jackkthemackk

YES I HAVE CHECKED CLARKS & USED THE SEARCH TOOL. Now that I've addressed that, heres whats going on

Monday night I changed the oil, switched from 0w40 to Brad Penn 20w50 & my slow cam tower leak stopped (Guessing from a heavier weight oil slowed it down?). Drove the car 40 miles, was running beautifully. Fast forward to tuesday night, I decided I'd drive the car to the gym instead of my bike.

Turn the key, cranks, one tach bounce to 1k & then limp. Checked the spark to a plug, nothing. (I did not check the spark going to the distributor, now thinking about that I should have.) I replaced a failed speed sensor last fall because it caused a no tach bounce, no spark, no start & but had not replaced the reference sensor because it was still good. I had a new reference sensor sitting in a box so I thought I might as well replace that now & see if it would start. After replacing that I'm getting tach bounce the whole time while turning the key but still not starting. Took the DME relay out, took the cover off & checked for cracked solder joints. Looked fine, nothing wrong. Tapped it a bit just in case, reinstalled, turn the key & still not starting.


I don't think the oil change had anything to do with it? It builds oil pressure while cranking. I don't know, I've trouble shot everything & have a huge lump on my forehead from banging it against the wall so many times. Any ideas what to check when I get home tonight? Other then the speed & reference sensors & the DME relay I'm stumped. I already ordered a new DME relay just incase because it is smart to have a spare in the glove box.

snb13

You say you checked the plugs--in what way? For spark? Have you checked the ignition wire going from the distributor to the coil?

jackkthemackk

Checked for spark coming from the distributor cap to plug #2. No spark. Not sure why I didn't check for spark coming from the ignition coil to the distributor. Will do first thing tonight.

Van

Timing belt?

jackkthemackk

didn't check that but it didn't cross my mind. Only a 24 hour gap between after driving & when I went to start it. I don't think it would have snapped while starting?

Van

I've seen them snap at idle at a stop light... It's just good to rule out.

odonnell

Could be the alarm module or the dme itself.

Bill Lynch

I have been dealing with a similar problem myself (87 NA). Mine would mysteriously not start then mysteriously start again. I checked everything. I pulled the DME and checked for cracked solder joints and found nothing. I cleaned the pins and sockets (corrosion on the Ref sensor, Tach sensor or lead\ground for the the coil can also cause this problem). I reassembled the DME and reinstalled the 35 pin connecter and surprise - car started right up. I felt great triumph, right up until it died again 2 minutes later. I began wiggling he wire harness bundle on the 35 pin connector while cranking - car started. As it began to die again, I again started wiggling the harness - the motor caught and kept running. This tells me I have a bad connection - somewhere. I have yet to find it but suspect an intermittant ground. Next step for me is to check all the grounds, start the car and when it dies recheck the grounds for continuity and see which one is open. This may point me in the direction of which of the leads to re-terminate. I am happy this is not my daily driver.

Best of luck - keep us posted

Cole

I had one strip the teeth off the belt while starting. It was on a one year old belt too! Stripped about 7 teeth off the bottom near the crank.

I followed all the "no spark" symptoms you have until I finally realized the belt wasn't turning. The crank was just spinning on a toothless belt.

Van

Have someone try to start it while you look in the little inspection hole next to the distributor. That will tell you if the cam (and distributor) are spinning.

jackkthemackk

After replacing the relay DME & still getting a no start I kinda of sat in my car for 30 minutes all sad n' what not contemplating life. Right before I got out I turned the key for fun and the damn thing started. Turned it off, turned it on again, it started. Did this about 5 times & then decided to go drive it. Drove it to the skatepark 15 minutes away & was only there for an hour. Car started when and drove fine on the way home but when I was about 1.5 miles from home, cruising going 60mph & lost power. Just shut off. Red warning light & oil pressure light came on but my oil pressure was fine while driving, I don't THINK it had anything to do with my oil, even though the last I drove it before all these issues happened I did change the oil (0W40 to 20W50 Brad Penn), added 6 quarts, middle of the dipstick reading. Oil pressure was 5 idling when cold, 3 when idling warm. 5 when driving. Normal, right? Its a healthy motor, only 45k miles so I don't think that has anything to do with it but I don't know.

After I lost power, i pulled into a parking lot, popped the hood, checked the timing belt, it was fine. Turned the key to see if it would start, nothing. My concern now however is that the oil pressure would now not climb (just barely) when cranking. Thought it could possibly be because the oil temp was warm compared to it cranking when cold & the oil pressure rises. I'm just trying to rule out any oil causing the problem of lost power..

Here's a video of the dash while trying to get it to start after it lost power while driving.



I'm clueless

jhowell371

How about the ignition switch. They crack and cause strange things. Replaced ignition and still had the same problem as you with the wife's VW Cabriolet. Cleaned and checked everything with voltmeter, no problem detected but it would still just shut off now and then So then I threw a new distributor, sensors, relays and stabilizer at it and still didn't fix it Checked out everything with voltmeter again, everything checked OK. Hooked everything back up but now the problem was fixed Unhooking stuff and hooking it back up I must have improved a connection or something.

jackkthemackk

I'm just going to leave this here.. found the culpritAttachment 957439

jackkthemackk

just going to leave this here..