As most people know, I was gone for about 1 1/2 months, and during that time my car has been sitting in my backyard collecting dirt. Well anyways, I finally got to messing around with my car today, and well, it's not starting. I'm getting spark, I have gas, the battery is charged up, but still nothing. The car is turning over, but not firing up. Does anyone know what it could possibly be? I'm thinking it might be the battery. I took it to Auto Zone and it tested out fine, but I've heard batteries can do that and still be bad. Something about there not being enough cells to start the car up or something like that. It's a Durlast Gold battery. I'm also thinking Auto Zone doesn't want to give me a free replacement since I believe there's a 3 year warranty on these. Damn haters

 

try swapping another battery and see what that does, how much gas was in the tank when you left it sit for a month and a half? and what was the weather like (cold, hot) if there wasnt a lot of gas and it jst sat there in either extreme hot or cold the gas could be slightly froze or sludgy. try some injector cleaner or fuel system cleaner. just a suggestion

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by blueBB4lude &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">try swapping another battery and see what that does, how much gas was in the tank when you left it sit for a month and a half? and what was the weather like (cold, hot) if there wasnt a lot of gas and it jst sat there in either extreme hot or cold the gas could be slightly froze or sludgy. try some injector cleaner or fuel system cleaner. just a suggestion</TD></TR></TABLE>

There was about a 1/4 tank left, and its still in there. I know it couldn't be bad gas, cause it doesn't take a 1 1/2 months for gas to go bad. Texas weather is different everyday. It'll be real cold one day, then hot the next. Weather has been from 50-80 degrees. I've tried spraying a little starter fluid to try and get it started, but no success in that

 

i had a bad icm and my car would spark and everything but still wouldnt start i got a new dizzy and fired right up.

 

leave the car doors open to let the cabin temp drop
try starting your car 10 mins after

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SnlpeR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">leave the car doors open to let the cabin temp drop
try starting your car 10 mins after</TD></TR></TABLE>

How is that suppose to help? Anyways, its been cool outside lately

 

Check your fuses.

 

check ur external or internal coil....and plugs.....

 

Any prelude friends around that would lend you their main relay
to check?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ed_1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Check your fuses.</TD></TR></TABLE>\

Already have, and they all check out fine

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SKDRCR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Any prelude friends around that would lend you their main relay
to check?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I might beable to get one of those...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Layziejoe775 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">check ur external or internal coil....and plugs.....</TD></TR></TABLE>

I've checked my plugs, and they're fine. I've also checked to be sure I was getting spark, and I am. I've also checked my fuel pump, and it good. I'm thinking it might be bad cells in my battery. I'm going to get a new battery tomorrow, so hopefully it might help

 

if it was a main relay would it even crank? i forget what it did when my relay went bad. The opening the doors/windows trick does work for getting a bad main relay to work.

If it is that, have run replacing it. I suggest dropping the steering column. it makes things 100x easier

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by blueBB4lude &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">if it was a main relay would it even crank? i forget what it did when my relay went bad. The opening the doors/windows trick does work for getting a bad main relay to work.

If it is that, have run replacing it. I suggest dropping the steering column. it makes things 100x easier</TD></TR></TABLE>

Damn, I hope its not that.

 

if it were a main relay the car wouldent crank or anything. You have a different issue.

If you have spark, fuel, and compression, then you have a running motor. You arent getting 1 or more of the 3. When you switch the car to the ACC position ( turn the key till it clicks, not starts ) can you hear the fuel pump prime ? Do you have a fuel pressure gauge mounted anywhere to make sure you have adequate fuel pressure ? Have you pulled the plug wires 1 at a time while a friend tried to start it and witnessed the arc jump to ground ? if not how are you sure you are getting spark ? Are the plug wires in good condition ? no corrosion or anything ? how about the coil wire ?

 

when the main relay is bad, the fuel pump wont prime. Try a different battery/jump start first, but don't rule out bad gas, that is very possible.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 98TypeSH &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">if it were a main relay the car wouldent crank or anything. You have a different issue.

If you have spark, fuel, and compression, then you have a running motor. You arent getting 1 or more of the 3. When you switch the car to the ACC position ( turn the key till it clicks, not starts ) can you hear the fuel pump prime ? Do you have a fuel pressure gauge mounted anywhere to make sure you have adequate fuel pressure ? Have you pulled the plug wires 1 at a time while a friend tried to start it and witnessed the arc jump to ground ? if not how are you sure you are getting spark ? Are the plug wires in good condition ? no corrosion or anything ? how about the coil wire ?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I pulled the first plug, and I was getting spark. I didn't pull any of the other plugs out. I'll try that next then. Yes, I can hear my fuel pump turn on when I turn the key to hte ACC position. Plug wires are good, and I don't see any corrosion at all.

 

could be your ignition coil. check your spark plugs as well.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by khalal538 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">could be your ignition coil. check your spark plugs as well.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Plugs are good. I'll see about getting a coil from a friend

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by blueBB4lude &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">if it was a main relay would it even crank? i forget what it did when my relay went bad. The opening the doors/windows trick does work for getting a bad main relay to work.

If it is that, have run replacing it. I suggest dropping the steering column. it makes things 100x easier</TD></TR></TABLE>

Where's the Main Relay located exactly, and what does it look like?

 

maybe a 1" cube in the black box near your battery. That would be a lot easier to replace than even your battery. I'd hope that was your problem but it obviously isnt since you have spark and everything.

have you tried jumping it? umm.. have you tried... push starting it? sorry i dont have any better ideas for you.

 

I've almost gotten it started. I think I'm getting too much fuel, which is just flooding my motor. I pinched my fuel line, have my GF trying to start it, and my GF's sister spraying a little starter fluid in through the IM and it started for a second, then died. We tried again, and it started a little fire (blew up in her face) It just burnt some of her hair

 

wait, what year is your lude?

 

you can do that on a non carb'd car? wait a second... i think you arent fuel injected... which means your carb is flooded and you've spent a whole bunch of time flooding it more? dont do anything for a few minutes and then try it without stepping on the gas

or maybe your problem is something more complicated...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by khalal538 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">wait, what year is your lude?</TD></TR></TABLE>

2000