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

 

[Ghost_92TSi]

Crank Angle Sensor

I pulled my rail and pulled the CAS. I turned the CAS with my finger with the car in the on position and you can watch each injector fire.

 

[Talon IV]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I checked the coolant temp sensor and I got 3040 ohms. Ambient temperature was high 60s today so it seems a little high considering the 2200 - 2700 I've seen quoted here in the forums.

Also I checked the voltage going to the coolant temp sensor connector and I was unable to get any voltage reading with the key in the ON position I hear it is supposed to be around 4.5v?

Fuse checked it is good, power is good, Battery is good.

The big Gold Relay clicks once when the key is turned to the on without pressing the clutch so I am assuming it is ok.

I am starting to think it is the ECU unless the 3000+ ohms the temp sensor reading can keep the CEL light from illuminating?

Yeah the CTS is a negative thermistor so whent the engine is cold it will reference to the ECU +/- 4.5 volts and as the engine warms up the voltage will drop telling the ECU your engine is warming up. But as far as I know It wont cause your CEL to not come on. Start with checking that main fuse and grounds. It could be something as simple as that.

 

[smokeywater102]

Everybody is saying its the Ecu so ima get a Ecu when i save up some money, hopefully in the next two to three weeks since a they are about 150 bucks. thanks for everybodys help. i will let yall know if you when i get and give you guys in update.

 

[doayamaha]

you buddy's vr-4 is a galant right if so it should work if its 90 prior you may have to switch 2 wires on the ecu i would put bullet connector so you can easily change them back and forth. on a 1g the cas is the cam angle sensor.

Visual Frequently Answered Questions - Home Page check electrical-1g ecu pinout it will tell you which two you need to switch.

 

[Skorcher]

just bought a 99 eclipse gs yesterday and it was working fine. now today i went to go start it and it did absolutely nothing. i turn the key and nothing happened no sound nothing.. is that the battery?.... now the hatch problem is that i pull the trunk release it pops but it doesnt come up i go to pull the hatch up but it feels like its still lockd i try putting the key in but it doesnt turn.. i dont know what to do and i think becuz the hatch doesnt open or close it drained the battery does any1 know a way to get the hatch open??

Here is what I did to get the hatch open.
I had a friend pull on the latch release as I pulled on the latch at the same time.
It opened up.

 

[smokeywater102]

you buddy's vr-4 is a galant right if so it should work if its 90 prior you may have to switch 2 wires on the ecu i would put bullet connector so you can easily change them back and forth. on a 1g the cas is the cam angle sensor.

Visual Frequently Answered Questions - Home Page check electrical-1g ecu pinout it will tell you which two you need to switch.

Its a 92 3000GT vr-4. so it wouldnt work but thanks anyways.

 

[Ultimate1]

Yeah the CTS is a negative thermistor so whent the engine is cold it will reference to the ECU +/- 4.5 volts and as the engine warms up the voltage will drop telling the ECU your engine is warming up. But as far as I know It wont cause your CEL to not come on. Start with checking that main fuse and grounds. It could be something as simple as that.

That is what I was thinking. I checked some traces on the ECU and they were fried though they did not seem that important but im no electrical engineer. Though the ecu problems could probably be painstaking repaired I ordered a salvaged car's ECU from ebay I hope it all goes well the guy told me the caps looked good.

Ill keep u guys updated as it arrives this week sometime.

 

[DSM1G90]

Traces are easy to fix if you know how to use a soldering iron and some 26g strand wire: you just solder jumpers across the burnt area to reconnect the circuit.

 

[DSM1G90]

delete

 

[DSM1G90]

delete .. (don't know why at times posts gets displayed twice or even three times...)

 

[93laser1g]

okay so my laser hasn't been starting again. I took it to milwaukee one day and it was running fine that whole day i shut the car off atleast 10 times before i left.
when i left the car was running perfect. It wasn't missing, backfiring or overheating. When i got to milwaukee i stopped to get gas. When i went to start the car it wouldn't start it would crank but that was it. So the next day my dad takes out a spark plug scraps the carbon off of it and boom fired right up and ran fine back to green bay but as soon as i got home and shut off the car and tried to start it again it did the same thing. So i went and got NGK BPR6ES plugs and new wires still no start. i am getting spark and gas. I can't figure out why it wont start i also just recently replaced the some relays, plugs,wires, ISC CAS and ECU. so if anybody can help i would appreciate it.

 

[92AWDHX40]

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

 

[Th3DooM]

Yap, it's this thread again.

So on thursday I started my car. While I scraped the ice off the car windows it warmed up normally. Suddenly the car stalled. It was like it's only firing on 3 cylinders. After starting it again it ran like a farm tractor. I unplugged the sparkplugwires one by one and it came out it's cylinder 1. I took the battery inside the house over the night and recharged it.

I wanted to buy new spark plug wires and a coil anyway. An hour ago I replaced the parts. After that. I turned the keys but it won't start. After checking the plug of the coil and trying everything (interchanging old wires with new coil, new wires with old coil) nothing helped. I accidently broke off my PCV Now I'm standing at home and can't help myself. What could be the fault?

Btw it's -4°F here, I use 5w40 oil. I used NGK wires and a german brand coil. could there be any trouble? No engine mods. Besides that I got a viper 600hf alarm, could it be it's equipped with an engine immobilizer?


PS: two weeks ago I read the CEL and it came out cyl. 1 & 4 have a faulty ignition (wires, coil). Could the pcm be harmed after deleting the CEL and not fixing the ignition? PCM is a 9833AI module.

 

[96' Eclipse GS]

"Please disregard this message if you have fixed your problem!"

#1 question. What came out of cylinder 1? A misfire or some sort of fluid?
#2 question. Have you started it today?
#3 question. Did it do the same thing?
#4 question. Did you see the the temperature gauge needle go up?

The following are possible.....>

A Coolant switch/Sensor.
A stuck thermostat.
Frozen Coolant passages.

And here is my explaination. First, you are in -4 degree weather and unless your car is in a garge away from the cold...things will freeze,because you have 50/50 or 100% coolant and the freezing point is +32. Second, you did not have a coil or spark plug problem unless they fouled out over time,because it started even if there was a weak signal to everthing. Third, because it stalled after either (A) your coolant switch was not responsding to the ecu or the thermostat was stuck and did not open. (B) Back to the freeze problem would cause the switch to faulty and the ecu needs a conutining signal back and forth and that's why it stalled. Finally, the car has still not started, because of the fact that the coolant switch is still NOT working and the ecu has nothing to go off of, and you replacing your plugs/coil, unless needed is not going to help do anything.

Please if I have came off hard, sorry I try not too.
Any responses to my reply, please go right ahead.

 

[Th3DooM]

1: It felt like it didn't do anything. I unlpugged the sparkplugwire and didn't see a spark when cranking the car.

2:I tried it yesterday at 10°F and the car didn't fire up. Only cranking when turning the key. It's 5° atm. I tried to warm the car up with a radiant heater but that doesn't make any difference. Good thing I could warm up my hands

3: Todays try: freshly charged battery, strong startersounds. It cranks perfectly, but it won't start.

4: No needle movement. But it always stays at the bottom when the car just started up.

I drained my coolant some months ago and changed it with -5°f anti freeze coolant. When the bottlelabel hasn't lied there shouldn't be any problem with that. The radiator hoses don't seem to be frozen, I can squeeze them. The coolant in the overflow tank is perfectly liquid and have the right color.

Since I live in Germany and don't wanna pay 300$ for chrysler mopar parts I bought NGK spark plug wires and Metzger coil pack (does definitely has the right part number) for a Neon DOHC ECC. The spark plug wire boot is a bit to long, but I clearly hear them click into the spark plug so there shouldn't be any problem I guess. Besides that the old spark plug wires doesn't work either.

I have trouble keeping the right temperature in summer so I modified my thermostat a bit. That should not be the problem. The car didn't overheat for more than 4 months now.

UPDATE:

Alright, I tried some Octan Boost and the car fired right up. Problem solved. Now I have to read out the CEL and figure out what that means...

 

[chadjoe]

Yes it's like an oblong plug with I believe 8 or 9 pin connectors

 

[asianandy87]

I have a 91 eagle talon, with a moderately build.
stock bore,
Eagle rods, wiesco pistons, with individual plugs, battery relocated to the trunk, a 16g turbo, 650cc injectors, crower 262,272 set.
I drove it to a friends house drove fine.
In the morning it wouldn't start.

It has spark, fuel, and I replaced CAS, got a new battery for it.
At TDC, new ecu, and still will not start, It will just crank and crank all day.
I didn't check compression yet, but It was driving just fine the day before so I figured its alright.
I replaced the thermostat and all of the sensors on the thermostat housing.

But my to do list is to check compression.

And is the Power transistor good?

 

[villarrs]

If you are getting spark, then the transistor is good. You might check to make sure you are getting fuel. I recently had a no start issue and it turned out to be a bad ECU despite mine appearing fine.

 

[Ultimate1]

UPDATE::::::----- 2/9/12

So the new-used ecu came in today. Popped that baby in. Three mins later I was out and about driving. The board on the replacement ECU is much nicer so I will do the replacement capacitors much sooner to avoid the same issues with the capacitors eating the traces on the tiny Surface mount caps and resistors.

 

[xpertsoldier]

I am having some trouble and was hoping for some help from the pros. I have a 98 eclipse gsx. I have been running it with the 1st version of the aem ems. Just a basic configuration until I had everything done; then I intend to take it to a tuner. I have been having problems starting it for some reason I would have to crank it 3 times and long times at that. It would finally catch and then would give me problems idling until it warmed. Once warmed it ran like a champ.

Just the other day I finally got around to installing my AEM MAP 3.5 and the AEM AIT. (had been waiting for a while because finding a welder was a pain) I can no longer get the vehicle to start. After turning it I can get it to turn over but it quickly then dies. I did go into the software and set the appropriate sensors.

The car has FIC 750cc injectors a walbro 255 fuel pump. FP green turbo and now the AEM Map and AIT. The motor internals are built but I am sure that does not factor. Anyhow if you could help me in any way I would greatly appreciate it.

Is there anyone in the Waco, TX area that is a AEM EMS guru?

I am thinking it may have something to do with the map I am currently usin a vacuum off a t between the intake and boost gauge. Does anyone have any good suggestions on where to get the vacuu
From or pictures of their install?

 

[Talon IV]

Ah good deal man! Glad she is up and running. So I know i dont do a lot of posting but i read a ton of info here everyday and here is my question... Being that the 1g's are 21 years old now, do their ECU's have common issues of failing from age or is this just one of those more rare issues?

 

[cantgo2fast]

Im hoping some one knows what this is right away. Noise is sounds like its coming from behind the ecu by maybe 4". I just got a brand new battery and starter for it if that helps.

2012 02 10 13 49 12 733 - YouTube

 

[Ultimate1]

Ah good deal man! Glad she is up and running. So I know i dont do a lot of posting but i read a ton of info here everyday and here is my question... Being that the 1g's are 21 years old now, do their ECU's have common issues of failing from age or is this just one of those more rare issues?

Frankly it is my non-professional opinion that it is 1g and 2g and that it is just the somewhat frail design of the ecu system. The capacitors are run of the mill and rated for a limited number of hours and some devices are directly driven by the ECU which imo causes undue stress in case of external failure. For example I was reading a post by someone that our ISC's are directly driven by components on the ECU and when our ISC's go bad in a way that their resistance lowers they allow too much current to flow through which burns components up on the ECU. Some sort of external relay system would certainly eliminate this issue.

I figure it is not a big deal anyway because used computers are easily available and as long as you buy some flux, alcohol, de-soldering tools, you can just consider capacitors as part of the preventative maintenance.

 

[SEVERENI]

Found this in another post hope it helps

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/bolt-tech/241880-buzzing-noise-wont-start.html

 

[DSM1G90]

Caps just love to dry out and possibly leak when age sneaks upon them-just one of those things when dealing with electronics.

1G ECU's are lucky to get 10-15 years of life on them before stuff starts to dry up and cause problems.