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

 

[samus21]

How do I check fuel pressure... I know the timing is good just checked it today.

 

[dudeX]

last time my car randomly shut off was when my oil pan drain plug fell out and all the oil ran out into the street. I didnt notice it right away but i do remember the engine would turn over but wouldnt start. i really hope this isnt your issue.

 

[vl4bad]

so update:

got that old short block out, got a stroker in now, BUT it flooded as soon as we got to try and start it up for the first time. so this is pointing towards three things,

*INJECTORS STUCK OPEN (680CC)
*FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR IS BAD
*AEM EMS IS ####ED. which i hope and pray this isnt the case.

how can i check my FPR? how can i test to see if its bad or not?*****

bump hellooooooo?

 

[92AWDHX40]

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

 

[gforced20g]

Had this happen to my 95 tsi way back and come to find out the balance belt had broken and slapped the crank angle sensor. Pretty cheap and easy fix if thats what it is. I got lucky it didnt get in the timing belt and make it jump time but I had fuel and spark and my timing marks lined up but it wouldnt start. Hope this helps.

 

[supersilverspeed]

make sure you swap transistor and ecu with two known good onces at once. reason why i say this is i had a bad transistor that was zapping ecus. i replaced the transistor and car was good until it got to temp and then it would zap the computer over and over again. until i replaced the transistor and ecu at the same time. weird but it worked. also check cas wiring. they connections are 20 years old, could be a pin just backing out of the sensor. keep us posted

 

[jared_gibbs]

Is the coil connector unplugged for some reason? Also there is a connector just below that, make sure that's in too. Any CEL's?

 

[samus21]

I have oil in the car. None of my belts snapped. I saw a small amount of white smoke near the o2 sensor when it cranked and backfired. Why does the boost gauge will almost top out as the engine cranks... would that be an electrical issue? I put a new harmonic balancer pulley on did it have to line up with anything?

 

[92cb7sk8er]

Well well well guys we fixed it... turns out it ws the crank sensor wiring... we took all the wiring off of the motor and cut back all of the tape only to find that at some point the car had cought fire. All of the wires on the back side of the motor were beyound destroyed we had to run all new wiring. But now it is running and I am hoping it will stay that way for a very long time. Thank you guys for all of your help and I hope this post helps anyone out there with the same problem!

 

[blanks]

Ok so car was running when i bought it drove it to my fathers shop, was gonna do a compression test to see how things were, unhooked the mfi relay and relay beside it to be sure that no fuel would go into cylinders, ever since the car wont turn over, it has a bad starter aswell tho but it would just take a little tap before and would fire right up, now nothing. would disconnecting those relays have anything to do with my issue? I hear no fuel pump turning on but for all i know they could be very quiet in this car, car wont crank.

 

[Mace4877]

I had pretty much the same issue a few weeks back. Long story short, it ended up being that the coil pack wire was shorting out on the fuel rail. I wasn't able to figure it out until it got worse and just started blowing the ignition fuse.

 

[dsmgst1996]

Okay so it's spark, I'm not getting spark. I've swapped coil pack and transistor out with known good ones and nothing was fixed. All the fuses look good, I'm just stuck. I've also swapped out ecu with known good one. It is getting some spark, but it's not enough to spark the plugs.

Did you check that u have power at cam sensor and verify there is pulse coming out when cracked.

 

[95mitsi]

Ok so car was running when i bought it drove it to my fathers shop, was gonna do a compression test to see how things were, unhooked the mfi relay and relay beside it to be sure that no fuel would go into cylinders, ever since the car wont turn over, it has a bad starter aswell tho but it would just take a little tap before and would fire right up, now nothing. would disconnecting those relays have anything to do with my issue? I hear no fuel pump turning on but for all i know they could be very quiet in this car, car wont crank.

i had this happen and i ended up puttint the relays in backasswards

 

[TSI_AWD_FTW]

After two long weeks of trying to diagnose my car, and swapping out parts thinking it was something stupid, I got to put my car at TDOC, and my timing belt skips some teeth. Turned out my exhaust cam was 90 degrees out. Put it all back in time and fired up first try.

 

[dsmotors95]

Ok so.. I was backing out of a parking lot and my car died, I tried turning it back on and it just cranks.
I connected my obd2 computer to check my check engine and it gave me 2 codes.
1st. p0125-"Insufficient Coolant Temperature for Closed Loop Fuel Control"
2nd.p0304-"cylinder 4 misfire detected"

I recently did a tune up.
Any help? Thanks.

 

[redheadbov]

recheck all plug wires
visually inspect everything, for it to just die something is wrong,
jiggle some crap around see if something is loose

 

[callmechris]

hey guys i have no clue whats wrong with my car. Lately its giving me problems on starting. Sometimes it will start right up other days it will take 10-15 minutes before starting, and sometimes wont start at all. I had the car towed to the garage where they said it wasn't starting because the fuel pump module was bad so they replaced it, take it home and the next morning it wouldn't start again so they towed it back to the garage and 3 weeks later they said the timing belt was off and was only get half the compression it should be getting if I'm correct and they said my computer was bad cause every time they tried scanning the car it wouldn't pull anything and they said that's also whats causing my car to start. I'm sick of emptying my pockets to get it running again when it seems like their only guessing.

Ive replaced

spark plugs and wires
cleaned throttle body
idle air control valve
idle air control
timing belt


All help is much appreciated

 

[luv2rallye]

Check fuel pressure at the rail. Should stay there for hours/days. If not suspect leaky fuel pressure regulator.

 

[davemilton]

Check all of your fuses. After I did a motor swap, it just cranked when I turned the key. I checked all of my fuses and found one blown. Replaced it and the car fired right up. The fuse that was blown was one of the three that's in the small box on the positive battery cable. If it just died, a fuse could have blown?

And are your plugs properly gapped?

 

[rcarbajal4]

Could be the coolant temp sensor. Or the plug itself came off. Happens sometimes.

 

[TSiAWD666]

A faulty or disconnected coolant temp sensor can prevent the car from starting. Based on that code I would look there first.

 

[Diamond Star Werks]

hey guys i have no clue whats wrong with my car. Lately its giving me problems on starting. Sometimes it will start right up other days it will take 10-15 minutes before starting, and sometimes wont start at all. I had the car towed to the garage where they said it wasn't starting because the fuel pump module was bad so they replaced it, take it home and the next morning it wouldn't start again so they towed it back to the garage and 3 weeks later they said the timing belt was off and was only get half the compression it should be getting if I'm correct and they said my computer was bad cause every time they tried scanning the car it wouldn't pull anything and they said that's also whats causing my car to start. I'm sick of emptying my pockets to get it running again when it seems like their only guessing.

Ive replaced

spark plugs and wires
cleaned throttle body
idle air control valve
idle air control
timing belt


All help is much appreciated

They are only guessing. Sounds like a shop of idiots IMO. Sounds like a crank sensor issue. If the ecu doesn't sense the crank turning, the fuel pump will not come on. The crank sensor can be changed without undoing timing if your careful.
You should not pay for work done that doesn't fix the issue. If your radiator cracked and I changed your plugs instead, would you pay for that when its not what you wanted done nor fixed your issue?

 

[dsmotors95]

Ok it turned out to be that somehow the car jumped timing.My question now is do you think I have bent valves because I would try and start the car every time I checked/changed something.

 

[luv2rallye]

If the ecu doesn't sense the crank turning, the fuel pump will not come on.

This is true but the Cam sensor (CAS) is what the ECU uses not the crank sensor (CPS) to turn on the pump.

 

[WES_393]

They are only guessing. Sounds like a shop of idiots IMO. Sounds like a crank sensor issue. If the ecu doesn't sense the crank turning, the fuel pump will not come on. The crank sensor can be changed without undoing timing if your careful.

This is true but the Cam sensor (CAS) is what the ECU uses not the crank sensor (CPS) to turn on the pump.

Note that callmechris has an NT 2g, so are these quotes still accurate? I'm not sure which is why I ask.