Car won't start... Has fuel and spark.

[xxREVERBxx]

Ok this problem just started yesterday. I was cleaning my engine bay with a damp cloth yesterday and let the car sit till that night. I was going to out somewhere and the car wouldn't start. It just kept cranking but no start.

Went over everything this morning. Checked for spark, pulled plugs and wires brought it close the to a ground turned the key and got spark. So i'm assuming my coil pack is good. When i pulled the plugs they were wet and reaking of fuel. So i'm assuming that i'm getting fuel. I thought my car was flooded so i took one of my girls tampons and took what ever fuel was in the cylinders out.

Tried starting it again and nothing.

If it were my CAS, would i still be getting spark and fuel?

I desperatly need to get this fixed asap. I don't want to go buying things that aren't going to help fix it.

Thanks for any help you guys or girls can give me.

 

[xxREVERBxx]

Just pulled the CAS and kept it connected to the plug. Turned the key to the "on " position and rotated the "fan" and i heard the coil pack charging and the injectors firing.

So i'm assuming that the CAS fine.

Anyone have any other ideas?

By the way when i tested the spark, it was an orange spark not blue.

Don't know if that helps.

-Franklin

 

[xxREVERBxx]

Dropped some new plugs in just a minute ago and still nothing. Come on guys i'm desperate.

 

[Bostedquest]

trust me I am in the same boat...
getting (no little about it) no help at all here too...

I have gone through 2 sets of wire plugs (pulling apart) from swapping spark plugs so much... I rotate through 3 sets I have...

I am left to atempting to take fuel out with my SAFC2, so I need to get that hooked in tomarrow. I cannot get the fuel rail pressure below 42PSI even though every bit of the fuel system is stock

I am going to get the car running good, and then sell the F##Ker, I am tired of dealing with an unreliable car...

 

[gsxtacy]

Air, fuel , spark, and timing is all that is required for an engine to run.

If your CAS is good, might wanna pull your upper and lower timing cover and check your timing marks just to make sure.

Other than that, ENSURE you have fuel and spark.

Check your ignition fuses and relays too.

I wish I could help more, but I am not there to personally look everything over.

A damp cloth shouldn't damage anything. I once got a 92' TSI FWD for $900 that a guy said he pressure washed the engine bay, and it never would start after that....turned out to be a weak battery!!!

Check the stupid simple stuff first, then resort to more indepth problem diagnosis.

gsxtacy

 

[xxREVERBxx]

Thanks for the reply guys, brought the battery to Autozone to get it tested. It checked out ok nothing else wrong with it. So now i'm stuck.

Anyone else have any other ideas?

Thanks

-Franklin

 

[gsxtacy]

I really wish I could help you. Wiping the engine bay down with a damp cloth WILL NOT damage anything. Spilt Coca-Cola on something before wiping it up with a damp cloth, could MAYBE damage something.

I am not real familiar with 1G engine bays since its been 3 years since I have owned one, BUT check the harness that goes to the coil pack. If it is getting insufficient power supply it might cause the coils to not fire right., maybe the ground for it too? Everytime I have ever seen spark it has been Whiteish Blue, not orange.

Hope that gives you a new direction to look.

gsxtacy

 

[DSM MAN]

I had a similar problem, wouldn't start was getting fuel I think, was getting spark timing was fine. So I finally just got pissed cranked it over and just pumped the gas pedal like a beast and it SLOWLY started. Almost to the point where I could hear each cylinder firing. Don't know if thats a NO NO or not but my car started and I never figured out what happened. Good luck. And good thinking on the tampon thing, made me laugh.

 

[Bostedquest]

IEverytime I have ever seen spark it has been Whiteish Blue, not orange.
gsxtacy

Yes, an orange flame/spark is weak, very weak.
a good one has a white core, and blue outline.

 

[TurkF26]

check your coilpack and maybe swap it with someone elses to see if thats going out and also check everything related to it.

 

[xxREVERBxx]

So a weak spark like mine could possibly mean my coil pack isn't generating enough spark?

I was reading other posts and there was talk about a power transistor that's part of the coil pack. Could that be my problem?

Is it just a fuse of some sort?

Thanks for the help, keep em coming!

-Franklin

 

[TurkF26]

yes like i said check all of that. get a working coilpack and transistor from someone and hook it up to see if it works right.

 

[Bostedquest]

I was reading other posts and there was talk about a power transistor that's part of the coil pack. Could that be my problem?

Is it just a fuse of some sort?

-Franklin

It is a little 3"X4"X.5" thick black rectangle that is moiunted on a piece of metal very near the coil pack.

 

[xxREVERBxx]

Would a faulty EGR not allow my car to start?

According to the manual, engine cranks and no start, the EGR valve is one of the suspects.

What am i looking for as far as that? I'm unsure as to how that would fix it.

-Franklin

 

[Bostedquest]

Would a faulty EGR not allow my car to start?

According to the manual, engine cranks and no start, the EGR valve is one of the suspects.

What am i looking for as far as that? I'm unsure as to how that would fix it.

-Franklin

yes it could be stuck open.
That is why I eliminated it from my intake.

 

[xxREVERBxx]

Is there anyway i could make my own EGR block off plate or do i have to buy one?

 

[TurkF26]

i made my own. i took of the EGR valve, traced it into a piece of sheet metal, cut it out, and bolted it to where the EGR was and have not had any problems

 

[Bostedquest]

A simple piece of 1/8-3/16" steel will do fine.
Use the EGR gasket to trace the patern, cut out the outline, drill the bolt holes and then bolt between the EGR and intake... wala, it is blocked.

 

[xxREVERBxx]

So i got a little time this weekend and checked out the timing. Well sure enough my timing was all off. It must have jumped timing on start up.

How rare is that? Is that a sign of other things happening?

Could i have bent any valves? and also if i jumped timing, would there be no compression?

Thanks for all the help guys.

-Franklin

 

[xxREVERBxx]

So would jumped timing = no compression? Could my valves still be ok? Need help desperatly.

Thanks guys.

 

[oldman]

Could my valves still be ok? Need help desperatly.

That depends on how much it jumped, perform a compression test to fine out.

 

[Bostedquest]

So would jumped timing = no compression? Could my valves still be ok? Need help desperatly.

Thanks guys.

if the engine can still be turned without grinding... it is a safe bet your valves are fine.