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Hi,
Yes you are correct. The power stage module, located behind the battery, could not be getting a signal from the ignition control module located under the glove box as well.
A dirty or bad connector inside the connection to the power stage module is always a place to consider. This is because of its Out of site location, behind a five year no maintenance battery, of which, leads to no maintenance.
They do have a heat sink paste in between the module and it’s base mount that should be reapplied about every ten years. Good time to lube up the connector and redo the harness ground that needs cleaning just as often or more since it’s mounted to steel.
Going a wee bit farther, to the to a head of the team item, you could have a failed Crank Position Sensor!
It tells the Ignition Control Unit, that seldom fails, what to do if it senses the flywheel turning. It’s like the head dude in cranking or running all other components down the line.
Both Of which, are almost impossible to troubleshoot being electronic.
Just like the Air Mass Meter on how to know it’s good, except by replacing it.
The AMM does promote a limp mode code so unplugging it is a test in the manual but the CPS just goes “dead meat” by acting up or quitting!
No testing unless you got an expensive tool and brains!
Talking about brains, do you have any computer codes or a check engine light on the dash?
The power stage module acts as a relay switch and opens or grounds the primary coil to pass current into it.
The 12+volts of current or power, is dumped into the secondary coil that then raises the voltage higher. The end of that coil has the wire coming out the top.
I assume you are testing the firing of that wire to the strut bolt nearby?
This eliminates the distributor parts that could be losing your spark to the plugs!
I have found that it’s seldom that the ignition coil has a failure so it’s on the bottom of my list. If it reads correctly with a meter continuity test, it’s probably good to go.
The CPS and the power stage modules are near the very top of a listing but the CPS can be the most likely boogie man in the process.
Lots of us, that ever buy one, keep the old as a spare, if it prove not to be the problem.
This is kept stashed in a bag while on the road, along with a distributor rotor button, a headlight bulb, a system relay and some small jumper wires for bypassing circuits for troubleshooting.
Even a multimeter is nice to have around, especially, for a relatives house, in my case! I have Harbor Freight’s give away meters, everywhere!
Getting spark at the coil wire is great, providing it’s a good wire too!
Check that wire with an ohmmeter resistance test to be about the same as a plug wire or less if it’s shorter.
Some tuneup kits fail to provide a replacement, to save you money and be competitive! But this does not save you any grief! Therefore, they can get quite old!
A Question, is the car new to you?
Hope this helps!
Phil
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