Here's the situation, I was Driving today, I was at a stop light and I put the car out of gear. As it turned green I put it into gear and as I did that the car just died. I sat there cranking it to start it up and it didn't go.

It cranks, but won't start.
I hear the fuel pump humming when I try to start it.
I'm not sure how old the spark plugs are, I keep reading that it could be a relay under the dash.

Does anyone have an idea on what it can be?

 

Something sudden like that will not be spark plugs. Pull off the distributor cap and have someone crank the car, see if the rotor spins. If it doesn't spin and you're really lucky, the screw may have backed out of the rotor. If it doesn't spin and you're not lucky, either your cam broke (unlikely) or your timing belt stripped (more likely).

If the rotor spins then put the cap back on and check spark.

 

I'll try that when I'm home.

 

Oh and unplug the distributor before you crank it, almost forgot to mention that.

 

If this isn't the problem, what could it be?

(I don't want to have to keep running back to the forum for answers lol)

 

Did your check engine light come on?

 

No it didn't.

 

Do you know cars well?

Familiar with the basics?

 

Yeah I'm pretty good, I came from a mechanic family, I've fixed cars for a few years now.

 

Well, start with the basics...


Fuel/air/spark

A timing light will tell you if you've got power to the plugs...

You heard the fuel pump and you have no CEL, so you probably have fuel..


Did you ever try and start it while pressing the accelerator?

 

Yes I did. Nothing happened.

 

Hmm..


I would try starting it again. just a couple times.

Then, take out the #1 plug and smell for fuel..

If fuel is present, then you have no spark.

To verify, you can cycle the engine with the plug in the wire resting on the valve cover ..

Just a couple times to check for a spark..

Its kinda hill billy, but works.

Keep back from the plug hole when turning over...lol

 

Rotor is spinning just fine.

 

Will it spark if you put it on a wrench lol?
It didn't, so I'm assuming its the plugs right?

The plugs are orange/yellow so I'm going to change them and see if it helps.

 

So your saying you have no spark?


The plug needs to be in the wire and have the plug grounded..


Hold it and have a friend start...


If no spark, there is your problem..


Usually when the distributor igniter goes the CEL lights...

So you could have a short somewhere...

Hard to say... Do you know how to use a volt meter?

 

Found oil in my 3rd spark plug hole also. Could that stop it from starting?

 

^^^

Probably not. That would start out as a misfire...


It sounds to me like a short or the distributor.

 

can I see wear and tear anywhere?

The Rotor did look like it was worn down.

 

Your not understanding.


Things like that don't just up and quit.


They give you notice..

 

I didn't get any notice what so ever. No noises. No loss of power. Nothing. It just died. It sounded just like it sounded days weeks and months ago. Lol

 

None of this stuff (rotor/sparkplug/dizzy cap) will just suddenly cause it to stop running out of the blue, there would be tons of warning signs like misfiring, bogging, terrible idle, etc. for most likely weeks beforehand. If the fuel pump is working, and the engine is in time, its almost certainly something to do with spark, but MAKE SURE before starting off on a wild goose chase. Either use an induction timing light (good idea btw!) or you can do like I do without a partner: take a 3 foot or so piece of wire, wrap it good and tight around the spark plug threads (spark plug inserted into the plug wire boot firmly) then wrap the other end of that wire around some part of the engine or chassis to ground it.

Prop the plug up with rags or something so that you can see it from inside the car, then crank it and see if you have spark. If you have spark, and you have fuel, there isn't a lot else it could be but timing. If you don't have spark, start at the plug and test for power at each part, moving back to your battery/ECU. It's most likely a short or a ground issue, or possibly a distributor ignitor issue.

 

Wait, I just realized something.

For a few months now, as I was driving my car would randomly shut off.

Especially when I'm driving and I come to a stop, it would just idle a little rough and die.

 

So When I get home I'm going to check the the Distributor/ICM

 

If you had of said that in your first post, I could have told you it was the distributor...

 

I checked the module, and the autoparts store said it was working, but they couldn't check the coil.

Is there a way I can do it?

Or should I just buy a new one? My Distributor looks a little rough, the wires are cracking and so is the plastic casing.