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

 

[BLINKY619]

if you have fuel and spark, then ud might want to do a compression test.. check your ecu

 

[dvrasp]

Ok, on our 1990 mitz eclipse 2.0 turbo, we cannot get it to start 89% of the time.
When it runs, it's got great H.P. However most often we cannot get it to start.
We notice when cruising on hwy, slightly letting off accelerator, engine will suddenly miss, boost gauge jumps to 14, and check engine light pops on of for a few seconds - all simultaneously. (Even when normal driving, the boost gauge is overly sensitive... In that a little acceleration and the gauge jumps too high to reflect what's going on.
Anyone know what controls, triggers, or reflects what is going on when the boost gauge max's out for this quick event? You can here a relay click from the computer area when this occurs.
Btw, we've replaced computer, cam sensor, plugs, checked fuel pressure, fuel pump, spark, coolant temp sensor, and checked compression.
Compression results (cold, and only testing while cranking engine since we could not get it started), high was 125, low was 105.
Smokes a bit which would tell me possibly rings, but why would it run great one minute and not start at all the next day? Could head gasket be a possibility?
Please, any info or advice appreciated- we have way too much time on this car.

 

[motomattx]

It sounds like you have a mass airflow meter acting up, try unplugging it and see how it runs. A clicking relay is usually a bad ecu or a ground on the firewall is not clean.

 

[96Gs-T-Eclipse]

ok so ive done research upon research and have had no luck i just did my first 6 bolt swap to a 97 gsx and the car has been sitting for a couple of years, this was supposed to be a performance build and i have done everything right so far timing is dead on i got the 1g cas and crank translator harness it turns over fairly easy, it has spark no fuel and wont start with starting fluid. its doing some pretty weird things today i went to try to get it to start this morning and when i hooked the battery charger up to it the headlights turned on but the switch was off and when i pulled the headlamp relay the horn went off and i cant connect the alternator because the fuse keeps blowing when i do, and when i crank it i can hear funny noises coming from the ecu im completely lost on whats going on with this thing and if anybody see's this from the denver colorado area it would be nice to have somebody come take a look possibly help out im completely lost

 

[staytrue2007]

The first thing I would do is check your grounds. Also make sure you don't have a wire pinched somewhere. Also check your fuses. I just finished a 6 bolt swap in a 96 gst auto car so I will try to help as much as possible.

 

[byebye_sti]

So the car is sparking and running on all 4 at least now right?
Also can you run the wastegate vacuum hose to the stock solenoid or to the intercooler j pipe nipple for now at least. You can run the boost gauge to the P-port niple instead and have the FPR to manifold straight.
Also boost leak test possible right now ?

As of today, the car fired right up with a '90 ECU (car is a '92 GVR4). I did not swap the pins because I do not plan on driving it like this.

Idle is very high (~2-3k RPM), but the car will stay idling as long as I want it to. As soon as I shut the car off, when it warms up, the car will NOT restart.

For a test, I let the car sit for about an hour to get cold. When it was cold, the car fired right up (still idled high), and I shut the car right off. Like I thought, the car started back up, but was a little rough starting. I let it idle for 10 seconds and shut it down. When I tried to start it again, I had to give it gas but it fired up. Again, I shut it off, and this time it would not restart.

When the car gets warm, it does not want to start.

I need to check to see if I'm getting spark when the car is hot, but what else could cause this? PTU? CAS? Or is it just the 90 ECU that I'm using?

My new ECU comes tomorrow and I will be testing it out right away.

 

[doubleclutch]

So I had some starting problems a while back and they went away for a while now they are back.

It seems that the boost gauge refuses to budge and the fuel pump runs constantly and you can hear the fuel flowing back through the FPR. Sometimes if I turn the car on and off a few times the boost gauge will finally rise and the car will start.

any ideas? Really need the help as I had to leave my car in a parking lot tonight and it cant stay there forever.

FIXED: Swapped out the ECU in a 10 Degree F parking lot. Fired right up!

 

[motomattx]

As of today, the car fired right up with a '90 ECU (car is a '92 GVR4). I did not swap the pins because I do not plan on driving it like this.

Idle is very high (~2-3k RPM), but the car will stay idling as long as I want it to. As soon as I shut the car off, when it warms up, the car will NOT restart.

For a test, I let the car sit for about an hour to get cold. When it was cold, the car fired right up (still idled high), and I shut the car right off. Like I thought, the car started back up, but was a little rough starting. I let it idle for 10 seconds and shut it down. When I tried to start it again, I had to give it gas but it fired up. Again, I shut it off, and this time it would not restart.

When the car gets warm, it does not want to start.

I need to check to see if I'm getting spark when the car is hot, but what else could cause this? PTU? CAS? Or is it just the 90 ECU that I'm using?

My new ECU comes tomorrow and I will be testing it out right away.

Sounds similar to a coolant temp sensor going bad.

 

[Mcmuscle3]

Hey guys so i have a 96gsx with a 6 bolt swap from a 91. It was running about a week ago. I let it set in this freezing cold weather for about a week or better. I changed the axle seal and output shaft going to tcase. WHen i got done i tried to start it and it will not crank over fully. It acts like the plugs are switched around but i tried 2314,3214,4123 but its all the same. It cranks, then kinda kickbacks.

 

[92AWDHX40]

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


http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/cyl...bolt-swap-no-start-trust-me-ive-searched.html
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/newbie-forum/424358-yet-another-6-bolt-swap-no-start-go-figure.html



http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/newbie-forum/292534-2g-gst-w-6-bolt-swap-wont-start.html

 

[Mcmuscle3]

I am in the process of reading these actually but i am not finding much that sounds like my issue. thank you for posting though

 

[Benjyc32]

Is your crank position sensor loose?
check that when youre able to, I've seen that mess up some start ups.

Also, check all cvaccum lines to make sure they're connected and see if there is anything you might have disconnected to move out of tthe way while doing your axels.

Your first problem occurs in the last praced you worked (typically).

 

[Mcmuscle3]

I checked but nothing is in the way of the driver side axle seal. My starter just bit the dust. The little thing that kicks it onto the flywheel doesn't engage. It seems like its ignition timing issue, but i have no idea where at. Iv tried every order you can think of for the plugs.
CAS is good and tight. I never messed with it.

 

[92AWDHX40]

Do you have fuel, how about spark? battery good, starter check out ok, anything can go bad at any time, fuel pump, work how about the fuses are they all good.

 

[Mcmuscle3]

fuel yes, spark pretty sure, battery great, fuses good, STARTER NO(just messed up while I was trying to start my car). Im about to head to autozone i believe, they have one in stock.

 

[Benjyc32]

fuel yes, spark pretty sure, battery great, fuses good, STARTER NO(just messed up while I was trying to start my car). Im about to head to autozone i believe, they have one in stock.

If its spark then really the only places to look would be the plug, wires, or an arking distributor cap. arking distributor cap will definately cause what you are talking about.

 

[Mcmuscle3]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_iuOvKwax8]Hard start - YouTube[/ame]


[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJgN85mvB08]hard start 2 - YouTube[/ame]

I beleive I switched some plug wires around between the first and second one. But i did move them around so much they could be the same.

Yes this is a 96 gsx, however it has a 91 gsx 6 bolt swap done by dacowgod.

If its spark then really the only places to look would be the plug, wires, or an arking distributor cap. arking distributor cap will definately cause what you are talking about.

Im pretty sure our cars doesnt have distributor caps?

could taking the valve cover off mess with the timing what so ever?

im gonna check the timing to make sure its 100% dead on mechanically.

 

[Benjyc32]

All cars (to my knowledge) have distributor caps, its what takes the energy from your alternator and "distributes" it to all of your plug wires and then on to the spark plugs themselves. it should sit between your block and your intake manifold (at least it is on 7 bolts, not sure where it is on 6 bolts).

 

[1992 Eagle Talon TSi]

All cars (to my knowledge) have distributor caps, its what takes the energy from your alternator and "distributes" it to all of your plug wires and then on to the spark plugs themselves. it should sit between your block and your intake manifold (at least it is on 7 bolts, not sure where it is on 6 bolts).

6-bolts and 7-bolts don't use a distributor or cap, they use an ignition coil. The 1.8l engine s used a distributor ignition setup. Unless you are referring to something else?

Are you calling the ignition coil pack the distributor?

 

[Mcmuscle3]

after closer ovservation im 99% sure these cars dont have distributor caps. I beleive they are called distributorless ignition systems or something like that?

6-bolts and 7-bolts don't use a distributor or cap, they use an ignition coil. The 1.8l engine s used a distributor ignition setup. Unless you are referring to something else?

thanks for helping me clarify that.

 

['92 TSI AWD]

What is the temperature like there now, could it be the coolant temp sensor causing motor to flood out. I had the same problem when it got too cold out.

 

[Mcmuscle3]

11 degrees, pretty much been 32 degrees at the highest.

however would flooding the engine cause it to kinda "kickback" like it does in the video?

 

[Benjyc32]

6-bolts and 7-bolts don't use a distributor or cap, they use an ignition coil. The 1.8l engine s used a distributor ignition setup. Unless you are referring to something else?

Are you calling the ignition coil pack the distributor?

Yes, just generalizing the term

 

[1992 Eagle Talon TSi]

Yes, just generalizing the term

Ok, just wanted to make sure.

Not saying there is anything wrong with using that term, but for somebody new to dsm's or vehicles in general that could really cause them some confusion and to possibly pass on misinformation.

I end up dealing with it a lot at work, especially when people call brake pads, brake shoes.

 

[Benjyc32]

Ok, just wanted to make sure.

Not saying there is anything wrong with using that term, but for somebody new to dsm's or vehicles in general that could really cause them some confusion and to possibly pass on misinformation.

I end up dealing with it a lot at work, especially when people call brake pads, brake shoes.

Haha I can imagine, I get a lot of stuff like that at Yamaha too when kids bring in there ninja 250's.

Anyways, back on track.
Check that and make sure you are getting power to very spark plug and every wire. these cars are notorious for having electrical problems constantly if not maintained properly. not saying it was you, but maybe the previous owner and you might have overlooked it during the swap (or build, whatever you did). best and esiest way to check is to take it off and look to see if there is any arking inder the cap from any moisture, bad connections