Bought car from a friend this week, car has not been started in 2 years due to owner beng out of country. Have siphoned out gas and replaced with new, replaced spark plugs, fuel filter, spark plug wires, checked distributor rotor and cap, both are fine. Timing belt looks in good shape, as well as all other belts. No obvious disconnected vacuum lines or electrical connections, and car has no check engine codes. Car has fresh coolant and oil level is good. Battery is new, as well as power/ground connections at the battery. All other engine grounds are clean and look just fine.

Any ideas why this car will not start? Cranks just fine, but that is all it does, crank over and over. Fuel pump sounds like it is working and there is pressure at the fuel filter like there should be, spark plugs are fine (used an ignition tester, all 4 fire).

Completely out of ideas here, please help!

 

You'll need to check spark from the spark plug with a spark plug tester, if you have spark then you have fuel problem. You'll want to check if you have fuel pressure from the fuel rail, if the fuel is fine. Then you'll have to whoop out compression tester and check your cylinder to make sure that you have compression. Might need to bust out the chilton or oem manuel.

 

check for spark and check for fuel into the manifold. try spraying carb or starting fluid into the intake.

 

the distributor couldn't just go bad with no use could it???

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by IVI &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">check for spark and check for fuel into the manifold. try spraying carb or starting fluid into the intake.
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Just did this.. car started up briefly... so it's a fuel problem. Is there another way to check fuel pressure other than putting a gauge in the hose coming from the filter to the rail, such as a port or bolt on the rail that can be removed and that will show correct pressure?

Great help so far, now we know it's not a spark problem.

 

take out the injectors to see if they are spraying. leave them connected tho. cover your eyes and face and let it spray into a rag.

 

Is your fuel pump working good?

 

you can relieve the pressure from the filter and see if it builds back up again. i would just check to see if the injectors are spraing first.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by IVI &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">you can relieve the pressure from the filter and see if it builds back up again. i would just check to see if the injectors are spraing first.
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The pressure does build back in the fuel filter, have done that test 3 times now. I'll check the injectors this afternoon, along with the fuel pressure at the rail.

 

Indeed, check the spark plugs and fuel filter to see if they are flowing properly, then work from there.

 

not started in 2 years, those injectors would be rusted/varnished shut!! take out the injectors and pick up a set of OEM ones one ebay, they sell for like $10 usually

 

check all fuses, clean out injectors

 

Got the car to start, drained and flushed out the gas tank again, added some good gas, and the car started right up. Going to have the injectors cleaned later just to be sure, but the car runs now.

Thanks for all your help guys!

 

what was it?