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.

shortyboy

check coil and coil wire to distributor cap. its possible you got it loose changing oil filter.

jackkthemackk

I took off the coil wire leading from the coil to the distributor cap but didn't check that for spark. Only checked the wire going to plug #2 and it had no spark. Will check that tonight. I'm just dumbfounded because it drove just fine Monday night & started every time

Humboldtgrin

I got my $ on the crank and reference sensors.

Humboldtgrin

And check your rotor to make sure it is secured. My car died on the freeway one time and it was the rotor. Another time same symptoms and it was the crank sensor wire had pulled out from the back of the plug and the ground wire broke off.

Humboldtgrin

Also if you have a fuel injector light(noid light?) you can see if the computer is sending signals. And if you have spark going to cap but not out of it. It would be the rotor. If you have no spark going to the rotor and no light(voltage) going to the fuel injectors I would look at the crank and reference sensors and most likely replace them.

jackkthemackk

They are both brand new. Replaced the speed sensor last fall & replaced the reference sensor Tuesday when it was getting tach bounce. played with the connection also. Ruled those out of the problem.

what do you mean "secure"? it's not loose/moving around at all.

Speed & reference / crank sensors are both new. Those are ruled out as the culprit because if they were bad I wouldn't get any tach bounce.

Tom M'Guinn

Turn the ignition to on without starting the car and check if the boost gauge moves up to about 1. If so, then the DME/KLR is getting power. If not, jumper the DME relay and try again.

jackkthemackk

just checked the video of the dash I took while trying to start it & the boost gauge did not move at all! So if the boost gauge stays limp while turning the car on & cranking it, it's because the DME isn't getting power?

Tom M'Guinn

Most likely. Try just turning the ignition to on, waiting a few seconds without cranking, and confirm it still sits without moving. If so, chances are very high the DME/KLR is not getting power. (There's always a slim chance the gauge got disconnected or the KLR sensor went bad, etc., but seems highly unlikely given your no start problem.) If the DME/KLR is not getting power, then try jumpering the DME relay and then see if the boost gauge responds. If so, the car will almost certainly start

nofalls

Boost gauge at bottom of reading means the alarm is armed and the car will not start. At least that is how my car works. If I have the key on and arm and disarm the alarm the gauge jumps between bottom and middle of the gauge.

jackkthemackk

Thank you! Will check when I get to the car tonight. I have a new DME relay coming tomorrow & if that's the issue, I'll be ordering a second to keep as a spare in the glove box.

Tom M'Guinn

Agreed, there could be other reasons the DME/KLR and gauge isn't powering up -- including the alarm if present -- just playing the odds by suggesting he check the relay first...

blown 944

One thing I've done in the past is jumper the two pins at the same to bypass the klr. Its always at least good to eliminate it as the cause.

I forget which pins. But a pinout will tell you

Humboldtgrin

Can you check for crank signal going to the DME or KLR? The wires may have broken in your harness. They sell replacements, these are 30 year old cars and are prone to failure on some items such as the fuel injector harness and crank/ref harness. I understand you "just" replaced your sensors but they may be bad *** well. I've seen the trigger wheel eat up sensors that were new. Just need to rule this item out! I've bought new alternators that didn't work. Thing like this happen. Yes your alarm also can do the same thing. so if that's the case then see write up before mine on that subject. And what I mean by the rotor not being secure is meaning the little Allen screw backed out of the rotor and the rotor is free spinning not sending spark to proper post (light show under cap, not good!). Check the simple stuff first then work deeper. Even if you think it's good it may be bad. That's what I learned in automotive classes. And as a technician. Check all you input signals and power to the computers if need be. One time in my 96 mustang my passanger window wasn't working and I found the wire was broken inside the harness(not visible) and in the drivers door hinge area. Get a multimeter and start doing ohms checks to check for broken wires if you have to.