A couple weeks ago I was on my way home from a friend's house and my car started running really bad. It felt like it had a really bad miss or something. So I thought I might have burned one of my wires up or something and I didn't drive it. The next day I looked at all the wires and they were fine. So, I tried to start the car and it wouldn't start! I've tried everything I can think of. New plugs, new coil, checked fuel pressure. I checked the plugs and they are firing, had 40 lbs. of fuel pressure. I just replaced the opti-spark about 10k miles ago. Does anyone think this could be the problem even though it's firing? Need some opinions...


Thanks,
Joe

 

are you getting spark? you can pull a few plug wires and spark plugs then ground the spark. then have someone crank the car as you watch the plug for spark.

 

Is it cranking or completely dead?

 

It is turning over, it just won't start. It's like it's out of gas or the opti spark isn't working. But it has a full tank and it is sparking. I checked several of the plugs, they all sparked fine.

 

This sounds electrical to me, especially since you have checked your fuel pressure. I would start simple, like terminal connections. Does not sound like the opti. You could also check for coil spark.

 

I checked all the connections between the wires, coil, and opti spark. The coil wire is sparking also, I've already checked that. What terminal connections are you talking about?

 

Does anyone know of any sensors that could cause this? If I spent a couple hundred bucks on a scanner, do you think it would help me at all? I know that there were already a couple codes, the SES light has been on since I've had it, but I don't know if there may be something else now? What do you guys think?

 

check your injector fuses,spray some starting fluid in it,if it starts your not getting enough fuel.Jake

 

Check a couple of plugs for evidence of fuel.

 

I've already checked all the fuses, everything is good. I've tried starting fluid, it didn't work. When I took out the plugs to see if they were firing, they did have fuel on them. Like I said, I think I've tried everything... ???

 

Anyone? Is there a sensor that would cause it to not start? I'm completely lost...

 

check the two plug connections to the ignition coil (the ones that connect together). Those two wires are moved so much you can sometimes break them on the inside. I've already had to fix my wiring and a friends because of that. If you have a test light stab the three wires with your key turned to ignition and the light should illuminate, if not you may have a broken wire. When you use the test light try and stab it as close to the connector as possible but just push it in enough to make contact with the wire no further. I do believe there is one wire that requires you to actually crank the car to go posotive. good luck hope this helps.

 

Time to go back to basics. Fuel, spark and compression. Based on what you said before, we assume your getting fuel. You will have to check each plug for spark, not just one or two. If they all have spark, then its time for a compression test. Best time to do this is when you pull the plug checking for spark. If any are lower than any others, then do a leak down test. Depending on the results of that test (should you have to go that far) will determine what path to take from there.

Good luck.

 

if it won't start when you are using starting fluid, then you are not getting any spark.

starting juice will start even a flooded engine. if you were not getting fuel, it would start then die when you stopped the starting fluid.

since it doesn't run, you don't have spark, i promise. check it again.

 

Just wondering if it could be my optispark even if a few of the plugs are still firing. I have the water pump and optispark taken off right now, so it would be easier to replace it now if that's the problem. But, on the other hand, I don't want to spend a couple hundred bucks on a new optispark and still have a car that won't start. So, I guess it couldn't be a sensor right? I guess I'm going to go through each single plug and make sure they're all firing.