I just changed my water pump and the car is/was running fine. Just normal noises it had before, wasn't worried about it. Was driving around one night, car was missing a lot, I figured it was just the cap/rotor, becuase they're 150k miles old and coolant probably got in there changing the water pump. So, turned the car off when I stopped. It wouldn't restart when I wanted to leave, cranks fine, but won't restart. I waited a while, went to restart it and it fired up, but a few seconds later white smoke came out the exhaust, so I turned it off and started cussing at it thinking it was a headgasket or head or block. So, it wouldn't start up again after that. Towed it home.
Next try, car fired up after sitting for a while (overnight), drove to school. On the way home, it started up after sitting all day again, but on the way home it started really losing all power. Accelerating normally seemed like a giant load. Got home, turned off the car, and it wouldn't start back up. Let it sit a while, tried again, and it started, white smoke again, but then it went away and idled "normally" aside from missing still.
Now the car won't even fire, it's like there is no spark. It'll crank, and that's it. I bought a code scanner, and when i try to pull codes, it fails to connect. That seem like a computer going out? When the key is in key on engine off the low speed fan runs continuously now.

I need my car back ,as it's the only car I have. A computer is going to be expensive w/o having a core. Could the cap/rotor cause this much?

Thanks in advance,
Nick

EDIT** I drained the oil and didn't find anything in it. But, I noticed when cranking it (before i drained oil of course) that when it turns over there is sound of compression leaking almost. It's loud, air escaping. Don't know the significance of that. Help is apprecaited though, I really need a car back!

Thanks again

 

Why did you change the water pump?

What do the plugs look like? While you there, look for loose plugs.

Do a coolant system pressure test and do a cylinder leakdown test.

 

I changed the water pump becuase it wasn't cooling the car anymore and was leaking out the weep hole. When i took it out, it was missing half the ball bearings in the back of it, and the rubber seal around the drive shaft.

Plugs are new (2 months ago) NGK TR5s gapped to .045. I tightened the plugs, a couple were loose, but everything is good to go now.

I don't have the equipment to do a compression test, and can't really drive it anywhere if it won't start.

 

My car did the exact same thing, so im wondering what kinda responses you'll get.
I towed it to a shop and they tryed to scan it and it wouldn't read anything. So they guy left the key in "on" position for like 20 minutes and after that it finally connected and what not. Now it runs fine, but he said he wasnt able to figure out the problem and i should bring it back next time it dies. He was talking about computer going out, but i thought it was a pretty rare thing for it to go out. Then he mentioned that his camaro has the same problem so maybe he was right...

ninja edit***all the plugs, wires and opti are less then 2000 miles.

 

I'll try getting a computer and seeing if it fixes this situation quickly. I just don't see the Opti or anything causing this problem to arise this fast. It isn't even trying to start, it's doing the same thing that it would do if you pulled the PCM fuse or unplugged it and cranked it. No spark. Also, with the scanner not connecting to the computer, and the fans being turned on w/ the key it makes me belive the PCM has an internal error in it. I've had the SES light on for the time I've had the car, from a rear O2 sensor though, so I haven't worried about it. However, after my water pump change, it was missing heavily, probably from water and the opti. But still, would that have affected the computer?

I'll try a computer when i can get hold of one and see what happens.

 

alright good luck. Where are you gonna get that computer, and do you know how much it is? and can you let me know how it works out, thanks dude!