Mike C.

Pull the plugs and see if any of them look unusual. Check if you are getting a healthy spark when cranking. Pull the distributor cap and check the rotor. If you suspect a HG, a cooling system pressure test is a better way to confirm it (than compression test). I would also check the cam timing just in case...

CyCloNe!

Guess what?! The car doesn't even try to start now, I put the key in the ignition and try and crank it nothing happens... nothing no sounds nothing.... The dash lights come on but I don't hear the starter or any of the starting components engaging. I am so counfused now..... Any ideas? Battery is fine, I even tried to jump start it and got nothing.

Any ideas?

Mike C.

Check to make sure you have a good ground to the battery. When you tried to jump it you still heard no click, nothing?

CyCloNe!

I've jumped it a few times today, mainly from trying to start it and they battery gets drained over time.... So I tried it again letting it charge a few minutes before I tried to crank it and now I get nothing what so ever. I mean the dash lights work, radio, interior and exterior lights but nothing else. I think I hear the fuel pump too, but when I crank it no starter or sounds of trying to turn over.... I dunno

CyCloNe!

No click or nothing.... it was drizzling maybe something with the rain is causing confusion.... I'll wait till tomorrow see if it dries out maybe it will try atleast... Cause I know a little rain got into the engine bay since I had the hood opened working on it...

I see some water on the battery and little specs all round the bay, not a lot though but I'll let it dry.

carlege

your starter has gone out.... try hitting it with hammer

CyCloNe!

Hey guys, I tried the hammer thing with the starter no luck.. Come to find out I tested the battery and it's beyond dead, can't jump it even. So I figure that's the cause for the starter not to even come on, when I try and start it I hear a short hum sound that maybe the starter trying to engage. So by tomorrow I should have a new battery and I am going to replace the starter solenoid as well. So hopefully I can get it to crank and then figure out what's causing the other mess.

peanut

wow you've got multiple problems there.

what worries me is that you were previously running the car without any oil in the sump and yet you didn't notice the oil light on ? I'm wondering if the engine did overheat and its damaged the turbo ? They don't like getting hot.

What discharged the battery completly ?

I think the DME relay is a complete red herring. When you jumpered the relay it still didn't run properly.

You need to recharge the battery and remove and clean all the connections to the starter motor and try again. The engine has to turn over at a minimum of 200rpm or the ECU will disable the supply to the DME pump and injectors. Its to prevent fire in the event of an accident. Therefore the engine must turn over quickly or it will never start

CyCloNe!

Well I checked the battery and it was dead, low cranking amps even at charge so I went ahead and replaced it. Personally I think it got this way from it's age and also jumping it a few times.

Still after new battery installed I get notting, except the inside/outside lights. I purchased a starter solenoid and tomorrow will test the starter and if it doesn't work I'll replace the solenoid and give it a shot.

I think the turbo might be ok, I didn't drive it far when this all happened and I put oil in it and actually was able to drive it with no problems, boost gauge was working and was even able to get boost. But then on my second 0-60 test it started smoking, whitish-blue and it did'nt smell like coolant but more like a burning/light fuelish smell... not as extreme as when the FPR goes out...

peanut

heres a no start checklist I copied from another member's post which I believe is from Clarke's garage site.

NO START CHECK LIST

Here is a list of some test you should do one by one and eliminate problems.
Air/fuel/spark/compression
start by making sure we have a battery that is in spec.
all fluids topped off
no obvious broken wires and all vacuum hoses intact on visual inspection.
Check 12v at the battery with adequate cranking voltage
Turn ignition key on and check the following
.
12v from battery to ignition switch
12v from pin 50 on switch to pin 4 on DME plug (start signal)
12v on pins 1 (ignition pulse to ign. coil) and 18 (to G5 dme relay power supply)
12v pin 30 at DME Relay (fuel pump power supply)
12v to pin 86 at DME Relay in the run position (primary coil voltage)
12v to coil + black wire to ground 12v to - (green wire) to ground
12v to one side of the injectors
All ground contacts are clean
Fuel pump will run if DME Relay is jumpered 30/87/87b
Fuel pressure at the rail is psi +/- 3 (jumpered 36 psig)
20 minute leak down not under 14.5 psig
Fuel flow rate is 28oz after 30 seconds
Ignition coil primary resistance across + and - is between .4 and .6 ohms
Secondary resistance is between 5000 and 7200 ohms
Ignition wires are good no cracks or splits including coil wire and seated
Plugs are properly gapped
Ignition rotor is seated correctly with the set screw
Timing belt is installed correctly
Firing order is correct - 1 - 3 -4 - 2
Reference sensors are gapped correctly with .8mm clearance off the flywheel
Reference and speed sensors resistance checks in spec pins 8 and 27 speed 600-1600 ohms and pins 8 and 23 >1m ohm
Reference and speed sensors voltage checks 2.5 and 2v on oscilloscope (good luck)
Reference and speed sensor wiring is not broken at connector to sensor or to dme

CyCloNe!

Hey guys, the starter is deffinately dead. I hit it with a hammer and would hear a click when I tried to start it. I tried to put the new solenoid on but that wasn't going to happen. The bolts on the old solenoid were rusted and every time I took a screwdriver to it the bolt would strip extremely bad. So looks like a I will need to by a full starter instead of the solenoid.