97 eclipse GSX starts and runs great wont start again

[dantheman462]

ok very new at fixing cars or trying to figure things out but im lost and need some help i just picked up a 97 eclipse gsx drove it home from dallas ran just fine now im home and it wont start it sounds like it wants to go but wont its getting spark fuel and air but idk im stumped and dont know where to start?? and suggestions??

 

[DSM4me44]

1. Trying jumping the car - if it works then you have a bad alternator or battery

2. Check your fuses, both inside and outside your vehicle.

3. Is it making a weird nose? - could be your starting motor is bad

4. If you turn the key and nothing happens but lights on the dash light up? - could be bad ignition switch.

 

[dantheman462]

ok well i took the car into the shop today and he told me that i ither have a blown head gasket or a cracked head what would be the easiest way for me to take apart the engine and look?? and if the heads crack would it be best to get a new engine??

 

[poonman]

what a stupid place you went too

 

[dantheman462]

mmm ok well when we drained all the water/coolent the car ran fine once we filled the car up with the water/coolet it didnt wanna run i have lots of white smoke comeing out the tall pipe and once the car ran lil bit of white smoke comeing out one of the spark plug

 

[DSM4me44]

I am wondering if you could be having issues with your coolant temp sensor.

 

[dantheman462]

would there be a way to check that and is it an easy fix??

 

[rush2252]

it sounds like a head or head gasket.. white smoke out the exhaust is the first sign.. sounds dumb but you should be able to taste/smell the exhaust its going to have a maple syrup smell its coolant. WTF

 

[95GSXCO]

Or just take the plugs out and stand back and have someone hit the key and watch the water come out.
As far as a easy fix there is none take the head off and pray its just the gasket and not the head or the block.

 

[DSM4me44]

would there be a way to check that and is it an easy fix??

Cooland temp sensor is an easy fix. It is located on the waterneck.

Have you checked your coolant or oil for any blown HG signs? I just wanna make sure we covered everything before you invest some major time in this repair.

 

[95GSXCO]

what a stupid place you went too

WOW bet you feel cool now huh Thanks for the help!

As fas as a CTS he has white smoke coming out of the tailpipe that right there means its either a head, block or HG! Yes you may still need a CTS the easy way to check that is if it will start after about an hour of sitting.

 

[poonman]

WOW bet you feel cool now huh Thanks for the help!

As fas as a CTS he has white smoke coming out of the tailpipe that right there means its either a head, block or HG! Yes you may still need a CTS the easy way to check that is if it will start after about an hour of sitting.

My bad bro, just figured you would of already known the truth behind the shop. jeez

 

[poonman]

mmm ok well when we drained all the water/coolent the car ran fine once we filled the car up with the water/coolet it didnt wanna run i have lots of white smoke comeing out the tall pipe and once the car ran lil bit of white smoke comeing out one of the spark plug

You said LIL BIT of white smoke, as in valve stem seal looking white or like WOW thats allot of smoke white.

 

[DSM4me44]

mmm ok well when we drained all the water/coolent the car ran fine once we filled the car up with the water/coolet it didnt wanna run i have lots of white smoke comeing out the tall pipe and once the car ran lil bit of white smoke comeing out one of the spark plug

If you haven't used Seaform then it sounds like it could be a bad HG at this point. Like i said, check both fluids (oil and coolant).

 

[dantheman462]

well when i drained the coolent didnt see any oil was just green and then i changed the oil and it was just oil no water or signs of anything but oil, as for the smoke/stem it only lasted for a lil while then it went away but u could tell where it was comeing from

 

[poonman]

not to be rude, you said you seen smoke coming from your spark plug correct, plug in or out ?

 

[dantheman462]

the plug was all the way in and naw you're not being rude like i said im new to this whole fixing car deal just trying to get a starting point

 

[poonman]

the only way you would see smoke from your plug then would be the plug ring seal, do you have any oil soaked on that plug?

 

[95GSXCO]

mmm ok well when we drained all the water/coolent the car ran fine once we filled the car up with the water/coolet it didnt wanna run i have lots of white smoke comeing out the tall pipe and once the car ran lil bit of white smoke comeing out one of the spark plug

Ok let me get this strait in this post ^ you drained the coolent then started it? Then you put water in it and it would not start correct? You say you have lots of white smoke coming out of the tailpipe! Does it stop smoking out of the tailpipe? Again go pull all 4 plugs and have somone try and start the car and see if water is coming out of the holes!

 

[dantheman462]

ok sry if i might be confuseing but when the car is full of 50/50 coolent water it will start but i have to crank it for awhile then thats when i see all the smoke come from the tail pipe and spark plug after bout 10 min of idleing the smoke goes away but the engine temp goes way up and have to shut it down but when i drianed all the coolent it started on the first crank with no smoke out the tail pipe or spark plug but it got hot very fast

 

[poonman]

ok sry if i might be confuseing but when the car is full of 50/50 coolent water it wont start but once i drained all the coolent/water started right up

Thats ummm odd im stumped on that one

Sounds Like head gasket is letting water into cylinder = no fire.

 

[rush2252]

all of you are failing to realize the best way to check for headgasket leaks.. actually two.. go to autozone or oreillys and they have a device you hook upto your radiator where the cap is and you can pump pressure into the coolant system to check or you can also just rent a compression tester. MOST of the time it will have sure shit bad compression if its got a blown HG judging by the fact it gets hot after it runs and it wont start w coolant in it then this is a pretty sure sign its the HG. Not to push the idea of southern engineering things but I have used a product called "blue devil" its sold at autozone for like $60.00 its a blue liquid you pour into the coolant system adn it seals HG heads etc The bottle guarantees 95% effective rate and they give you 100% money back if it doesnt work. This is a quick fix if it is a HG etc. And here come all the non believers with their posts. I used it on a mazda 626 once. I drove the thing another 2 years before rebuilding the engine. The reason being i couldnt find a good motor for less than 2200

 

[eclipsers97boy]

rush2252 has got the best suggestion do a compresion test and compare it to a chiltons book. then get a radiator tester and hook it up to the water neck, pump it up and see if the pressure goes down if it goes down rip the head off and pray for the best!
GOOD LUCK!

 

[dantheman462]

ok thanks everyone for the help i went ahead and got the blue devil stuff and seeing if that works just ### i dont really wanna take apart the engine and see whats up i dont have the tools need to do so so lets all hope and pray this stuff works but again thanks for all the replays and help will be needing yall again down the road i will post updates here to let yall know if the stuff works

 

[dantheman462]

ok new peoblem i have run the car for the last few days just fine and now it has stopped running again theres no smoke out the tail pipe anymore or the engine so i think i took care of that problem now im dead in the water again sparks still good and not sure anymore bout air or fuel suggestions??