Cascade Crew

kidcamaro · Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 6:32 am Post subject: car wont start

i went to go to work and the car wont start. im not sure where to start lookin as this is my first tpi motor. im gonna check the fuses. when i turn the key i can hear the fuel pump prime. i have a haynes manual but it doesnt give much info. it did say the ecm might be bad. the car started fine yesterday after work. then all of the sudden nothing. makes it worse is that i dont have another car. Sad

any help will be appreciated.

Dewey316 · Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 6:54 am Post subject:

is it cranking?

check the stupid stuff first, how much gas is in the tank, etc.

I would also check a and make sure your coil is firing. It may be that something like that went out, and you aren't getting any spark. When you are cranking, is there a gas smell from the exaust?

really, you need to determine if it is fuel related, or spark related.

kidcamaro · Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 6:58 am Post subject:

yeah its cranking. i had the hood open and i didnt smell any fuel. not sure how to check to coil. the tank has half a tank of gas. i didnt notice any fuel smell at all when i was crankin it over.

Dewey316 · Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 7:00 am Post subject:

do you have a fuel pressure gauge?

to check the coil, unplug the coil wire from the dizzy, set it next to the cowl, or some other metal object, and crank, it should have enough voltage to jump, so you will see the spark. (be careful doing this, there is alot of voltage coming out the coil)

kidcamaro · Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 7:04 am Post subject:

i dont have a fuel pressrue gauge. but theres a knechts down the street and i could go get one. ill go check the coil now since i have enough room for that. lol

Dewey316 · Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 7:06 am Post subject:

I have a feeling this is going to be a fuel pump (not good news, I know). A fuel pressure guage will tell us for sure though. Since your TPI, there will be a shrader valve on the drivers side fuel rail, you can use that to test the pressure.

kidcamaro · Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 7:16 am Post subject:

i just pulled the coil wire off the distributor and put it near some metal and when i cranked i got nothing comming from it. it didnt ark or anything.i put it against the top of the firewall where the hood closes. is there a certain distance that it needs to be away from the metal?

Dewey316 · Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 7:45 am Post subject:

It should just a fair distance, like an 1" or more.

kidcamaro · Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 7:51 am Post subject:

it was about that far away, and there was no spark comming from the coil wire.

Dewey316 · Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 8:00 am Post subject:

I would now try to lift the wire from the coil, and hold it just high enough above the coil terminal to see it, and see if it sparks there.

kidcamaro · Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 8:03 am Post subject:

im gonna need 2 people for that right? im the only one here right now. my wife had to g oto work. could i prop it up with something and have it still work?

Dewey316 · Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 8:12 am Post subject:

duct tape ownz you.

The hardest part is going to be making sure you can see if it arcs or not, you will likely want to do it in the dark, so is easier to see. If you don't get spark, you might grab the ign. module, and have it tested at your local parts store.

kidcamaro · Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 8:32 am Post subject:

the wires look like ass. when i changed the cap and rotor, i took the wires off and powder fell out of a few of them. im gonna go get new wires and see if that might be it. process of elimination i guess.where is the ignition module? sorry for the retarded questions but i have not many skills with this type of stuff. Sad

Dewey316 · Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 8:50 am Post subject:

if you take the dizzy cap off, it is the module located towards the rear of the base. it just unscrews, and uplugs.

just for a check, maybe unplug one of your other wires, and use it for a plug wire, and see if it will start on 7cyls. Free stuff always beats buying things for trouble shooting. If it fires on 7, then your coil wire was bad, and a new set of wires would cure ya.

kidcamaro · Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 9:11 am Post subject:

ok ill try the wire thing. thanks for the help dewey.

alloy · Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 9:12 am Post subject:

The fuel pump should come on for 3 seconds when you turn the key on. Check for that.

Also, Auto Zone can check your ignition module. Not sure if other parts stores can do that or not. And, modules can test good cold, but when they heat up they can fail. But this sounds like a cold starting problem not one that shows up after the engine is warm.

Dewey316 · Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 9:22 am Post subject:

even though the pump primes, it doesn't always build pressure, or nearly the 42psi needed on a TPI car. Wink

<--- owner of a toasted fuel pump, that primed, but would not build more than 2psi of pressure.

kidcamaro · Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 9:30 am Post subject:

the pump primes for 3 seconds when i turn the key. i tried puttin another wire on the coil and i still didnt see a spark. it might have been because its day time. im gonna buy new wires and a coil for it today. ill change those and see what it does. im gonna find out how much a igniton module is. i sure hope its not the pump. Sad

i have no way to drop the tank where i live Sad

ill post back after i get the coil and new wires on.

alloy · Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 9:43 am Post subject:

Well a module for my 87 TPI car is $29.95 at the Zone. And, the Zone has a lifetime warranty on the modules. You don't have to keep your receipt for the warranty, just remember your phone number.

Go to www.autozone.com and type in your car info and see how much a module is for your car.

kidcamaro · Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2005 11:08 am Post subject:

well i put the coil on and nothing. they gave me the wrong wires, so i need to take them back. i was lookin into the ends of the wires that are at the cap and they are pretty coroded.