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Car won't start... I'll keep this up to date as I progress towards getting it fixed and I'm hoping people can give some advise where I miss steps.
Scenario:
A few days ago, the car started... ran fine in the fast idle and as soon as it started trying to wind down, it started stumbling... i kicked the peddle a little and didn't get response quite right but it eventually kicked up a bit: I held the revs near 1200 or so for a few and it seemed fine. When I let off, it stumbled and stalled.
That was the last I got out of it and it won't start at all now... it cranks fine and then right as the engine goes to turn over, it drops out with a bit of burp. It sounds like the initial gasp of air is drawn through but then it dies right after that. If I stay on the key after that, the starter sounds like it's grinding (though, not as loud as it would if the engine is on and you slap the starter)
So, I look to Mike Diaz's "crank but no start" advise.
I've made sure she had plenty of fuel in it. It was a little low but I would have been surprised if this was it... but I added 2 or 3 gallons from a portable gas can I borrowed from my old man anyway.
Checked the fuel pump fuse under the dash: looks fine.
CEL comes on when key turned to ACC as expected.
Bought a spark plug tester, removed the coil pack from the cylinder on the passenger side bank, closest to the radiator (anyone have a link to what the cylinder numbers are: i couldn't find 'em), plugged a plug tester into the coil pack, strapped the tester's ground to the point on the body where the passenger valve cover grounds and had my girl crank it: it arced fine.
Removed the plug from that cylinder... it came out dry (woohoo - though I do need to replace the valve cover gasket and spark plug gaskets at some point) but it does look a little darker than it should... if anything, it looks like it's running a bit rich: certainly smelled like fuel or oil but as it was dry, I figured it was fuel.
Air filter should be fine: it's a Weapon-R conical filter that hasn't really been on long enough to be too gunked up.
I looked for a fuel pressure gauge today but had no success finding one at my local carquest or advance auto. I'm hoping my mechanic will have one that he's willing to lend out for an hour or two so I can check the fuel system: if not, I'm gonna have to tow it over there (he's like 1 mile from me so it should be free thanks to AAA).
Anyway... right now, I'm guessing the starter's dead: perhaps a bad spot on it? I probably won't bother trying to fix the starter myself: the fuel pump or fuel filter I'd be ok to do but it's parked on a public street where I really don't feel comfortable lifting it and having it towed to my mechanic would be cheaper than having it towed to my parents and then trying to do the work myself.
Thoughts?
Scenario:
A few days ago, the car started... ran fine in the fast idle and as soon as it started trying to wind down, it started stumbling... i kicked the peddle a little and didn't get response quite right but it eventually kicked up a bit: I held the revs near 1200 or so for a few and it seemed fine. When I let off, it stumbled and stalled.
That was the last I got out of it and it won't start at all now... it cranks fine and then right as the engine goes to turn over, it drops out with a bit of burp. It sounds like the initial gasp of air is drawn through but then it dies right after that. If I stay on the key after that, the starter sounds like it's grinding (though, not as loud as it would if the engine is on and you slap the starter)
So, I look to Mike Diaz's "crank but no start" advise.
I've made sure she had plenty of fuel in it. It was a little low but I would have been surprised if this was it... but I added 2 or 3 gallons from a portable gas can I borrowed from my old man anyway.
Checked the fuel pump fuse under the dash: looks fine.
CEL comes on when key turned to ACC as expected.
Bought a spark plug tester, removed the coil pack from the cylinder on the passenger side bank, closest to the radiator (anyone have a link to what the cylinder numbers are: i couldn't find 'em), plugged a plug tester into the coil pack, strapped the tester's ground to the point on the body where the passenger valve cover grounds and had my girl crank it: it arced fine.
Removed the plug from that cylinder... it came out dry (woohoo - though I do need to replace the valve cover gasket and spark plug gaskets at some point) but it does look a little darker than it should... if anything, it looks like it's running a bit rich: certainly smelled like fuel or oil but as it was dry, I figured it was fuel.
Air filter should be fine: it's a Weapon-R conical filter that hasn't really been on long enough to be too gunked up.
I looked for a fuel pressure gauge today but had no success finding one at my local carquest or advance auto. I'm hoping my mechanic will have one that he's willing to lend out for an hour or two so I can check the fuel system: if not, I'm gonna have to tow it over there (he's like 1 mile from me so it should be free thanks to AAA).
Anyway... right now, I'm guessing the starter's dead: perhaps a bad spot on it? I probably won't bother trying to fix the starter myself: the fuel pump or fuel filter I'd be ok to do but it's parked on a public street where I really don't feel comfortable lifting it and having it towed to my mechanic would be cheaper than having it towed to my parents and then trying to do the work myself.
Thoughts?