Hi all. I've read a lot of info in the forums possibly related to this problem. My questions at the moment are, how do I test for fuel "at the fuel rail"? and also, there was a comment relating to wires soldered on the dizzy plug. This appears to be a crimped arrangement. Can the terminals be easily released from the plug to check them? How if so please?

The "death" started with chugging for a few seconds on both cases, then rip. Started first time after 30-40 minutes and ran ok for quite a couple of days. Had to park it and go back and get it second time. It got me home but has started only a couple of time out of many tries. Too scared to take it out until improved. Will try coil, transistor and sensor in dizzy if fuel seems ok.

New car to me. 270k, bought because I needed a wagon for a while. Ran ok at test drive but didn't last long.

Great forum. Working thru the info I've found. Wish all posters would post a final "how fixed" comment.
Thanks in advance for any help.

Remove a spark plug cap from an easily reached spark plug, put an old plug in it and crank the engine. You should see a spark. If it is hard to see, try opening the gap up to about 5 mm. (or try at night). A healthy ignition will put out a spark up to 3 cm long!
If there is no spark, check the following:
Plug on distributor, pulls off after you move the wire retainer over the little plastic ramp. Don't try to pull the wires themselves out of the plug. Look for corrosion in plug and socket, clean up, try again.
Check distributor cap for cracks, remove and inspect rotor arm and spring loaded central carbon bit in the inside of the cap.
Check leads, especially the one from the distributor centre to the ignition coil. Seated correctly, no burn marks? (Cranking the engine at night might show arcing where the spark is escaping.)
If no spark and you have checked all the above ok, it's likely to be the ignition coil or power transistor - my 2.6 died suddenly and the power transistor was bad and took out the coil. Also took out a $90 new coil I put on, so replacing both is a good idea. Wreckers are a good place to shop for these.

If you have a spark, only then check the fuel supply.
Under the bonnet on the passenger side are two connectors on the firewal. The flat one can be connected to battery positive with the engine off and this will fire up the fuel pump. Feel and listen at the tank for vibrations and sound of the pump running.

Good luck.

i would checking the dizzy plug for corrosion
my tm done the same thing cleaned up the plug and never did it agian

Hi all. Thanks for the advice. I was lucky and got a dizzy and coil/power-tranny/sensor(?) assembly all for $99 so shot-gunned it and replaced the lot. Done 1200k hassle free now so believe problem solved. Prior to replacing the bits, checked HT leads, seemed ok, spark plugs - regapped but seemed ok, many plugs including dizzy with various amounts of dirt or corrosion (dizzy one was definitely blueish in places) but none of this helped. My money is on the dizzy as coil and tranny metered almost identical to replacement items. Again, thanks for the help.

My money is on the dizzy as coil and tranny metered almost identical to replacement items.

lol Yes they do, using a multimeter. Doesn't mean a thing, primary voltage on the coil is something like 400 volts, an ignition coil may look ok with a multimeter, but arc internally at the higher voltages. Something to be aware of. Good you got it fixed!

Had a no start problem myself. Took the ECU, distributer, coil etc into a crowd that knows their stuff. He checked the ECU on his test rig, was ok. HAL sensor in distributor ok too. The coil though, while it measured ok with a multimeter, gave up when he opened the gap. He sold me a new coil, and to show me it was good, put it on the test rig. 3 cm spark even at a simulated maximum engine rpm. I was impressed, bought the coil, car started.