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I have a 1994 4-cyl automatic. Just after new years I went to drive my car and it wouldn't start. I drove in to my driveway before Christmas with no check engine light only a bad shake at stop lights.

I have had my battery charged just to be sure, tested my spark plugs, even directly put gas in the cylinder still wouldn't fire. fuel + spark = combustion right? Apparently not.

So I get a local driveway kind of mechanic to come by, haul my car to use his diagnostic equipment. He tells me he hooked into the diagnosis and got absolutely nothing, not that there was no bad codes but that it wouldn't tell him anything. Does this happen or is it just my horrid luck? The inside of my car is always wet, no garage+rainy climate + no blower. Could that have shorted the ecm?

He was also able to tell me my fuel injectors don't open but reading the online manual I don't understand how he was able to tell without a warm engine.

His conclusion was I need either a new computer or a new distributor. Considering I had seen bright blue sparks from each of my spark plugs I elected to get the computer.
I bought a used ECM but since he has randomly decided he isn't working on cars anymore I am very nervous about installing it myself. Can I ruin the ECM by not managing to find a short? Or am I just being a chicken girl lol. I really don't want to ruin it by not first solving a problem I can't see. Or should I get a second opinion on my injectors first?

You can unplug the ecu in the car and plug in your new one without taking the old one out, to find out if it's that. Is your timing correct?

Ah isn't this a little late or were you in some kind of dimensional time void. This happened 4 months ago,,,last year even. If your carpet got soaked there is a slim possibility the ECM shorted but I doubt it. I do think your timing belt may of packed it in. There is a way to test your injectors like remove the disty and disty cap, turn the ignition on and turn the disty rotor and you should hear the injectors.
4 months why,,,,,because race car.

Thank you both for your replies.

So why would he have not gotten any info from the diagnostic if the ECM isn't dead?

Why 4 months? I have $25 left to my name. I'll have to get my uncle to come look at my timing belt, I don't have anything other then wrenches and sockets.