no start ...
#31
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Baltimore, MD
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Which clock position is the rotor cap pointing when your mark is at TDC?
From Clarks Garage:
If the car is very hard to start or only fires part of the time and then dies it could be a problem with the distributor cap or rotor. 944 rotors are notorious for having the set screw back out of the rotor allowing it to spin on the end of the camshaft. When this happens the car will not fire at all or will fire momentarily when the rotor is in line with the correct cylinder to be fired.
#32
Drifting
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if you mean the screws that lock it in the position - then no, everything is fine there, and rotor is/was pointing to Cyl 1
can I rule out DME/fuel pump at this point?
next thing would be to double check and make sure there is spark on all 4 cylinders? how do I do that?
can I rule out DME/fuel pump at this point?
next thing would be to double check and make sure there is spark on all 4 cylinders? how do I do that?
#33
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Get an old spark plug, insert it in the wire and ground it to check spark. If all 4 are getting spark, then I would do a compression check on all four cylinders to make sure you do not have a weak or dead hole.
#34
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Back in the day before electronic ignition timing, you'd have to time your car by rotating the distributor. You'd use a timing light - it has a sensor that clips around a spark plug wire... every time the spark plug fires, the light will flash.
With the car running, you could aim this flashing strobe light at the flywheel or crank pulley, where there would be a line painted, and you could check to make sure the ignition timing was correctly synced to the crankshaft.
#35
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Also, if you pull a spark plug after you've been trying to start it, are they wet with fuel? Dry? Have any unusual color or smell?
Can you pressure test your intake system to make sure there are no vacuum or air leaks?
Can you pressure test your intake system to make sure there are no vacuum or air leaks?
#37
Drifting
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ok, more info:
we took out #1 spark plug, plugged it into the wire, grounded it on the block, and turned the engine - and there is a spark
and apparently if ignition switch goes - there is no spark, this also would rule out ignition coil and wires? distributor cap, and rotor (these 2 are brand new) ...
could my problem still be the fuel pump? not enough pressure? clogged fuel filter?
we took out #1 spark plug, plugged it into the wire, grounded it on the block, and turned the engine - and there is a spark
and apparently if ignition switch goes - there is no spark, this also would rule out ignition coil and wires? distributor cap, and rotor (these 2 are brand new) ...
could my problem still be the fuel pump? not enough pressure? clogged fuel filter?
#38
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It is possible. If the mixture is too lean it won't burn. Does it look like a good strong spark? (hard to desrcibe weak vs. strong spark). For starting/idling I would guess fuel pressure is more important than fuel volume rate (cc's per minute). You may be able to find a fuel pressure gauge at Autozone, Pep Boys, etc. Many of these places will let you borrow tools with a deposit.
#39
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If you do not have access to a compression tester you can use your thumb for a quick easy check. Remove each plug and seal it off with your thumb while someone cranks the engine. Not very accurate but it will tell you if one hole is significantly less than the other 3. All of the holes should blow your thumb away with ease. If you can hold your thumb on any of the holes you have major problems. Trust me it does not hurt, just startles you a little the first time.
#40
Drifting
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ok, so I looked up Clark's on the fuel pump check - by how much fuel comes out in a given time - all the measuring cups we have at home are used for food - so tomorrow we'll run out and get one
going to check how much fuel my pump puts out in 30secs and compare that to the # on Clark's
my dad said that when he undid the nut on the end of the fuel rail, fuel just poured out ... I specifically remember that the first time I took off that nut, I got scared that I broke something when fuel sprayed out of there
with the plugs installed, turning the engine wasn't exactly hard, but wasn't easy ... I know what you guys mean when you say its hard to describe how something feels over the internet
but if you have got any more ideas on what I can check, I'm all ears
what would be required for a compression check? and would Autozone have the "timing light"?
going to check how much fuel my pump puts out in 30secs and compare that to the # on Clark's
my dad said that when he undid the nut on the end of the fuel rail, fuel just poured out ... I specifically remember that the first time I took off that nut, I got scared that I broke something when fuel sprayed out of there
with the plugs installed, turning the engine wasn't exactly hard, but wasn't easy ... I know what you guys mean when you say its hard to describe how something feels over the internet
but if you have got any more ideas on what I can check, I'm all ears
what would be required for a compression check? and would Autozone have the "timing light"?
#41
Drifting
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also, we have a vacuum leak tester, connected that, and no problems were found
we also took off the J-boot to see if the "door" was opening or not - and that's working fine as well
just the way the car has been running, I think that it is fuel related myself ...
I ran out of fuel last Monday because my gauge was lying, right across the gas station, went in, got canister, filled the car - ran fine ... until Friday night ... so this can totally be related (though, the car ran just like always and did not get progressively worse until Friday night when the car stalled and would not start - just crank)
we also took off the J-boot to see if the "door" was opening or not - and that's working fine as well
just the way the car has been running, I think that it is fuel related myself ...
I ran out of fuel last Monday because my gauge was lying, right across the gas station, went in, got canister, filled the car - ran fine ... until Friday night ... so this can totally be related (though, the car ran just like always and did not get progressively worse until Friday night when the car stalled and would not start - just crank)
#42
Drifting
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woah, was able to check how much fuel my pump pumps out
so we got the 850ml of fuel in 18 seconds
Clark's says that the pump should pump out 850ml in 30 seconds
did I just find my problem?
so we got the 850ml of fuel in 18 seconds
Clark's says that the pump should pump out 850ml in 30 seconds
did I just find my problem?
#43
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I'm guessing the 30 seconds is the maximum amount of time it should take. I can't imagine this being the root of your trouble. Keep in mind that most of the fuel in the fuel rail gets recirculated back to the gas tank. As long as the rail stays full it is the pressure difference across the injector (fuel pressure in rail vs. intake manifold) that will govern how much fuel sprays out in a given time. You should be able to borrow/rent a timing light and compression tester.
#44
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Would definetly put on a new fuel filter and test the flow rate again. Maybe you just have a plugged filter. That woud make sense. You might have stirred up some crap in the bottom of the tank when you ran out.
#45
Drifting
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can my problem be a fuel dampner valve or fuel pressure regulator?
Clark's has these listed as a cause of no start
but I'm having trouble understanding what to do here:
also, the tests for FPR require the engine to run ... if the car doesn't run ... how the hell am I supposed to check if its FPR or not?
Clark's has these listed as a cause of no start
but I'm having trouble understanding what to do here:
Slowly disconnect the return line from the fuel pressure regulator (FPR) going back to the fuel tank.
Using a hose clamp attach a hose to the discharge of the FPR that is long enough to reach the measuring container.
Using a hose clamp attach a hose to the discharge of the FPR that is long enough to reach the measuring container.