
doesn't mean it is WORKING!
a FLAKY FUSE CONNECTION will come and go...go back...scrub the FUSE PANEL
CONTACTS and replace dodgy fuses
the *SECONDARY LOCATION for the *25 Amp FUSE* is the TOP OF THE FUSE
PANEL in the left footwell....
FIX THE DAMNED DIAGNOSTIC SOCKET and then pull the codes...all of the DIAGNOSTICS
included in the LH2.4 Manual COMPLETE *INCLUDE* both REPAIR OF THE DIAGNOSTIC
SOCKET *AND* "alternative means / methods" of gaining the info you need to do a
proper diagnosis of the fuel control system....I have previously forwarded the URL's for
ALL of the IGNITION SYSTEMS DIAGNOSIS MATERIAL you'll EVER NEED...if you have
NO SPARK you have to start there WITH THE BASICS (which include such things as
measuring the resistance of ALL *secondary spark conductors* / measuring the resistance of
the coil / checking the cap and rotor CAREFULLY for "carbon tracks" - Indicating an ALTERNATIVE
PATH TO GROUND for the spark energy / etc....)
DIAGNOSTICS are one of TWO AREAS in the automotive field that cause untold aggro
and the waste of inordinate amounts of shop time due to lack of procedural FOCUS
and the failure to DOCUMENT test results along the way...ASSumptions are INVALID
in diagnostics - test RESULTS TO SPEC are required to dis-allow ANY "part / conductor /
sensor / input-output signal / and so forth from being "the cause of the problem"....
(the OTHER area is ELECTRIC / ELECTRONICS with very similar "failure modes"...

)
I am *NOT trying to "beat you up here"*....intermittent problems are SUPREMELY
EXASPERATING in their manner of presentation...you just have to "knuckle down"
and work smarter than a collection of 20 year old wires and circuits....you CAN DO THIS
*don't quit* (too many wonderful old cars get trashed due to some stupid quirk that went
un-detected by an erstwhile acolyte who misses the primum movens due to a momentary
lack of focus)....hang in there man...we are ALL pullin for ya to solve this....
