[RESOLVED] Car Wont Start Just keeps cranking over

[1990talontsi]

so the other day i go out to start my car and it turns over and fires but then dies right away i keep trying to start it and give it gas and if i kept giving it gas off and on it ran then after a little while of doing that it idled fine so i went out and drove it all day and it started fine all day.
the next day i didnt drive it at all and this morning i go out to start it and it just keeps cranking over but not firing
im posting this to see if anyone has an idea on what it is
the ecu is rebuilt by motoguys garage so i dont think its that
any ideas will be appreciated thanks Guys.

 

[viperlp01]

Lots of things it could be. You should have searched first but... It could be coolant temp sensor, Fast idle air valve, your losing fuel pressure in your lines due to leaky injector/ bad fuel pressure regulator/ bad fuel pump. Start there

 

[awd2gsx82]

i would replace your plugs. i had a similar prob and thats all it was! try that and see what you come up with!

 

[1990talontsi]

thanx guys ill check it out
i did search but just wanted my own post just in case i had something specific to say
sorry and thanks.

 

[92rsAWD4me]

ok well I have my 1992 laser rs awd in the garage sitting there mocking me. When I bought it from some crack head 2 weeks ago it had some idle surge issues and CEL was on but its a project/second car so i figured it was no big deal.

Well it turns out that it needed and egr valve and a knock sensor with new knock sensor wiring. Those are done as well as new spark plugs. i had the cat converter replace (to pass california emissions testing) and had the timing reset. it was still idling a little rough and too high to pass the test. I turned down the idle and got it with in spec and went about looking for vacuum leaks and put in a new air filter (the old white one was a nice shade of brown and had leaves on it). It was still idling rough so i drove it and as soon as it got around 3k rpm the check engine light came on and it felt like i hit a wall.. it did this around the block and even stalled once while slowing for stop sign. I got it home and tried again.. same problem just with out the stall.. i started looking for more vacuum leaks and when i went to start it up..... nothing... it just turns and turns but wont start..

i tried jumping the fuel pump but i am not sure if i was hitting the right plug or not and also the EPI i think its called is humming at me.. Any help would be awesome because I love the car and dont want to give up on it.. thank you

 

[boostedinthe843]

injectors could be bad

 

[soulweaver]

Do you have compression, spark, and fuel?

 

[habitatguy187]

Get a voltmeter and find out what your CEL is, don't buy anything/jump to conclusions until you do this first.

 

[Butterfinger]

Hey check your timing mark's. And do a boost leak test. You said it felt like a wall maybe fuel cut.
And you said it won't start maybe you jumped time. Not to mention the crack head probably never did a TB job.

 

[92rsAWD4me]

well the CEL didnt stay on.. it came on when it hit the wall (maybe fuel cut) and then turned off as soon as I lifted off the throttle.. then it idles for a while and when I went to turn it back on I got nothing. also, when I would reconnect the battery before I would hear clicking but now its gone.. could that be the problem?

 

[1990talontsi]

so i checked for spark and i have spark
im thinking its maybe my coolant temp sensor
anyone else think that too
where exactly is the fuel pump fuse also ?

 

[r1991_4g63t]

ive been having problems with mine for a while when it gets cold, changed the coolant sensor which was bad but didnt change anything, plugs, wires and a finally a fuel filter fixed it, for a couple days then i had to do another one but it seems good now

 

[1990talontsi]

hopefully its just the sensor
ill let ya know

 

[ace07]

yo I had a 92 laser like 4 years ago and it died at stop signs for awhile.... maybe the mass air flow sensor is bad?.. dunno if that helps, mine was just unplugged...my camaro's idle was inconsistent when the mafs was bad too... rough starts, poor response.. ,ETC, ETC

 

[Butterfinger]

Sounds like two different problems when you say you got nothing, you mean it's dead, it wont turn over, or it just turn's over? I will unplug my battery after work and see if I can pin point your clicking . Im sure someone else know's and will get back to you sooner.

 

[habitatguy187]

well the CEL didnt stay on.. it came on when it hit the wall (maybe fuel cut) and then turned off as soon as I lifted off the throttle.. then it idles for a while and when I went to turn it back on I got nothing. also, when I would reconnect the battery before I would hear clicking but now its gone.. could that be the problem?

As long as you haven't disconnected your battery (which it sounds like you have) then the CEL will be stored. If you have disconnected it try to get the CEL to come on again. But yeah it could very well be the mass. Is it hacked?

 

[soulweaver]

Wait you hear ticking. Were is your ticking coming from. I had ticking in my MAS and behind my dash. That ended up being my ECU. You can even search my threads, I had to post for help for it.

 

[92rsAWD4me]

yeah im not sure where the ticking was coming from but i heard it every time I would reconnect the battery but now it is gone. So my though is that what ever was clicking either went bad or maybe got unplugged somehow but I dont where to look. Also like I said before the relay under the center console.. i think the book calls it the EFI relay.. is humming or like buzzing at me and I dont remember if it did this before these problems or not.. is that normal? last thing how can i check it the mas is hacked? ive never seen a hacked one or really got a close look at a stock one..

 

[92rsAWD4me]

Sounds like two different problems when you say you got nothing, you mean it's dead, it wont turn over, or it just turn's over? I will unplug my battery after work and see if I can pin point your clicking . Im sure someone else know's and will get back to you sooner.

It will turn over all day long and not start. Is there a better picture or the fuel pump test plug thing. The picture in the manual is at a weird angle and its blocked by the battery wires.. just so i can rule that out. I also haven't checked the fuel filter yet, could that cause all of this?

 

[92rsAWD4me]

I know I am overrunning my own thread but I keep reading things that are sending me in different directions. Since I cant get the car to start I cant get the CEL back on. Should I just say eff it and buy a re-manufactured ECU for it or just keep trying other things and save that for last?

 

[habitatguy187]

First off I'd get a fuel pressure gauge (rent one or buy one) and see if you have fuel pressure at the rail, if you don't then you know it's a fuel related issue. Might be the fuel pump, HIGHLY unlikely that it's the fuel filter. The previous owner might even had done a fuel pump re-wire and the wires came loose. But check your fuel stuff before you start replacing expensive electronics.

 

[Butterfinger]

Hey I unpluged my battery and my car is dead silent. does your fuel pump humm when you turn your key on? crack your fuel line at the rail turn your key on gas should spray be prepared. Autozone has fuel injecter test light's for 2 or 3 dollors.

 

[soulweaver]

Take some carb cleaner fluid and spray it in your intake hose. If you motor starts up for a second then you know it's a fuel problem. Then you have to check these things. Is my problem electrical or is it mechanical. The first thing I would do is check the ECU. It's very easy to take out. It's right behind the cd player. It's held in by 3 of 4 bolts. Open the ECU up and see it it has any burn spots. If your ECU is fine then check your fuel filter. It's on the passenger side by your battery on the fire wall. It looks like a bell. Take it out and remember some fuel will shoot out. Once you get it out blow in the hole and see if fuel comes out easily. If it does your fuel filter is fine. Then check your fuel filter. I really don't know much about the fuel filter caz I haven't messed with them that much. I do know if you turn your key your fuel filter will hum and in that case you know it's working but it might not be giving the right pressure.

 

[92rsAWD4me]

Ok here is the latest on it. The plugs looked bad when I pulled them out.. so i replaced those and the wires because the plug wires weren't tight and weren't the right length either but still nothing. I also pulled one of the plugs and connected it to the wire and had my wife turn the key but theres no spark. Im guessing something with the ignition is keeping it from starting. Once i get it started again then I can deal with the starting issue.. I have a test light and a digital multimeter just wanna know where the best place is to start looking for problems.

 

[soulweaver]

check your coil pack