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

 

[manifestmessiah]

The o2 was unhooked? That doesnt make any sense. Does the CEL come on when you turn the ignition on?

 

[Talondvr]

The white wire on the translator should have been hooked up to the CAS. If you happen to wire the CAS wire to the O2 that might be the issue.
http://www.dsmlink.com/images/forums/1GECUPinout.pdf

 

[kchaazz]

After you verify the integrity of the CAS wires, perhaps you should look to see if the injectors are stock. Why would the previous owner install the MAFT at all if the MAFT wasnt being used to compensate for larger injectors?? If the MAFT wasnt set up/ wired to the CAS properly, this would be the cause of the driveability issues, and if there are larger than stock injectors installed right now, the car will not run well or even start without the MAFT to compensate, depending on what injectors are there.

 

[justme5424]

The cel comes on when I turn the ignition on, but when I turned the car over, it just cranks and the cel goes off. The translator was wired between the o2 sensor that wire was cut, so I reconnected that wire, took the translator out of the car and put a stock 1g turbo maf on. So the car is stock right now, but still won't start? I think this may be caused by the leaky cap in the ecu that I found as mentioned above? I'm going to try another ecu today to see if that works?

 

[Tyeler18]

You have a logger correct? Or how are you leaning it out when you first had? I hope not just by the translator..

If you have a logger check your Coolant temp sensor, pretty common for them to go out and when they do they'll flood the cylinders out. That's one of the first things I check when I have any no start problems and it's trying to start.

 

[92AWDHX40]

Yes that coolant temp sensor will cause a no start or hard to, check the wiring there too could be bad over the years it can fray and be damaged.

 

[justme5424]

No logger and yeah I was just using the translator. Like I said, new to dsm's. Lol I'll try and check the coolant temp sensor to see if its any good. Does the wiring for the coolant temp sensor have to be a certain way? My pig tail was missing for it and I put spades on the end so I could plug it in again.

 

[92AWDHX40]

I never had a pigtail break so not sure of the order of it.

 

[TAL0NTSi]

I'm not sure if I missed this or not, but have you actually checked for spark yet? Having disconnected the wire from the MAF translator to the CAS when you switched back to the 1g MAF, your issue could be there.

 

[justme5424]

After you verify the integrity of the CAS wires, perhaps you should look to see if the injectors are stock. Why would the previous owner install the MAFT at all if the MAFT wasnt being used to compensate for larger injectors?? If the MAFT wasnt set up/ wired to the CAS properly, this would be the cause of the driveability issues, and if there are larger than stock injectors installed right now, the car will not run well or even start without the MAFT to compensate, depending on what injectors are there.

The injectors are stock 450cc blue tops, and the cas wiring is fine on it.

Car has spark on all 4 plugs

 

[kchaazz]

Ok, check the ECU. Turn the key to the ON position. The CEL should come on, and the factory boost gauge should come up to the 0 position. Wait a few seconds, and the CEL should turn off. Since you put spades on the coolant temp sensor wires, did you try swapping wires on the coolant temp sensor to see if you had the wires plugged in backward? If you can borrow a logger from someone, or find a place with an OBD1 scan tool, you will see what code(s) the ECU is throwing, and easily correct your no start issue. Try turning the motor over and when you let go of the key, listen for the fuel pump- it should continue running for a few seconds then shut off. The 1G will not start the fuel pump unless the ECU is receiving ignition references from the CAS. You say you have spark on all four, so the CAS is firing the coils, but prehaps there is no communication between the CAS and ECU, which will result in no fuel

 

[Tyeler18]

Ok, check the ECU. Turn the key to the ON position. The CEL should come on, and the factory boost gauge should come up to the 0 position. Wait a few seconds, and the CEL should turn off. Since you put spades on the coolant temp sensor wires, did you try swapping wires on the coolant temp sensor to see if you had the wires plugged in backward? If you can borrow a logger from someone, or find a place with an OBD1 scan tool, you will see what code(s) the ECU is throwing, and easily correct your no start issue. Try turning the motor over and when you let go of the key, listen for the fuel pump- it should continue running for a few seconds then shut off. The 1G will not start the fuel pump unless the ECU is receiving ignition references from the CAS. You say you have spark on all four, so the CAS is firing the coils, but prehaps there is no communication between the CAS and ECU, which will result in no fuel

As far as the CTS plug being on backwards it's just a resistor, so it doesn't matter which way the wires go on, it'll read the same.

 

[justme5424]

So my cts should be fine, fuel pump turns on and stays on for a second after I finish cranking it. I really hope its the ecu. Lol

Ok, check the ECU. Turn the key to the ON position. The CEL should come on, and the factory boost gauge should come up to the 0 position. Wait a few seconds, and the CEL should turn off. Since you put spades on the coolant temp sensor wires, did you try swapping wires on the coolant temp sensor to see if you had the wires plugged in backward? If you can borrow a logger from someone, or find a place with an OBD1 scan tool, you will see what code(s) the ECU is throwing, and easily correct your no start issue. Try turning the motor over and when you let go of the key, listen for the fuel pump- it should continue running for a few seconds then shut off. The 1G will not start the fuel pump unless the ECU is receiving ignition references from the CAS. You say you have spark on all four, so the CAS is firing the coils, but prehaps there is no communication between the CAS and ECU, which will result in no fuel

Well my buddy is bringing by 2 90 talon ecu's tonight after he gets out of work, so I'm gonna try those and hope for the best.

Ecu was the problem, thanks for all the suggestions guys. Still kinda ran a little bad because we tried a 90 n/a ecu but ran. So all I need to do now is pick up a 90 turbo ecu.

 

[fastgt1990]

ok so i have a extra computer from a 93 tsi awd, now could i swap it in my car just to see if that fixes the problem with out haveing to change the pins out. and if it does just have my ecu fixed then. i also pulled the ignition module off and it failed the light test but from what i read that isn't very reliable. i'm gettin fuel to the injectors, plugs are brand new, all the wiring that i can see is plugged in and no bare wires showing. i've been running down everything on the no start list and starting to get frustrated.

 

[Talondvr]

Ecu was the problem

Glad 2 hear you found the problem. Look into ecmtuning for repairing your ecu. Their customer service is unmatched in my book.

 

[justme5424]

Glad 2 hear you found the problem. Look into ecmtuning for repairing your ecu. Their customer service is unmatched in my book.

i think i'm going to have to, i can't seem to find an ecu for sale for a 90 awd turbo 5sp anywhere? well at least one that is affordable.

 

[ThetanuRucka]

i was wiring in a new cig lighter.. idk what happened but i think one of the wires from a plug in the center console(sits right below the ashtray). hit something and shorted. because i saw the sparks and then smoke came from behind the radio area. i was like ####. pulled the ecu out and check it real quick. no smoke or burns or anything.. okay good. finished wiring my cig lighter in. all good
go to start.... nothing.
cranks and cranks and cranks i smell the fuel.
pull the laptop up. with dsmlink logging key on its got my throttle at 100% my coolant temp at -74 my intake temp at -74 my wideband logged afr at 7.4
basically any sensor that it reads is maxxed out either low side or high side.
so i assume its dumping fuel becaue tps+temperature and it cant start. but. .... i checked all my fuses and they were okay. is there some major fuse or sumthing that is inline with all the sensors?...

 

[EagleTSIawd]

Sounds like you blew the ECU ground, its an easy fix.

Check this link out to see if you did blow it and how to fix it
http://www.ecmtuning.com/wiki/blownsensorground?s=ecu%20ground

 

[ThetanuRucka]

found the problem...
Blown Sensor ground. i take it i just solder in a small peice of copper wire over where it blew? and just bridge the once side back with the other?
i think the wire it rubbed shared a common power or ground with my WB02 gauge and the datalogger wire. probably popped it.

 

[EagleTSIawd]

Yup, that should do the trick. If its not blown too far apart, just a dab of solder on the crack would also work.

If you short any sensor with the ignition on, that's usually the end result.

 

[ThetanuRucka]

yeah its just a hair crack. where do i buy that copper wire and what gauge is it?

again i find my answer . Coaxial cable copper wire. . PERFECT gauge,

 

[Coyotekart63]

Hey guys! New here to the forum. Been trying to figure out whats wrong with my car.

I have a 94 eclipse base model with the 1.8 4g37 engine.

The other day, the linkage in the shifter was acting up, wouldnt go into 5 or R easily so i was just driving it back and forth in my driveway working on it. The car then all of a sudden started idling super rough and shut off. I turned the key, car started up, idle real rough, I gave it throttle and it smoothend out, then back to idle it died and it hasnt started since.

Here is what I have done....

Thought it may be a crank sensor or cam sensor so I changed the distributor, plugs etc... gets a decent spark now.

Its getting fuel as there is fuel at the rail and the spark plugs get wet. I can smell the fuel and see it on the plugs.

I checked the compression and the compression on each cylinder is 180psi which is solid.

The 6pin plug on the distributor I believe is correct.
pin #1- 0 volts(ground?), #2-12V, #3 and #4 each have 5V, pin#5 0 volts and #6 has 0 volts then when I crank the engine, it goes up to 10-11V and is steady. Should that be pulsing back and forth between 0 and 12 volts?

Also, I will ground I believe its pin #3 and it sounds like the injectors are firing. Making a humming noise really quick and then goes away. I can hear the fuel pump doing its little hum noise as well so I know thats working.

The 2 pin connector on the side has 0v on one pin and 12V on the other. Power and ground...

I checked other plugs like the MAF and thats getting power, checkd the TPS and thats getting 5V, I checkd the injectors and they are getting power...

I have no clue at all whats going on and its frusterating. Its the only vehicle I have so I need to get it going asap.

 

[chadjoe]

Plug wires may be bad.

spark plugs may be fouled.

 

[Coyotekart63]

The spark plugs are brand new. The plug wires are like 6 months old. I pull the plugs and ground the plug and its a blue spark. Its getting spark. Thing is, the plugs are wet when I pull them out.

 

[speeddemon198]

Check you fpr.Seems like its fludding.