Starting issues - No / Doesn't / Won't Start - MERGED

[prodsm]

All "my car won't start" discussion threads are merged HERE. We've basically made it easier for those who insist upon not searching by grouping together all threads from those with similar issues so you can just scroll through and see some possible solutions. To search for info within this thread, use the "Search This Thread" feature in the black bar about 3" above what you're reading right now.

Could be anything from a loose battery terminal to internal engine damage, and literally everything in between which may involve the electrical, fuel, and ignition system...possibly even something that you screwed up while working on the car yourself. While it's unlikely we're going to diagnose and solve your problem over the internet, feel free to discuss any possible solutions.



I live in Canada and right now its not very warm out, about -30c
my car does not have a block heater too keep it warm.

I tryed to start my car this morning and it wouldent start, ive had this problem before but this time, the car doesnt crank at all it just makes a sound that sounds like an electric drill.

Whats wrong.

Thanks

 

[asianandy87]

Be sure to check grounds, sensors, tps, iac, egr valve, etc.
Could be loose.
or gone bad.
May be power transistor, coil pack, coolant temp sensor, ecu.
Sometimes to get mine started I need to unplug the maf, start it, then plug it in after its running and warmed up.

 

[adrikunecke]

So I haven't been able to make it out to my car, as I said it broke down in another town... But I have been wondering...
Will a boost leak cause the car to not start? Cause if we want to get technical I think I have had a boost leak the whole time, even when it drove. Just wondering.. Still gonna do the test

 

[Mitch41]

In my experience huge vacuum/boost leak allows it to start then dies.

 

[Scoobystyl]

Im having a problem with my injectors not firing, the weird part is, everything checks out, the cas when i turn it, it turns the pumps on and sparks the plugs. At my mpi relay i have battery voltage, at the injector resistor box i also have battery voltage, isc, and at each injector also battery voltage. Also checked my ecu and it still looks brand new just as it did when it came back from a full service from ecmtuning.
What the hell is going on, i really dont understand what would cause the injectors not to pulse when everything else checks out. Can anyone shed some light and give me a hand

 

[Colt4G63 also]

Check the TPS signal voltage. If it's pegged at 5v then it may be triggering "clear flood mode".

 

[Scoobystyl]

Tps didnt even think about that, if it is pegged at 5 volts what is usually causing that?
Figured since tps was working 0-100 then all was good

 

[Colt4G63 also]

If TPS is working 0-100 then that isn't it.

 

[slow4g6392tsi]

If it's not TPS try another known working mpi relay. I had no injector pulse on my 1G and it ended up being a bad MPI relay.

 

[Scoobystyl]

ill have to see if i can borrow a relay from someone, im pretty sure the relay is working like it should, however i can pull the case off to verify. its a very weird case id imagine, do the fuel injector resistor boxes ever go bad, and if they do go bad what can happen? id just assume that it would no longer regulate voltage

Thinking about going and taking a look at it tomorrow, i got a new cas to test, (i dont believe mine is bad but worth a shot)

 

[andrewsdsm33]

Your head gasket could be bad causing coolant to flood on top of pistons. There for spark plugs wont spark and it wont start. Pull the plugs and look down the cylinder and look for water on top of pistons

 

[oALIENATIONo]

It was probably your Power Transistor wasn't it? I had the exact same issue the only difference was my power transistor was actually dead and when it was replaced it ran just fine, now to figure out what's causing my 2 & 3 coil (Coil B) to burn out.

 

[talon2gbuyer]

It would have to be pretty damn big to stall out the engine like that.

 

[2er0]

just did a manual swap. its a 98 gst with dsm link. i cant get it started on the original ecu, a 97 manual ecu, or dsm link ecu. it seems like it trying to start super rich. if i hold the throttle plate wide open it gets just barely enough air to start and run like dog shit.

i am running the auto harness with the starter relay jumped and the tcm removed. other then that there has been no other modification to the harness.

right now the radiator is not filled with coolant, i really wanted to make sure i had all the wireing done before i worked on fluids. since i really didnt change anything the only thing i can think of right now is that because there is no coolant in the engine at all could the coolant level sensor be telling the engine to dump fuel to keep it from starting?

i am getting spark, and the plugs keep getting covered in fuel.

any other ideas??

 

[Junfan]

There is a neutral safety switch in the harness that goes to a decoder that needs to be in the park position I believe. I made the mistake to taking mine out once since I have an auto to manual swapped car and it did exactly as you said. I would look at that and I hope that is the problem. The decoder is kind of shaped like a pie wedge and has a hole through it. Sorry for the bad description.

 

[2er0]

ok i know what you are talking about. how can i bypass that?

 

[Junfan]

Mine was set to park and I just plugged it back in an then wire tied it out of the way. I have shop manuals and am sure there would be a way to bypass this check another way but I never took the time. I put in a new harness that was a manual instead.

 

[gst noob]

i did a 5 speed swap on my buddys gst and i used the manual harness and i noticed their is a little gold box that is in the center console im sorry i dont know what it is but we started his car for the first time with out that little box pluged in because tha autos do not have them. the car ran like crap and we couldent figure it out. i finally came across that box in a pile of parts from the doner car and as soon as i pluged it in the car ran beautifully.

also a bout a month later we pulled the dash for a swap and found that thier is a clutch switch on the auto harness you almost have to pull the dash to get to it.

 

[2er0]

i also pulled the tcm. could this be causing issues?

 

[gst noob]

it shouldent be you only need a tcu for an auto the only plugs you need off the auto harness are the speedo and back up light id bet if you switched to a manual harness things will clear up you could get one for 150 at most id think

 

[2er0]

i put the n/s switch back in but its still running that same as it was when the starter relay is jumped.

 

[gst noob]

the car ran good with an auto? you only messed with the tranny stuff right or did you do any motor upgrades

 

[Junfan]

Possibly bump the CAS and changed timing, maf unplugged, all sensors plugged in or maybe a boost leak now. I assume you took intercooler pipes off to make room.

 

[2er0]

the car ran good with an auto? you only messed with the tranny stuff right or did you do any motor upgrades

yeah its the exact same as it was as an auto other then the dsm link which required a different firing order. it ran like garbage with the 98 spec firing order

Possibly bump the CAS and changed timing, maf unplugged, all sensors plugged in or maybe a boost leak now. I assume you took intercooler pipes off to make room.

where is the cas?

i could double check for a boost leak

 

[gst noob]

If the cars a 2g the cas is under the intake cam gear If it's a 1g it's on the passenger side of the head the big round thing on the opposite end of the intake cam of the cam gear

 

[Scoobystyl]

since everything tested fine, and i removed the cas, i reset timing and it fired right up