Car won't start.

**Chad97z** · 04-21-2007, 06:09 PM

Open to suggestions if anyone has any ideas.

I crank it, and it acts like it wants to start but just sits there and cranks.

I think its getting gas because the pump is coming on and I even pressed on the gas pedal a little bit and then smelled a tiny bit gas.

I checked the fuses, all are ok.

I checked for codes in the ECM, no codes exist.

I ran it earlier today no problems but now its dead in the garage.

It sounds like its trying to fire because I think I hear a real low boom sound coming out the exhaust but its not a real fast boom. Just like boom boom boom. And its faint. Hard to hear it.

Nothing else seems picular.

Any idea's what I could check? I think I have a spark checker I can put in series with the spark plug and the wire. Any other idea's?

Thanks,
Chad

**Chad97z** · 04-21-2007, 07:47 PM

I am going to do this test if I can just find the ICM. http://shbox.com/1/4th_gen_tech2.html#opti_test

**BlackLT1Z28** · 04-21-2007, 07:54 PM

**Chad97z** · 04-21-2007, 08:28 PM

My car is a 97 so the wire color is a bit different. But I get good voltage on Pinkish and Green which is the first and the last pin, which is probably A and D. Black and White (B and C)are zero without cranking. I'll check the white one for a pulsing a/c voltage tomorrow.

How do you check a coil? I'm going to look in my book.

**Chad97z** · 04-21-2007, 09:19 PM

The directions on this webpage http://shbox.com/1/4th_gen_tech2.html#opti_test takes its instructions right from the Haynes book.

So in reading the book, it says I can check for spark coming out of the coil and if there is, then the problem must be the distributor(opti). If no spark is coming out of the coil then it gives some simple steps to check the coil for proper resistance and making sure it is getting voltage by checking the plug wire. Good thing I bought this 2 years ago as an impulse purchase. I saw it and thought, I bet this would be a handy little tool. So I got it and never opened it.

**Chad97z** · 04-22-2007, 08:04 AM

That tester won't fit on the coil. dang it. But I did verify the supply voltage levels at the ICM. And I found the pin markings for A, B, C and D. I have voltage on A and D and there is a a/c voltage on B when cranking only. Even though I couldnt check the spark from the coil, I did observe proper resistance level on the coil at about 5ohms I think. And the supply voltage was good to the coil. So finally I checked for spark at cylinder 1 and 3. #1 looked like it had a flicker of a voltage once but #3 never got even a flicker. And since I have smelled gas like twice, I think the pump is ok. The book says that the distriubtor usually give running problems like misfires and intermitting problems. And I never had that problem. TAs I step though he book, it indicates most likely cause of a no start problem is the ICM since the PCM is supplying a reference voltage and a supply voltage is being given to the ICM. The only thing I wish I could check is spark coming out of the coil.t it does have the proper resistance and is receiving a supply coltage.

The only onther thing that seems weird is that it tries to start on occasion. Like it gets a little fuel and tries to start then stops. And I dont have a fuel pressure guage. Isnt that lovely.

**Chad97z** · 04-23-2007, 09:24 AM

Garage tells me its a bad opti-spark. So $240 for distributor, $275 for labor, $95 for diagnostic and $50 for tow. Its getting done now. I could have done it for a lot less, but I was beginning to guess, and I never could verify it was getting fuel even though I thought it was. So this is running over $600 to fix. Isn't that nice. Plus my car rental. haha I think I'm going crazy.

**EviLt4** · 04-23-2007, 10:17 AM

...

**BlackLT1Z28** · 04-23-2007, 04:56 PM

Might as well replace the timing chain and water pump while you (the shop)has it all off. Did someone say, 'electric' waterpump?

**Chad97z** · 04-23-2007, 05:23 PM

Ya I have an electric pump. But Never knew anything about a timing chain. haha And they wanted to replace the plugs and wires too but for $95 for 8 plugs plus labor and plus labor and parts for wires, I said no way. And of course, its missing on #5. So I am putting my own plug and wire on it. My Lord, it cost 700+ with tax. And its still missing on #5. I need a shoulder to cry on. But at least he told me which cylinder it was missing on. I need a margerita in a worst kind of way.

*Why oh why didn't I take the BLUE, pill

**Chad97z** · 04-23-2007, 07:12 PM

They left the #5 wire off the plug! City Garage in Coppell, TX. I plugged it in and its working now. I knew something was odd about that. Because first they tried telling me my spark plugs were fouled and I knew that seemed bogus because I only tried to start it a handful of times. That did not foul any plugs and they wanted like 400 bux or more for wires and plugs. Thats amazing. I knew something wasnt right when the guy couldnt get my ring clamp on my ram air. I was like, HERE.. Let me do it. Now its not missing and all is back to normal. Glad I told them to negate the plugs and wires.

**EviLt4** · 04-24-2007, 02:55 AM

if you have an electric pump, get a Cloyce true double roller timging chain. $75 well spent.

**Chad97z** · 04-24-2007, 02:58 AM

well, the car is already back together. Thanks anyways. But most likely I won't have this car another 25k miles anyway. It has 94k now, and if I get to 110k before I trade I'd be surprised.

**BlackLT1Z28** · 04-24-2007, 06:20 AM

I hate how some people who don't know anything about cars are taken for a ride by shady mechanics. Price for parts from them are insane, and then labor rates. They try to sell you shit you don't need. A respectable mechanic is hard to find nowadays. Glad you got it all figured out.