Bradsters

My 79 shark, which up to this moment has been perfect, will not start. I drove it to work, parked way down in the basement (where no tow truck can go) cut the car off and merrily went off to work. This evening, the motor turned over like crazy, but it would not start. There was nothing to indicate that it was going to start. So now I am stuck.

Since the car must be worked on in the garage and I know of no mechanic familiar with the 928 in this area, and certainly no mechanic familiar with a CIS injection system, I NEED YOUR HELP!

Where to start?

Fuel pump (wouldn't I have has some advance warning? I mean the car was running perfectly. And, with the CIS system, wouldn't there have been enough fuel in the accumulator or distributor to at least kick the car over like it was trying to start.)

Coil (again, no advance warning?)

A fuse

A relay

Any ideas?

Thanks.

Steve

WallyP

First, make an emergency/test jumper.

Get three feet of lamp cord (two-conductor 18 gage fine-stranded wire), a single-pole single-throw toggle switch, and two male 1/4" flat spade connectors. (You can get all of this at Radio Shack.)
Put the switch on one end of the wire, the spade connectors on the other end.

Have whoever drives you to your car hit the starter while you stand by the right rear bumper, listening for the fuel pumps. You should hear the pumps buzz for about two seconds when the starter first engages.

If you hear no buzz, you have found the problem. Open the central power panel, and find fuse #22. Check it (don't just look at it!) or just replace it - you can swap fuse #18 (rear window defogger) into the slot. Repeat the test.

If there is still no buzz,remove relay XVII, and find terminals 30 (hot) and 87 (load) in the relay socket. Plug a spade terminal into 30 and into 87. Flip the switch on - the fuel pumps should buzz.

If so, go home and check the fuel pump relay.

Keep the jumper in the glove box for next time.

If not, the fuel pump or pumps may be dead. I would sugges that you check for power on both pumps before you start throwing parts at the problem.

Hope this gets you home!

jpitman

Bradsters- yes it can happen that way! Turned mine off one day, went to fire it up 10 mins later - nothing. Isolated to no fuel- current on socket, pump goes uh!(ie not turning, but trying), but no gas. Actually in fairly embarrassing circumstances, but we wont go into that. Anyway, removed pump, applied 12V, and it went uh! again, then split secong later spat out some small obstruction, and went fine ever since. Changed tank filter.
Moral - if no gas, but current to pump, give it a smack JUST IN CASE - you may clear something out, or jar it awake.
jp

Bradsters

Thanks guys. I went back the next day and, lo and behold, it fired right up. I replaced the fuse, am going to replace the relay (I heard it is about to be MD'd soon so why not have one around), and plan to have a spare fuel pump. But, at least for right now, everything is right in the world again (except for the t'stat). I'm at the stage now (with a 79 that I have driven for 5,000 perfect miles) to learn about some of the problems inherent in old cars,

Donald

Bradsters:
Congrats- What is "about to be MD'd"?
Cheers,
Donald