ok, so trying to help out a friend on his car, but haven't actually had the chance to see it... he lives about an hour away. He say it turns over but won't start. I told him to check the spark plugs and try to listen for the fuel pump before he starts it, but I think there's more to it than that. He gets the oil pressure light on the dash on and it doesn't turn off (when it is running normally, he says), and the car won't start on his hilled driveway on normal days. I am thinking possibly bad fuel pump... but this guess isn't very educated. Anybody have experience with something like this? Sorry this is kind of vague, but I haven't actually seen the car to check it out.

 

bump

 

i also had that problem... tell him to check all his battery connections.. i poped my hood one day and noticed one of the power wires going to the battery was hanging by two strands... i shoved it back in tighted it.. and started the car with no problem whatsoever... and not had the problem since.. although i may have just been lucky that it was my only little problem.. he might have shitty injectors, distributor, or a fucked starter... u'll just have to use some trial and error...

 

i would check the oil...
check the plugs ...
check the power to the dizzy...
check the coil...

this could be so many probs just gotta keep checkin and double checkin things

 

a bad main relay pops up A LOT as a problem on these cars

 

Id check the spark plugs and the power.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fizzbob7 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">a bad main relay pops up A LOT as a problem on these cars</TD></TR></TABLE>

I second this. if he can't here the fuel pump Whiiirrrrr under the rear seat when he turns the key to "on" (the key postion that illuminates the gauge cluster indicator lights), then I'd say main relay. It will crank and crank and crank til the battery dies, but won't start without fuel.

Takes 15 minutes to remove it(MAIN RELAY), dissassemble it, and resolder the faulty connections on the circuit board. I've have to do it once in 250,000 miles.

 

isnt there a way to short out the fuel pump so that fuel starts "leaking" then pinch some hoses to see if the pump leaks or not. but after several times cranking it and it not starting, the plugs should be wet with gasoline and you cna tell if the fuel pump is working. it could even be wayyy off ignition timing.

 

did this w/ my car, but you can also tell if fuel is getting to the cylinders by if you smell the gas really strong when you test a spark plug outside the engine for spark... basic way to tell the diff. I'll see if I can guide him through some of this stuff, but like I said, I'm an hour away in colo. sprgs and he's in denver w/ no knowledge of cars. Thanks for all the tips though fellas, will let ya know once I figure it out.