Ok, so far since July I had the opti-spark go out on the car. Had that replaced and the car was running fine for about a month. Then the car had no power at all, found out that the cat was clogged. Then had an oil leak from the front top of the engine. I pulled off the waterpump and replaced the seal where the shaft comes out of the timing chain cover to fix the oil leak. I then installed the waterpump back on the car and hooked up all hoses, the fan, and all the connections. I tried to start the car and it won't start. While attempting to start it will speed up like the engine is trying to run, then dies again. When I let go of the key the engine will still be barely turning over firing here and there. Sorta like an old car does that when you turn off the key and it doesn't want to cut off but is running at 10-50 rpm's. I am completely lost on this one. I am thinking opti even though I just replaced it, I also had the battery cable off the car for about a week and 1/2 because I couldn't find time to do it. Just wondering if anyone else has had this problem.

Thanks in advance,
Jonathan

 

did you spill coolant on the opti?

 

Did you make sure that you plugged your opti in correctly?? Nothing stuck between the connector and opti?

 

Sounds dumb but test your fuel pump relay, i know not even related but mine went when working on water pump.

 

i had the same problem when i did mine, i think i pluged the spark plug wires in in the wrong order. check that.

 

never removed the opti to remove the water pump or the wires so that can't be it. I don't think I got any coolant on the opti and it has been over a week since I took it off. The car has plenty of fuel pressure, 45 or so when switch is first turned on then drops to 40 something. So that is ruled out also

I am clueless on what this could be.

 

Did you make sure the conection to the Coolant sensor is not damaged?

My first thought is... either is not plugged properly or one of the wires broke off somewhere.

I once conected a resistor in parallel with the sensor and ran fine for as long as the car was warmed up. but in the morning it would do the same thing that you describe...... then eventually start up. hmmm Maybe your sensor went south. Its worth checking and easy too.


Marvin

 

that would cause the engine not to start???

 

no, that would not cause a no start condition. I would look around to make sure you didnt unplug the coil, or the opti, it is easy to do when removing the water pump since the wires for them run behind the wp, check your coil wire too.

 

That's why it is so messed up that I can't figure it out. The only thing that I unplugged was the sensor on the water pump, the fan connection, and the water pump hoses. I did have to take three screws out of the opti bracket and losen the bottom left one so that I could pull it back enough to get the new water pump drive shaft seal on the timing chain cover. I didn't take it off just pulled it back a little bit and then when I pushed it back on the timing chain cover it went right back on. I never seperated the opti from the aluminum backing that it is mounted on, just the backing from the timing chain cover, never unpluging anything off of it.

 

take it back apart sounds like somthing in the opti moved when you loosened it up

 

hmm, you might be missing your serpentine belt, and have no battery power to keep the car going.



BUT, really, i would take it apart, clean the pieces, and work it back on slowly. It could be a number of things deep in there by the opti, but also something simple like the coil wires from the alternator to the battery.

 

i had the same exact thing happen to mine. did you ever get this figured out because i am dumbfounded why the car wont start. it will turn over forever, but wont start. my waterpump went and it ran before i changed it, so after i put the new water pump in i went to start it and nothing.... i dunno if it could be my opti or what. any ideas?

 

I haven't even had time to even look at the car. I have been working like a dog so the car has been sitting.

I think I am going to take the waterpump back off and check to see if the timing was knocked off a little and that might have cause it, who knows

 

im gunna spend some time on mine tommorrow, i'll let you know if i come up with anything. i was told to check the coil connection to the opti. i hope its a stupid problem because im sick of driving the beater