Not starting: Ignition issues and over heating
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Not starting: Ignition issues and over heating
I am working on a 95 Del Sol S that was over heating and blowing white smoke out the tail pipe. It was also running like it was missing. We changed the plugs a few weeks back and noticed one had a lot of oil on it. Well now back to the running hot with rough idle and white smoke. It started o overheat and out of curiosity we pulled the wire on the plug we thought had oil issues to see if the car's idle would change. Well it dies and new started back up.
Now we have replaced the dist cap and dizzy brush. I did the Ohm test on the coil and it checks out ok with in spec. Anyone have any other ideas?
Now we have replaced the dist cap and dizzy brush. I did the Ohm test on the coil and it checks out ok with in spec. Anyone have any other ideas?
Last edited by Zumo; 01-18-2012 at 09:22 AM.
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Re: Not starting: Ignition issues and over heating
Humor me on this one but would that still keep it from it form firing up? I assume it would.
Reason is I was hoping I could hear it run before I tore it down to replace the head gasket. It's my Nephews car and all this happened when I wasn't around. No big deal, we'll tear it down and see. We will also be replacing the water pump, timing belt and all other belts.
Reason is I was hoping I could hear it run before I tore it down to replace the head gasket. It's my Nephews car and all this happened when I wasn't around. No big deal, we'll tear it down and see. We will also be replacing the water pump, timing belt and all other belts.
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Re: Not starting: Ignition issues and over heating
The head is probably warped as well. That deals with the overheating.
As far as the not starting you have a whole other realm of issues to check. Is he getting spark? What color is the spark? Throwing any CELs? Check mechanical and ignition timing? Sounds like nephew isn't taking care of the car like he should be.
As far as the not starting you have a whole other realm of issues to check. Is he getting spark? What color is the spark? Throwing any CELs? Check mechanical and ignition timing? Sounds like nephew isn't taking care of the car like he should be.
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Re: Not starting: Ignition issues and over heating
No CELs and I have checked all fuses. It's getting fuel because I can here the pump engage and I smell it coming out of the tail pipe and around the engine. I don't think it's getting spark and that's what I am trying to figure out. We replaced cap and rotor and I removed coil to make sure it was getting proper ohm reading and it was. I figure it should at least sputter like it wants to start. I haven't check timing because the only thing we did was pull a plug wire while it was running which I have done many times before and the timing was not affected. I an thinking something shorted when the wire was pulled. We may try replacing the coil even though hit checks out. Is there a way I can pull a plug wire from the valve cover to see if it's getting spark? How else can I check?
A little more back story: As winter came and the outside weather temps dropped and he said the engine started with a rough idle but would eventually smooth out as the car got warm. Well at 1st we though it was bad plugs causing a misfire so we replaced.
Then it would still do the rough idle but was also starting to overheat. So we thought maybe just low on water and I checked and noticed his radiator cap was loose and damaged so we replaced it. Refilled and he drove it for a few more days still reporting rough idling but now after it was warm and telling me he sees white smoke. So at this point I hadn't registered to tell him to park it. The next day it must have got real bad so he left it in a parking lot.
Once we get it apart we will be checking the head for warp for sure.
My Dad, a retired Diesel Mechanic headed over to look at it. He fired it up, saw the white smoke and smelt the antifreeze, witnessed rough idle and pulled plug wire #2 because that was the plug we noticed had oil on it when we changed it. He wanted to see of that cylinder was firing or not. When he pulled that wire the car died and never started since.
A little more back story: As winter came and the outside weather temps dropped and he said the engine started with a rough idle but would eventually smooth out as the car got warm. Well at 1st we though it was bad plugs causing a misfire so we replaced.
Then it would still do the rough idle but was also starting to overheat. So we thought maybe just low on water and I checked and noticed his radiator cap was loose and damaged so we replaced it. Refilled and he drove it for a few more days still reporting rough idling but now after it was warm and telling me he sees white smoke. So at this point I hadn't registered to tell him to park it. The next day it must have got real bad so he left it in a parking lot.
Once we get it apart we will be checking the head for warp for sure.
My Dad, a retired Diesel Mechanic headed over to look at it. He fired it up, saw the white smoke and smelt the antifreeze, witnessed rough idle and pulled plug wire #2 because that was the plug we noticed had oil on it when we changed it. He wanted to see of that cylinder was firing or not. When he pulled that wire the car died and never started since.
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Re: Not starting: Ignition issues and over heating
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Re: Not starting: Ignition issues and over heating
Do cylinder compression and leak down tests. My guess is that these tests will confirm the bad head gasket idea and will also explain the misfiring.
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Re: Not starting: Ignition issues and over heating
**UPDATE**
Replaced coil and got it started. And have determined head gasket may be hosed. We will be tearing it apart this week to see the damage.
Replaced coil and got it started. And have determined head gasket may be hosed. We will be tearing it apart this week to see the damage.
Last edited by Zumo; 01-12-2012 at 07:31 AM.
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Re: Not starting: Ignition issues and over heating
More pics. Head gasket was bad. Sent the head to the machine shop to get checked out just in case.
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Re: Not starting: Ignition issues and over heating
Head checked out to be good. Now we are going to clean it up a bit and get it installed. We are also changing out all the belts, timing belt and water pump.
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Re: Not starting: Ignition issues and over heating
Got the car back together this weekend and seems to be running fine. My nephew took it to get inspected this morning and it passed too haha. I also ended up changing timing belt and water pump as well as all the other belts and installed a new CAI. All in all it wasn't too bad and I enjoyed doing it. Guess that means I really can a "car guy".
#21
Re: Not starting: Ignition issues and over heating
Got the car back together this weekend and seems to be running fine. My nephew took it to get inspected this morning and it passed too haha. I also ended up changing timing belt and water pump as well as all the other belts and installed a new CAI. All in all it wasn't too bad and I enjoyed doing it. Guess that means I really can a "car guy".
so basically only did the headgasket then, timing belt water pump, no valve work anything else?
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Re: Not starting: Ignition issues and over heating
Yes, I used printed out pages of the shop manual and a torque wrench were required. Also replaced all belts with new ones and install a cold air intake.
Didn't do any valve work because it was not in my nephew's budget. I did clean up the head as much as I could as well as other things. He uses the car for work and school and doesn't drive the **** out of the car like I would have when I was his age.
Didn't do any valve work because it was not in my nephew's budget. I did clean up the head as much as I could as well as other things. He uses the car for work and school and doesn't drive the **** out of the car like I would have when I was his age.
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