I have an 85 as well and experienced the same symptoms just a few short weeks ago, after switching brains, testing for spark etc.. it tuned out to be a bad Relay, fuel pump to be exact. Hope that helps.

Dan

 

You probably have the dreaded Athiest Shark. I have one, and learned never to take it to church. None of my other cars complain, but the Athiest Shark will not leave a church parking lot under its own power.

 

Usually, if the tach flickers when cranking, this shows the EZ-F is OK. But checking for a spark is the sure way.

Fuel pump will only run if the EZ-F sends rpm pulses to the LH ECU (engine turning when cranking)

The tach is fed from the same rpm pulses that wake up the LH ECU to switch on the fuel pump.

If you find therre is a spark, try swapping out the fuel pump relay.

 

blown 87 wrote:

Turns your car into a deisel?

 

That one came out of the SO's tractor that I restored for her. It came out nice. Sorry for the highjack, but got to post a pic of her tractor.






It sure fried that piston didn't it. You would think that a deisel piston would be stronger than a gas piston.
I use brake cleaner to do my checks like that.

 

Out of curiosity, what size battery should be in this car. Looks like the previous owner put a cheapy little battery in it. How many CCA should I be looking for?

 

I can't remember the size or the CCA but I know that the proper size battery will fill the battery box. They usually stock them at most auto parts stores.

 

My Interstate books shows the oem battery was 650 CCA, the NAPA battery for it is 690 CCA (#4548) and the Interstate is 700 CCA. (MT-91)

 

Deisel engines run much higher compresion than gas burners- hench the reason that you never ever use starting fluid to get them started! you can however use some wd40 to do the trick with out the risk ( or less of a risk) of damage like yours. I have seen a few Deisl p.u. trucks that have blown the heads clear off using starting fluid

 

I bet you forgot to make an offering at the Altar of the Immaculate Shark while there.

 

I think one of my old roommates has that beat.

He was driving a company work truck that was old and worn slap out.
He used to use the oxy/acetylene torch to just put a little in the intake.
you can gues what happend one morning when he put just a bit to much in there.
Like you said, it lifted one of the heads and the intake off of the block.

 

I didn't recommend it, but it can be diagnostic if you spray a few quick shots down the throat of the throttle while someone turns the key. There are certainly other ways to verify whether it is fuel or spark. But when I don't have a fuel pressure guage available to hook up on a no-start car, if a few shots of starter fluid cause the car to start and run briefly, I focus on fuel supply. If there is no response, I focus on spark, although it still could be both. Just don't spray the stuff all over the place or longer than a second. Certainly pulling the plugs and looking at them for condition and spark would help too. This guy probably has an ignition relay or crank speed sensor problem...or, yes, the TB could be gone.

 

Welcome; since you're in Atlanta perhaps Wally P or John P will reply.

 

BKiller...

Relays XVI, XX, XXV ? All 3 good ?

see thread "'85 Won't Start" for more info.

Battery is Group 49(Grp. 48 is a bit shorter
so cables might not reach). 850 CCA, Exide/Autolite


G'luck

 

I have to jump on the relay band wagon. When I got my '85 auto it would not start either. Jumped the fuel pump relay then I could hear the pump run but still no start. I jumped all three critical relays and then it fired right up. Put the relays that I had pulled back in and they have worked ever since but I now have three new ones because I know it can not last.