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

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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

 

[donniekak]

Do not use starting fluid. What injectors, tuning solution are you using? Is your injector resistor pack plugged in? Is there voltage to the injectors with the key in the on position?

 

[kyle0421]

Stock injectors and it does need further tuning I have mildly tuned with safc

Stock injectors I have mildly tuned it with safc all is plug in right after it is started it will run fine and will staet right back up once warm

 

[Riceburning101]

I say Coolant temp sensor. i have had a wonderful time keeping the wires from becoming brittle and breaking off the back of the sensor. Mine would start fine once it was warm. a cold start could take up to 30-45 mins to get started when the weather turned cold. it would start up for a sec then bog right down or it would just crank and crank then randomly fire for a sec. It was a real PITA

 

[kyle0421]

That's what mine is doin I'm gonna get tuat temp sensor

 

[DSM1G90]

Temp sensor, or flaky FIAV setup.

 

[MichaelSuch]

Had the same issue with a 1g I purchased. Coolant temp sensor was not connected and was flooding the engine, used some starting fluid and it fired right up. Wired in the CTS and then it worked fine without ether.

 

[Diamond Star Werks]

Stock injectors and it does need further tuning I have mildly tuned with safc

Stock injectors I have mildly tuned it with safc all is plug in right after it is started it will run fine and will staet right back up once warm

How do you have 47psi fuel pressure? You should have 43.5 not 47. Thats an issue itself helping flood your engine. What fuel pump do you have? Stock regulator or adjustable?

Is your two wire coolant sensor working? One side should have 5v the other should have around. .5v i believe when cold and it should increase with temperature.

 

[Outdorsman]

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


I followed this guide and so far, I do have fuel running to the engine, I checked via the fuel line. The gas is a yellowish color? Its clear tho so I assume the filter is fine. If the gas is going to the engine the pump should work too.

 

[kyle0421]

Its adjustable and the coolant sensor is getting power the pump is a 255 welbro

 

[Diamond Star Werks]

Its adjustable and the coolant sensor is getting power the pump is a 255 welbro

Well you need to lower it if its adjustable then. To 43. Just because its getting power doesn't mean it working properly.

 

[turbotom]

Sounds like a CTS, 1gs and 2gs do the same. If you had ECMLink, and if the Coolant Temp reads -46 degrees then it's a bad sensor or bad wires. I agree too, fuel pressure should be dropped because on cold starts, the ECU throws a rich mixture to begin with never mind with higher than normal fuel pressure to make it worse.

 

[kyle0421]

Ok thanks for the input i am going to lower fp and get a cts see if that does the trick

 

[Eagle96TalonTSi]

First of all:

This is whats going on, and what ive already done to troubleshoot the problem.

Car has always started fine, until I ripped out a bunch of wires/cables that went to the trunk for the previous owner's HUGE audio system. Initially, the car didnt start. Looked at the fuel pump and found out it was rewired. Wired everything right then and there back to factory and it started up fine but a TAD weaker than usual.

Ever since then, when I start it, its weak, and every start from then out is weaker and weaker until it will eventually not start, and then eventually just "CLICK" and not turn the starter at all.

Heres what ive done: Took the starter out. It was covered in GOOP, no idea what it was from, but I took it up to autozone and got it tested and they said it was OK, and you know theyre trying to sell you parts so despite the nastiness I found the starter to be in, it is still working fine. I cleaned it up and put it back on and it started, so I thought that maybe it was the nastiness? Well, same problem. Start is weaker and weaker each time until it eventually wont start. When it wouldnt start I tried jumping it to no avail. I simply have to leave the car to sit for a few hours until it can manage to barely start again.

I just got it back from an alarm shop. I had them take out eeeeeverything that was cluster ####ing the wiring under my dash in hopes that somehow the alarm system was tied into the starter via relay, and that relay was bad or heating up upon starts and eventually becoming so hot that it wouldnt function.

Well that didnt work. Matter of fact when I left the shop it barely started, probably due to the shops workers checking to see if they could find the problem themselves and starting it over and over.

I have fuel/spark obv, because ive checked and just drove it home. No CEL's btw.

What could it be? I am at wit's end, and I am afraid I will end up stranded somewhere due to the car not starting. Can someone please give me some info on what it could be? Anyone ever had this problem? All of my battery wiring was JUST redone and is MINT through and through. It had the same start problem before and after, so that did not fix it.

Please!

No views, no replies... WTF?!

 

[jasonleee09]

Car runs great! Fuel pump was shot Thanks for all your help!

 

[DeadlyScone]

Car runs great! Fuel pump was shot Thanks for all your help!

Glad to hear

 

[Firsts tuner]

If some one had a big ass system in it you could have a bad battery. Possibly a bad cell or something? Could you have possibly arced a wire when you were ripping the po's wiring? Not to mention it is getting colder and old battery's don't like the cold so much. If you haven't done it yet I would suggest a load test on it. Oh and give these guys a little time to reply. Most everyone on here will take a break from wrenching on their cars just to give advice to people wanting to fix theirs.

 

[91tsi_awd]

It may be a bad relay, slowly draining the battery.

 

[Eagle96TalonTSi]

The battery has 1000 miles on it.

Also has the problem when being jumped. It's gotta be a wiring problem somewhere. I think it's under the dash or near the fuel pump. Went and tried to disable the clutch sensor switch thingy to start it without the clutch engaged and couldn't get the clip to come undone. Now the car won't even try to start. Also the little colorful ring around the keyhole isn't on? And the beeping when the keys are in was coming off and on.

The battery seems fine. No dimming issues anywhere and I tested it with 12.5 volts showing. Brand new battery, terminals, wiring, ground, everything battery related: perfect.

WHY DSM GODS WHYYYY. How much love do I need to show this car?! I've dumped 2500 in MAINTENANCE since I bought this thing and I still can't sleep at night. All I want, is to go outside, start the car and it fire right up, then at LEAST a DECENT idle. But no, not me. Another sleepless night, here we go..

I'm literally about to cry.

This morning it won't start. There's a click, then a hum but no start or even trying to crank

 

[91tsi_awd]

The battery has 1000 miles on it.

Also has the problem when being jumped. It's gotta be a wiring problem somewhere. I think it's under the dash or near the fuel pump. Went and tried to disable the clutch sensor switch thingy to start it without the clutch engaged and couldn't get the clip to come undone. Now the car won't even try to start. Also the little colorful ring around the keyhole isn't on? And the beeping when the keys are in was coming off and on.

The battery seems fine. No dimming issues anywhere and I tested it with 12.5 volts showing. Brand new battery, terminals, wiring, ground, everything battery related: perfect.

WHY DSM GODS WHYYYY. How much love do I need to show this car?! I've dumped 2500 in MAINTENANCE since I bought this thing and I still can't sleep at night. All I want, is to go outside, start the car and it fire right up, then at LEAST a DECENT idle. But no, not me. Another sleepless night, here we go..

I'm literally about to cry.

This morning it won't start. There's a click, then a hum but no start or even trying to crank

With the new info it does sound like a wiring issue. Double check all your wiring and make sure all your grounds are good, also check the voltage at the pump.

 

[Eagle96TalonTSi]

With the new info it does sound like a wiring issue. Double check all your wiring and make sure all your grounds are good, also check the voltage at the pump.

OH REALLY? NO SHIT.

Thanks for the cookie cutter response, just incase I have downs and didnt already do the obvious.

Jesus, can someone please give me an INTELLIGENT suggestion or idea thats going to HELP me more than INSULT me?!

 

[91tsi_awd]

OH REALLY? NO SHIT.

Thanks for the cookie cutter response, just incase I have downs and didnt already do the obvious.

Jesus, can someone please give me an INTELLIGENT suggestion or idea thats going to HELP me more than INSULT me?!

Maybe try including all the info in your OP... that'd be my suggestion...

 

[Eagle96TalonTSi]

Maybe try including all the info in your OP... that'd be my suggestion...

Kay! YAH BRO, youre right!

 

[Riceburning101]

what alternator do you have? DSM or is was swapped for a saturn etc?

 

[Eagle96TalonTSi]

The problem is the starter. I ruled that out early when I took it out (PITA) and had it tested at autozone and it passed. Put it back in (PITA) and looked at other things.

Of course the start got weaker and weaker until this point, when it only makes certain noises. All of the relays were located and I touched them as I cranked to feel a click indicating it was working. Also got EEEEEVERY ####ING ghetto ass wire from the previous audio system, alarm system, and gauge cluster (boost, exhaust temp) and got the cars wiring back to 0.

Have narrowed it down back to the starter where I used a wire with spaded ends to plug the power cable directly to the battery and it would not start spinning. A slight click, someones a little heavier click but it didnt sound like it should.

Going to rip the starter back out, put a new one in and pray thats the problem.

2 morals of this story. 1) Dont trust autozone's starter testing stations. 2) Dont sit around and wait for someone to help you out on the forums because if I did id still have a dead end car.

Haynes manual and google is your best friend, make sure you guys utilize them properly.

Oh and btw yes I found that I needed to test the power cable tot he starter with a test light to make sure the it was getting power. The problem starts after the power cable is plugged in. Either the starter's receiving plug, that little + ground thingy, or some component inside the starter is worn out.

Will update again tomorrow with the new parts in so this can be resolved and others can use this problem if they have these symptoms.

And I gotta give credit to my friend Clayton who helped me this whole way. DSM Wisemen are a god send, no joke.

 

[black97spyder]

I agree with you eagle96talon. Sounds to me like Your starter selenoid is starting to go out.