silent1jt said:

i dont know if this might help but have you checked your battery/alternator/starter? i burnt my alternator 2 weeks ago because i washed my engine bay with degreeser and water hose. I got lazy and did not cover the alt/batt/starter and paid for it with a brand new alternator. Good luck

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yes this actually helps very much since i did this exact thing.
thanks for all the info guys very appreciated. i will replace my alternator tomorrow and i will be letting you guys know how it goes if my car is back on or not.

just make sure your battery is fully charged before you start it. also might want to check your power steering pump for leaking, hence the reason for my dead alternator.

were would the ps pump be located? under the ac belt? and also how did a wash affect that pump into leaking

here you go.
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/articles-miscellaneous/217951-how-diagnose-no-start.html

diagnosing no start

DSMoverJDM said:

yes this actually helps very much since i did this exact thing.
thanks for all the info guys very appreciated. i will replace my alternator tomorrow and i will be letting you guys know how it goes if my car is back on or not.

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i wouldnt replace it just yet, just take it off and get it tested at autozone or advanced auto. and if its fried, you can always rebuild it. this is of course, if your not loaded

DSMoverJDM said:

i was not able to take out my spark plugs but there are no puddles or anything in there. i also checked the fuses and they all came up good.

now its worse, when i crank my car it just makes 1 little click sound and nothing. not even crank sound. someone please help me out. please tell me this is me after engine has been hydrolocked

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quite honesty, sounds like the starter. and charge your battery to 12.45v. then hook it up and measure the v from the hot plug of the alt to ground, it should read the same, if you get it to idle, the battery should read 13-14.9v.

DSMoverJDM said:

were would the ps pump be located? under the ac belt? and also how did a wash affect that pump into leaking

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on my gst its directly above my alternator...the wash did not cause my ps leak but it did worsen my alternator problem.

@dsmer1 thank you and yeah will do; tomorrow morning i will test alternator first i didnt think of that before dumping more money in.

I decided to go ahead and buy a quality compression tester. I ran out of daylight, so I haven't re-run the test yet.

silverkiller96 said:

...although your engine is running good at high RPM's, it could still have low compression at lower RPM's. I've seen many cases where an engine would not start from the starter, but would spin like a top at highers RPM's, this is due to the fact that your engine creates higher cylinder pressures at higher RPM's. At a low RPM's, the pressure in the cylinder can have a slight bleed off from leaking through the gaps in the rings. Did you make sure your gaps in the rings were where they were supposed to be according to factory spec's? Also did you hone the cylinders before installing new rings?

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I understand that pressures aren't going to be nearly as high at low RPM, but zero seems like a bit redonkulous. I'll know definitively tomorrow, I suppose.

I did gap the rings, as well. I believe 3 of the gaps were just a hair too small, and I filed the ends to bring them into spec. Cylinders were honed, as well. One thing I can NOT say with 100% certainty, is whether I put the rings on right-side-up. I knew to do so at the time, but I don't specifically remember checking... Slightly worrisome. (Then again, with my A.D.D., I've got some odd work/life practices that keep me out of such pickles. I often think to myself, "Oh f***, I didn't take care of XYZ!", then find that I actually did.)

Mecheng1993 said:

Are you sure you have the right flywheel installed? The starter could just be spinning and not contacting anything.

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I'm beyond sure that both the flywheel is correct, and the starter is contacting it. As I mentioned, the engine cranks. Also, it's been installed for about 4 years now.

GSXSixteenG said:

Whenever I have done a compression test, I make sure the car is at operating temp then pull only one plug at a time. I'm not sure if the one plug at a time makes a difference, but I thought I would pass along how I have done it without any problems.

I would first say double check these numbers before wasting any more time on other diagnosis'. Because if they are semi-accurate, it is your problem.

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When I did the aforementioned compression test, the engine was certainly warm, but she was certainly a bit below operating temp. Think that would make a difference?

I'll run the test pulling one plug at a time, this go-round.

Thanks for the input, guys (and gals?).

undefined0000 said:

Dead battery. You killed it with the 500 times you tried to start it. Bad alternator will kill the battery as you drive. While you were driving, the car was able to feed at least 12 volts to components. Now that the car was turned off, it only has battery power to feed off of, if its not getting 12 volts (fuel pump especially), car won't start. I wouldn't suggest trying a jump start, but if you can, charge up the battery and try to start. If it starts, grab the voltage. If it doesn't stay above 13 for a while and eventually dips to 11, bad alt. The car should die between 11 and 10 volts.

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I don't know if you caught what undefined0000 said here, but heed what he said. You definitely drained your battery from trying to start your car over and over and over. That's the fastest way to drain the battery.

Don't even waste the time or effort monkeying with the alternator or starter just yet. Your battery is dead, and you need to recharge it. The alternator is only going to charge the battery if your car is running. If your battery is dead, your starter isn't going to work, and if the starter doesn't work, the engine won't crank. Simple as that.

Even if you have a bad alternator, the engine should still start. (Though it will eventually die, since the battery will slowly drain.)

If you're going to continue cranking the engine, find somebody with a battery charger, or jump it from another vehicle. If you're going to jump it, give your battery some time to recharge before trying to start it again, and leave the other vehicle running. If jumping doesn't get your car to start within a couple seconds, then you still have a different issue, bad alternator or not.

If, after jumping or charging, it DOES start, then your problem is one of the following, in order of likeliness: the electrical connections to the battery, connections to the alternator, the alternator itself (since it got washed), or the battery itself. Follow undefined0000's advice for a quick checkout of your electrical system.

alternators are fun to do on those 420a's

First off , charge the battery ### thats all it is. Then, once that is complete, locate your fuel rail and there is a "purge valve " located on top more towards passenger side. Kind of looks like a valve stem from a tire, have somebody crank the car over while you push that valve stem. And I bet it will fire right up. My buddy's RS did the same exact thing your talking about. It ran for a few mins after new pump install but wouldn't restart. Air in lines

the way he first described the problem befor the battery died from so much cranking, it reminded me of symptoms of a coolant temp sensor. theres 2 engine coolant temp sensors, one that talks to the gauge for you to see it, and another sensor that talks to the ecu to relay cold weather start up and such. it is possible to be a ect sensor, ive had this happen. also cam angle sensor gettin wet is another good place to check like what was posted earlier

it seems like your starter is going bad.like everyone is saying i would charge the battery first and check it with a volt meter. after you charge it you could check if your radio and interior lights come on to check if the battery is holding charge. in my opinion i would get parts checked first before you start replacing them like your starter ,alternator and battery. this will save you money in the long run. it might also be your fuel filter being clogged and your not getting enough fuel into the system. have you ever changed it before?

did you ever think about checking the starter? i was having a similar problem sometimes it would crank and other times nothing. i would have to pop my clutch to start it; i changed my starter and it was fine. i would also check the clutch starter switch.

cedp said:

did you ever think about checking the starter? i was having a similar problem sometimes it would crank and other times nothing. i would have to pop my clutch to start it; i changed my starter and it was fine. i would also check the clutch starter switch.

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Again, the engine always cranks. Thank you.

I will begin with battery recharge then work on from there and see if it even is the alternator.
the purging the fuel rail lines also seem like a good idea since i did replace my fuel pump/filter.

thank you everybody who input advice/ideas all very helpful and so much appreciated this is my first car ever so I still have alot of learning to do

Thank everyone for all your help. Thanks mental health, I checked all the wiring and found out that the diode in the instrument panel was bad. So that problem was solved . . . get three more diodes. As for the car still not running, I found the problem. . . with help from my wife. After looking and testing everything, she says, "Are you getting fuel?" I said Yes... but i didn't know if I was getting fuel to the cylinders. I stated earlier that I tested the injectors (they were good) the whole injection system (good) and fuel was passing to the regulator. When I pulled the spark plugs and visually looked in the cylinder, fuel was not spraying during cranking. The box said that the injectors were firing so initally I assumed it was spraying fuel. I replaced the box with the OE and cranked the car, fuel started wetting the pistons. I plugged the box back in. . . same thing; the pulse with increased so I am assuming that it was turning on my injectors so fast that fuel was not spraying. Since I had a spare injector, I had the wife crank the car as I blow on the injector intake; it was pulsing the the injector but it would barely pass air. I figued it didn't matter since the injector pulses in microsec that fuel should pass. The AEM tech said that the injector pulse should drop when cranking; in my case, the injector pulse whent from 2460 (before cranking) to 11000 then dropped down to 8000. No matter what cal file I loaded it would produce the same reading. Basically, I couldn't change my fuel settings. I could turn my injectors on and off, but that was it. I tell you, this was a painful process. . . but I know this car inside out now.

yes just keep us posted so we can help you out as fast as possible

okay so I recharged my battery completely and tried to start and nothing. i also replaced my 4 spark plugs some looked a little worn out but gap seemed ok to me. i tried again and no start but at least it cranks. I decided to check for spark and when i pulled out the sparkplug connected to the wire i put it ontop headers cover near a bolt and friend cranked the car for me and i saw no spark.

now what should be my next steps in getting my car running ?

look at the link i posted and go to ignition dignosis. but from no spark, check the primary and secondary resistance of the coil packs, then test your power transister, then check your cam angle sensor, then check all continuity, and at all loss, pull your ecu and check capasiters and corrosion. if its blown it should smell fishy.

heres the link again
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/articles-miscellaneous/217951-how-diagnose-no-start.html
scroll to the ignition.
one thing that is not mentioned here is the power transister
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/articles-electrical-wiring/229419-how-test-power-transistors.html
here it is.

i did pull the ecu out it was a little corroded but wasnt wet or anything

just go through the ignition dignosis first that way you dont spend your friday night money on a ecu if you have a good one.

Hey all, my first post here, but have been lurking and searching for days on end about my problem. I also posted this in my local section, but its been rather slow :/ and thought it may fit here as well.

I've owned the car for about 6months with little problems(master cylinder, battery)

some changes/mods:
93 GSX 6bolt swap
Evo 3 16g
Full exhaust
hks BOV
evo 550cc injectors(I think thats the size )
Python alarm system
NEW battery
M/T


The problem was: I drove 1.5 miles to my girlfriends house perfect. The car started up perfect, no hesitation, cranked and fired just like norm. Now when I went to leave her house, I went to turn the key and NADA. I drove the car about 30-40miles previous to this in the same day with no problems.

I've found my situation to be quite perplexing. At first I had full power to everything beside being able to start. Radio powered, Python alarm system would beep when armed/unarmed, warning would sound when key in ignition, all lights etc. At that point in time I would try to start and hear the starter solenoid click and nothing after, almost like a dead battery. I tried jumping and nothing. after a few more tries and some investigation i still didn't have her running.

I walked home, searched more here, then went back thinking i might have found the problem. NOPE. I thought it may have been the starter relay because now when i turned the key I was getting a loud buzzing sound coming from the rear of the center console. I removed the radio, checked the starter relay and all seemed fine. I bridged the relay just to check and I didn't get the buzz, but I got the click and nothing.

One thing that happened previously was how I discovered my positive battery terminal was shorting on my strut tower brace across my engine bay. What fuses or relays could this have possibly blown? Ive checked all and haven't found anything bad.

I do hear a pump of some kind running when I turn the key to ON but not sure what it is, it's only come on a few times after waiting a few mins between tries. Ive checked the clutch switch as well just to make sure that couldnt be the problem.

My main question is: What would cause the buzzing? Is it the Starter relay? could the MPI relay do this? It sounds like the MFI/MPI may be the source but im not sure. Could it be the alarm system?

Again, I hear the solenoid click, but wont crank. I havent have the chance to play with the starter, but i have a feeling its not it because it started up PERFECT just 3min before i tried again. The buzzing inside also detours me from the starter being the problem.

Please, if anyone hase some suggestions or can help, I'm open to anything. Just wanna get this problem fix and get boostin again

so i recently had a battery light on and it turned out i needed a alternator, so i put one in... the battery was less than one month old at this point.... anyways the last 2 days i went to go start the car and nothing, the door poppers worked, and then when i tried to start it fizzled out and the door poppers nor any power worked at all.... then the poppers and everything works all of a sudden... just no turnover like the batterys dead... but the battery shows 12.8 when its not running... and 14.4 when it is... which is normal battery voltage.. so i pop start the car and drive it somewhere and then turn it off and can start it right back up like nothing happened.... i find it has done this the last 2 days after sitting for a few hours but i have no idea what could be wrong... there isnt a click when i go to start it and its "playing dead" maybe my battery wires are messed up? theres no corrosion..

PLEASE HELP!

the 420a uses the CKP (crank sensor) to trigger the ignition. the CAS (cam sensor) is for fuel injector pulse.

the best way to test for spark is with a spark tester, available at any parts store. if you just pull a plug and crank with it grounded, it may cross the gap and look ok, but doesnt mean its strong. a good ign spark needs to be able to cross a 3/4" gap with an intense, crisp, blue spark.

check for spark. test the plug wires resistance. then check the coil primary resistance. next step would be to make sure the crank sensor wasnt contaminated when you washed your engine (this was the cause of my freinds no start on his 98 gs).

next you need to make sure your battery is fully charged and not dropping voltage greatly while starting.
you may have enough power to crank the car over but not enough to charge primary windings in the coil, which will prevent the secondary windings being able to induce a powerful enough spark.

Ground cable? Anyway to position the battery without strut contact?