90 Laser 4g63 non-turbo not starting.

[fireblaze2k1]

Background: I have a 1990 Laser RS non-turbo and sold it to an employee of mine. He didn't pay and I looked for him for a year to find it. Well I finally found it and now the fun starts.

Problem: When I first looked under the hood, I noticed the battery was missing. I put in a battery to see if I could get her started. The engine is turning over, but it's not starting at all. The car had an alarm on it before, the wiring is still there, and I believe the alarm is still hooked up, but I've taken off the battery and replaced it without having an issue.
Where should I look first to get my car started? I have about 2 weeks to get it running or I have to junk it.
Also, my buddy said he smelled gas from the exhaust when we tried cranking it over.

Let me know what other specifics I can help out with.

 

[ben's93talon]

if its been sitting for a while maybe you could change the oil, try new spark plugs, maybe new starter....umm.....thats all i can think of for now

 

[fireblaze2k1]

Good idea, will do the oil and the plug wires this weekend, but the starter runs great.

 

[ben's93talon]

good luck

 

[matthewdesigns]

I'd not worry about changing the oil and plugs themselves at this point. Just pull the plugs and inspect/clean/regap them, and check the oil level and see if it smells like gas or looks milky.

If it's cranking/turning over, and your buddy smelled gas out the exhaust when you cranked it, then it sounds like a spark issue. And if the alarm is still installed/functioning, then you may have an ignition interrupt preventing the car from firing, so you'll need to track down and disable that before it will start.

 

[fireblaze2k1]

What's the best way to go about doing that?

 

[Rob10_99]

Just see if the car gets spark the way you are trying to start it.

Did that guy do any mods to the car, or work on it at all?
No need to change your oil as long as the oil level is fine,

 

[matthewdesigns]

What's the best way to go about doing that?

No idea. I've never installed an alarm, remote start, etc, so I'm don't know where or how they connect to the car. Try searching here for that info, as there's probably a unique set of wires which are used for those things.

 

[DSM1G90]

Maybe zap a shot of starter fluid down the intake butterfly and see if it catches or not when you hit the key... and if you don't have starter fluid, WD-40 works good as well...

But, do pull plugs, clean them if all carboned up and wet, and check the gap. .043" for the NT ..

Good luck-DSM