so i bought this 88 lxi auto for 450.00 had new tires and it ran, prev owner said shop told him a head gasket was needed due to overheating, i thought i can do that and would do the timing belt at same time and the water pump....so it took me some time to get it back together finally and was excited to crank her up...no gas, got a new/used relay and installed it, now i have gas to the rail and injectors area spraying into head, plugs smell of gas... no spark at all, from coil, i also have an 88 lxi 5speed, so i swapped the coils and both work in the 5 speed... had my son cranking the key i touched the ground wire from top of valve cover to frame, smoking hot, i quit and disconnected the battery, so this tells me there is a major short somewhere right ?, i didnt disconnect anything electrical durring the rebuild except the battery, anyone got a clue where i should start, its been right at two years and i need this car running or gone, got a 66 charger i need to put in the drive way now and my daughter needs a car to drive now that she is graduating, thought the honda would be a nice 1st car for her... anyway extreemly frustrated, tormorrow morning i plan to one by one remove the fuses till hot quits...?

 

Check for 12V on the yel/blk wire at the distributor electrical connector. This supplies 12V to the ignition system. If 12v is missing, then keyswitch assy may be faulty.

If it's got 12v, the ignitor is likely source of the no-start since you've eliminated coil.

A new rotor and cap would eliminate possibility of a crack shorting the spark to ground.

There is a major ground for the distributor near the thermostat housing. If this is disconnected, no-spark will occur.

good luck