Alright, been over at the CRX resource but it seems like there aren't that many users, or at least, that many that are willing to help. Here's my problem:

Cruising down the highway at about 70, the engine cuts out. pull it over to the side of the road. It turns over and cranks but dies shortly like it's not getting fuel. Pop open the cap behind the seat, while i'm waiting on the tow truck, and get a strong smell of gas. I had a new fuel pump and regulator sitting around so i get it home, install those. Still won't start, not even cranking now. Just making a "whirring" noise like something isn't firing. Also, now when i pull the return hose off the regulator, no fuel comes out, and fuel filter is about a month old. *edit* replaced the main relay too, and fuel pump is priming fine.

Replaced the fuel pump holder from the gas tank with fuel lines (old ones were corroded). Then started thinking it was ignition problem. Popped open the dizzy to see the screw on the rotor had backed itself out, put the rotor back on. Nada. Replaced the igniter, ignition coil (it had a TC-07A in it before so I replaced it with one of those, however, everywhere i see has TC-05A) and nothing. I noticed there were trace amounts of brown powder inside the distributor casing which I read could be a bearing going bad, very little of it though. After this failed I was still dumbfounded. I then thought it might be my timing. Below are some pictures of the crankshaft pulley and timing belt pulley while #1 cylinder is at TDC. I used the method of putting an extension in the cylinder to see when it was at it's highest.

http://www.geocities.com/mkcarguy/timinglabel.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/mkcarguy/cranklabel.jpg

Not exactly sure how to proceed on adjusting that, or if it's normal.

Also, traced the ground wires to the tranny and found they were in pretty bad shape so i'm replacing those today. Any other suggestions as to what it could be?


Modified by OHrexer at 6:59 AM 5/12/2006

 

are you getting spark. have you tested? you didnt state if you were or not. if you havnt hcecked do it : P (we all have bad days!). sorry to hear about the rex : (. hopefully the grounds do something. but check the spark at the wires. ground tem again st a bolt on the valve cover. if you have a bad ground there run it else ware. i use my hoodpin. (about all they are good for : P. last idiot removed the latch, so i gues they are good for holdin the hood down too aye?).

 

If your car was timed right and running fine, you shouldn't need to change the timing, unless the belt slipped. Take a look at your grounds, there are three. One is the obvious one on the valve cover in front, on the driver's side. One goes from under the battery to the clutch cable arm, not sure exactly where it attaches, I moved my battery a long time ago, but you will know when you see it. The last one is the most important, the ECU's ground, it comes out of the harness and bolts into the thermostat housing on the back passenger's side of the motor. Here's a pic, sorry it's so large:


Check those and post back, bad grounds often seem like other problems, they can be the hardest things to find. You will learn to always look for the grounds first when something breaks... like when the motor throws a rod through the block and shoots oil all over the place, you will be cursing the thermostat ground.

 

Check for spark?? Make sure you're getting battery at the distributor's 2 pin connector when the ignition switch is in the ON position.

What's this whirring noise you mention? Like the starter is turning but not turning over the engine?

Don't worry about timing yet, like the other guy said..your car did run..unless the belt has slipped you should be ok in that area.

 

Alright, replaced the main battery cable to the clutch cable. Pulled the main ground from the valve cover, cut the end (seemed a bit corroded) and re-crimped it. Also ground away any trace of corrosion from the car and the cable. It's a dreary day here so it was hard to tell about corrosion, on the ground, on the thermostat housing so i just dremeled both ends down to shining anyway. After I get all that hooked up i'll fire it up and check for spark (i've been going about this --- backwards, it's been a long week) and i'll get back to you guys.

Also, one of the main reasons for me checking my timing was that the car always had a sputtering problem when going more than half open throttle. Didn't matter the gear or speed. The car would also sputter when warmed up. I didn't know if, by those pictures, you guys could tell if my timing had indeed jumped a tooth or two.

Thanks again for the feedback.

 

Well, reinstalled all the grounds and still giving me a whirring noise. It does sound like the starters going but nothing is firing. I was unable to check for spark due to lacking an extra set of hands to crank it. That's one of the reasons i haven't been able to get a good listen on the engine either.

Pulled the plugs though and the tips were pretty burnt and there were oil deposits on them. Replaced those, still nothing.

Hopefully i'll be able to test for spark tomorrow and I'll be heading to the parts store (a brisk 3 mile hike... each way) to possibly pick up whatever part I need and hopefully they've got a multimeter in. Hoping it's not the entire distributor as i've already replaced the igniter and coil. Wouldn't mind just replacing the cap and rotor.

Oh and about the rotor in the dizzy. When i found it loosened (the screw had backed itself out) I believe I installed it backwards (there are screw holes on either side of the shaft). Is the metal tip of the rotor supposed to face the #1 plug or the 4 plug? tried both ways and neither fired up the car though.

 

When you turn on the key,Does the check engine light
come on,then go off a few seconds later?

If not,Check fuse #14,It provides power to the main relay:

 

Yep, I hear the main relay click, the fuel pump priming and the CEL comes on for a couple seconds then shuts off when the fuel pump is done priming.

What's odd to me is that, when i pull off the return line to the fuel pressure regulator, it has no fuel coming out when I crank it. This goes for the OEM fuel pressure regulator or the aftermarket one I also have. Maybe something happened with the fuel filter. But even if it were the filter, it would still make a firing up and stalling sound. would a faulty distributor stop fuel from being sent through the lines?

Sorry, if some of the questions are extremely "n00b-ish". Just trying to think through the problems. Thanks again for any advice.

 

Alright, checked for spark this morning. Still no sign of the
roommate so i did it myself. Held the wire up with a pair of
vice needle nose while i had the end of the plug on the valve
cover ground. sure enough, the spark plug has spark in it.
Didn't seem like too strong of a spark to me, but i don't
really have an eye for these things yet.

So, we know that I have at least SOME spark. Air shouldn't be
a problem. Last would be fuel. Fuel parts replaced: Filter (a
month or so ago), Pump (brand new), Main Relay (brand new),
Pressure regulator (brand new), also a couple of the lines. I
wouldn't think that if the injectors went out it would just plain
cut out like that.

 

alright, dropped the tank again today. all the connections look
good. going to be checking all the fuel lines and heading out to
get a multimeter so i can check power going to the fuel pump.
thought i read somewhere to check for power a the connectors
under the storage bin as well.

anywhere else i should be testing?

*edit* have to edit since i'm a newb and limited in my amount of posts...
but i got the rexer fired up today. the tank is currently dropped but not
out of the car, plugged the harness back in behind the seat and checked
the ECU for any codes, it gave me a quick blink on start up but then
nothing afterwards. I'm assuming that's good.

so i say, what the hell and turn the key. it kind of chugs a bit, more than just a
whirring and i about crapped myself. I get to the drivers side, start it, chug,
start it, give it gas and it fires up. then i saw gaas on the ground and forgot
that i unhooked the return line so i quickly shut it off. going to wait until the
gas evaporates and fire it up again. then i'll push the tank back up into place.
and try yet again.

Drained about 9 gallons from the tank originally when it died, put in 2-3
after i dropped the tank the first time. Maybe it was starving/the angle
wasn't getting to the pump after I did all the work to it.

Hopefully my rex will be back up in running! Thanks to everyone and
i'll keep you posted.


Modified by OHrexer at 9:10 AM 5/13/2006


Modified by OHrexer at 9:12 AM 5/13/2006

 

I'm having the same problem I was driving down the road at 20 mph and then a loud pop and it won't start now any ideas

 

Did you really just hijack a almost 6 year old thread?! Come on now! Start your own......but my first advice is to check your mechanical timing. You're timing belt may have slipped.

 

Sorry can't start one yet that was my first idea I set the mechanical timing with a new timing belt and it still won't crank I checked the distributor and it is good it's not popping now when i try to start it but it's still not turning over

 

Are you sure you cant start your own? I swore I did on the same night I signed on. Never the less, what are you refering to as "not turning over"? Is the engine turning but not cranking? I'd double check your timing, make sure you're getting fire. And what motor do you have?

 

How do u start a thread?

 

Above the thread forum on the left almost at the top of the page theres a rectangle white button written inside is "new topic".

 

well i learned some thing i changed the entire fuel assembly from filter to tank still wont start changed the relap and still dont seem to be getting power to the fuel pump tuerned it off at the gas station and it never started again ,,help