I had a similar issue once... I'd first check to see if you have fuel or spark - if just one is missing that will help you diagnose. In my case I had fuel but no spark... the KLR had failed. If you have no spark, it is easy to test whether the KLR is the source of the problem just by bridging it out.

 

I purchased a DME relay and will start with that since it is a 30 second replacement. However, my fuel system has a fuel rail pressure gauge and it reads 40 lbs. I am guessing that the car is getting gas.

What functionality does the DME relay provide? It manages the fuel pump, right? But what else?

What still bothers me is that the battery went from full charge to completely dead in a week. This is an expensive high-end Odyssey dry cell that should be good for 10 years. It is two years old. What would drain the battery completely while at the same time prevent the car from starting? Could a failed DME relay do that? Could a bad KLR do that?

 

Just from memory, I think the DME relay has two circuits... one for the fuel pump and one for the DME.

It would seem you are getting gas due to fp reading unless you have failed injector drivers... I think there are two though so not sure of chances of both failing together - if only one had failed you'd expect a tickle at least?

Anyway pretty easy to see if you have spark and if not, start tracing back. More recently, I had a no start issue due to no spark and the contact point in the centre of the distributor cap (where it makes contact with the rotor) had disintegrated (this would not cause battery drain though).

When my KLR failed I did have battery drain issues but cannot say for certain that this was the cause because the car was sitting at times for a while and I did end up replacing the battery - I'm guessing the bad KLR didn't help though.

Once you establish spark, a little Aerostart can work wonders!

 

Can you define tickle? Since I bought this car 13 years ago it has had a "tick" at idle. Tick = misfire for one second and car stumbles. Problem was worse before I redid all grounds. I have spent thousands of dollars at shops replacing everything concieivable to eliminate this. Eventually, I gave up and learned to live with it. It never affected performance, it just cam in conflict with my desire for perfection.

 

By tickle I meant the engine sounds like it's at least trying to start as opposed to being totally dead - hence the "tickle" would indicate it had at least some spark and some fuel.

The "tick" you mention sounds like a fueling issue - either too much or too little for the air mass and temperature. The car I mentioned with the faulty KLR started once I bridged out the KLR but would stumble stop running as soon as I applied some throttle... there was some dirt in the fuel rail impeding the flow of petrol - hence, insufficient fuel once we had the extra air mass as throttle was applied.

Another car I had (actually an Audi) had a no start issue once... this was caused by leaking injectors - ie, too much fuel for the conditions.

In the work that you have done trying to address your issue, have you had the injectors cleaned and tested?

 

Another thing to consider, the car being started and run rather than being taken for a decent run, may not have allowed the spark plugs to get up to temperature. Having done that a few times may have fouled them sufficiently to cause your no start issue. At a couple of dollars each, this may not be a bad place to start.

 

This is my third set of injectors. I am now running 72lbs. Changing the injectors made no impact.

 

This is been a problem for 13 years and occured when the car was my daily driver.

 

There could be any number of reasons why the battery is dead. And it could be completely unrelated to the no start condition you have now.

Replacing the battery is a good start. I have never been a fan of dry cell batteries in street cars. Countless customers used them over the years and they always seemed to die at the worst time.

Last time you tried to start the car it may have flooded. Big injectors and low cranking current it's easy to do. You might find it starts next time you are home. If not then I would check for spark. If you have spark then check for injector pulse. Since you have fuel pressure if you have spark and injector pulse it should start. The DME relay has two contact points in it. One is for the fuel pump and the other powers the DME through the alarm control unit. If you have spark then you have DME power.

I live in NoVa and if you are interested I will PM you my cell phone number and you can call me when you are home. I am a factory trained Pcar tech and worked for local performance shop for many years so I have a little experience.

 

it could not cannot charge the batt when its on. hook a volt meter. started to test and find the draw

 

change the plugs, you prob flooded the engine with all the turning over. Specially if your wife doesn't drive it and just lets it idle.

 

When the car stumbles the A/R ratio goes to 20.0 for split second. As I said, my mechanic replaced everything he could think of to find this problem in including much of the wiring and the DME/KLR. This problem was present when I bought the car stock and continued after two replacement engines. There are very few original items left on the car. If Lindsey Racing sells it, it is probably in my car.

I am guessing the tick and my current problem and the tick are unrelated, but this tick has been annoying me for 13 years.

 

I purchased a new dry cell batter ($180) and the special charger that goes with it ($160). I am guessing the old battery can be salvaged. Apparently, a normal battery charger cannot restore them. My battery charger refused to engage which matches the scenario on their website.

I will be in DC August 14 to 23 after a few days in Miami. One of my goals is to get this car running again.

Please PM your contact info. I would love the opportunity to collaborate. I am about done with Bogota and plan to be back in Seattle by this time next year. I want to get this car back to DE day condition.

 

Stumbling for lack of fuel like mine would only mine would die because there was an actual blockage.

It sounds like you have an issue supplying fuel quickly enough to cope with the rapid change in airflow. I guess the possibilities that spring to mind are the air metering system, the map (ie chips), something in the fuel system.

What chips and air metering system are you using?

 

It is an AGM (absorbent glass mat) battery. Completely different than a standard battery. And yes it needs the proper charger to charge it.

PM on the way.