"No Start" Problems

achim59

it's me again,

my geo still needs help, 'cause dealer cannot fix it!

seems like, or i'm sure in the morning cyl 1 and 4 don't fire?
how can that be i have only one coil pack, so than one coil pack should fire all 4 cyl, right?
replaced the distributor , no help.
my next guess is a bit expensive , the ICM or some call it Ignition control module!
But why in the world the car runs perfect when warm????
BTW replaced also fuel pump and temp sensor.
Also , the fuel pump does not come on after you turn key to "ignition" but runs when you turn key to start.
Oh, i forgot when it's cold, i mean about 65-70 F.
am i on the right track with the ICM or is it even the ECU what causes the trouble?
No codes to be found on a diagnose check

any help would be greatly apreciated...

thx ahead

dhighway

Hope your up and running now ....Did they/you ever determine what the problem was?

yanzp

Dear all:
I couldn't start my car(95 Ford Probe GT) sometimes. the battery and alternator are good. But after several days, I can start it again and it is good for several days. Then the old problem emerges again...
My mechanic couldn't find what's going on. He just changed distributor and alternator for me. But the problem remains.
Could you give me some advice on this?
Thank you so much!
best,
zhipeng

mikegrcar

I've been having trouble starting a 96 Grand Caravan for several years on & off. Sometimes it cranks, other times it delays or won't turn over at all. Sometimes it will crank if I pull up on the shifter while in park or shift it to neutral. Sometimes it will crank if I just wait a few minutes. The problem escalates greatly when the humidity & heat rises or a rainy season. I've had alternator & battery replaced and mechanic can find nothing further. Please help!

Mike GRCV

boteman

My 1994 Civic VX had a similar symptom except it wasn't my starter cut-out relay, it was the clutch safety switch.

I *thought* that I had replaced it, but there are TWO clutch switches on my Civic and the Honda dealer sold me the one that triggers as soon as you push the clutch to disengage the cruise control so it doesn't wind your engine off the frame.

The clutch safety switch is buried way up under the dash so since I was tired of messing with it I just cut the wires and twisted them together. I always push the clutch in anyway before starting so instead of going to the significant trouble of replacing that switch I jumpered it closed.

I still have absolutely no idea where this mystery starter cut-out relay is. I looked all under the dash today, pulled down the fusebox as far as it would go. There is nothing up there that resembles that relay, except for the relays on the fusebox and those are spoken for. I sure hope that relay never does go bad because I won't even be able to find it to test it or replace it or anything.

Even my Haynes manual states vaguely that it's on the left side of the dash. Gee, that really narrows it down; that's only half the car. No drawings, no pictures, no nothing. I wish it weren't such a big secret.

Thanx.

rbrowns

Check to see if your reverse lights are working when the van won't start. If they are not, look to your neutral switch for the problem.

boteman

Cancel that. It must be the starter cut-out relay intermittent since it's doing it again! It only worked long enough yesterday to fool me into thinking it was the clutch switch.

Does anybody know how to locate the starter cut-out relay on a 1994 Honda Civic VX? Color? Position? Best method of access to it?

I already know that it's on the left side of the dash, but that leaves a lot of room to locate it and I still don't know exactly what I am looking for.

Thanx!!

scooter12

I don't know if your aware of this but the Fords have a fuel switch in the trunk area, that is what happened to our Escort, we replaced the distributor and battery and other things, but still wouldn't start after a couple days. Pushed the fuel switch button in the trunk area and it runs great, except for this morning it wouldn't start, but I think that is someone left the dome light on, jumped it and it runs fine.

drkelly2006

Yesterday afternoon, I tried to start my 96 Grand Am GT and no such luck. It failed to turn over, made no noise. None of my power accessories worked. So, of course, I assumed it was the battery and/or alternator. Hooked up my portable starter and gave myself a jump. I let it run for about 5-6 minutes, then drove for another 15-20. Reached my destination, turned the car off and ran in for no more than 5-6 minutes. Came back out and the same problem again.

I had the car towed to the mechanic. Just called this morning and they're saying that it's starting up fine. I haven't even picked it up and I'm afraid to drive it for fear of being stranded somewhere. Any ideas of what it could be?

whoaitsjazzy

So....

Just yesterday and the day before my car had trouble starting. It would try and the engine would make noises but for the most part it made clicking noises. Today my boyfriend jumped my car and it worked fine. It got me from my house, to the gym, to Kragen *where they replaced my battery*, to the gas station and back to my house. I turned the car off after I parked and brought my dad out to show that it was working again. Of course it didn't start. It didn't even try. What's extremely odd about it is...all the dashboard lights come on, but backwards. When the key is in the off position or completely out of the car, the lights are on. However when the key is in the in position the lights are off and its as if there is NO electricity going to my car at all. When you tap the brakes, the dashboard lights go off, but the brake lights don't come on. What's wrong with my car? The man at Kragen said that it was my battery so he replaced it. It worked fine until I started it the third time after Kragen. Can SOMEBODY please help! It only has 63K miles on it and when its running, it runs smoothly...it's getting it started which is the problem.

coldplace

I recently put some fuel injector cleaner in my 1986 Toyota Camry, after that it will not start. I replaced the fuel filter, still no luck. Any suggestions as to what the problem can be?
Thanks

whoaitsjazzy

Try tightening your battery connectors. I had the similar problem, and once I did that, my car started fine. The vibrations can sometimes rattle the connectors loose. Good luck!

snaker

93 JC will not start but does turn over. NO SPARK. History: Son drove to work, went to come home, would not start...same as now. Checked for broken wires, connections etc. Changed the coil, p/u coil, plugs, wires, cap, rotor, and after snapping off the main bolt on the starter solinoid, the starter. Still no spark!! Please bear in mind that this vehicle needed a tune-up anyway, BUT.............
HELP!!!!!!

snaker

Sounds awfully familar. I have 93JC with same engine. Did you get it? Please advize!
Thanks, #374

alcan

Crankshaft position sensor.

snaker

Where would this be located and would this hold out spark?

carpebm2

its me again hey alcan there is no fuel in the vaccumn hose of the fuel pressure regulator what else could it be do you know?

alcan

Rear, top, right where the engine block and transmission bellhousing mate.

boteman

The starter cut-out relay is bolted to the left wall of the dashboard assembly. It can barely be accessed by removing the two bolts that hold the metal "knee bolster" bracket across the underside of the dash. It's a black relay, like most of the others in the Civic, with a four-pin connector that slides up into it. The connector is easy to remove; good luck getting that relay out, though.

I just jumpered mine out of the circuit to be done with it.

The clutch safety switch grounds the coil of the relay; the hot side of the relay gets its juice from the ignition key switch. I also jumpered out the clutch safety switch to eliminate that problem, so now the signal goes directly from the ignition starter switch to the starter solenoid, end of b.s.

Good luck.

ozuna

I have a 98 camaro i replaced the crank sensor and the mechanic broke the screws holding panel under the dash. It ran fine for a couple of weeks then in the middle of road stopped running. I had car towed and once i got it home it started no problem. if you dont stop at more than one place the car runs then out of no where it stops. After about 30 minutes it will start again. i have keyless entry and an alarm that was not working when i took car to mechanic he fixed and both are working could this be affecting operation? starter shows fine battery fully charged on the machine shows no problem. Any Ideas?

cwedge

I just replaced the engine in my 1987 Chevy truck and cannot get it to start. It is a direct replacement engine and everything was hooked right back up just the way it was. I checked the base timing several times. I replaced the coil and spark wires and the dist. cap. New spark plugs. The TBI seems to be working fine. It appears to be getting sufficient spark but i could be wrong. Please help.

Mr_Shiftright

shoot a little starter ether in there (not too much!) and see if you get a hiccup.

cwedge

I have tried that and still no fire

cwedge

:confuse: Is there any way to know for sure that I am getting a hot enough spark. I get a small spark from the plug boot and the spark plug top. Same thing from the coil to the dist. cap. I tried the starting fluid with and without the fuel on. I was afraid I was flooding the system with the constant cranking. When I shoot the fluid without the fuel it would burp up through the throttle body. Thanks for the help.

carpebm2

i have an 88 camaro and when i first start the car in the morning is starts rite up with no hesitation but after i drive it if i leave it there for a good 2 to 3 hours it wont start for another 2 to 3 hours ive replaced the coil 3 times taken apart the distributer put in a brand new wirering harness plus fuel pump i have also checked the fuel pressure regulator does any one have ant idea what could be wrong!

Mr_Shiftright

You could let it sit and dry out and try the starting fluid later. If there is any spark at all, the engine should fire on starting fluid.

aharper

My Dakota will turn over great and fast but won't hit a lick. I checked fire to the plugs, don't have any, but I was told if the fuel system don't pressure up that the computer will shut the fire down. Is this true? I removed the fuel pump and checked it straight to the battery, it ran fine and built up pressure. When we plugged it back in to the truck it didn't run. so checked the voltage coming out of the wire, it had less than 1 volt with or without the key on. Is there a logical explanation for this? Can anyone give me any suggestions?

aharper

I now have power back to the fuel pump by replacing the pickup coil & it is pumping fuel. But I still have no voltage to the coil. Does anyone know what else could cause the ignition system to shut down like this?

stevens3

My husband owns a 93 Infiniti J30. It has 166,000 miles on it. Up until today, it has ran perfect while on the interstate or moving throughout our small town. We noticed that when it got to 800 RPM it would begin to cut out and die occasionally. Once it dies it takes several attempts to get it restarted. Once it starts you can smell an awful aroma of fuel. I spoke to Nissan and they said it sounded like it was flooding itself out. It starts perfectly fine each morning.
Today while going to meet a co-worker it lost power at 65mph, which it has never done. We've had a tune-up and the fuel filter changed. Everyone has told us that the diagnosis computer will not read unless the check engine light is on, which it is not. One thing I have noticed is that it acts up once he's driven it several miles and then stopped or on a really hot day.
We are on an EXTREMELY tight budget with a new job and a 3 month old and we cannot afford to take it to the dealer and be charged an ungodly amount for repair. My question is, could it be a censor, such as an oxygen censor or some sort of a fuel censor. The starter is working perfect and we were told the fuel pump was okay.
PLEASE HELP!!!!!!! :confuse:

stevens3

I recently posted a message about my husbands 93 Infiniti J30 losing power and not wanting to restart. He currently has put it in the shop over 3 hours away from our home. He told me that this morning, unlike before, the car had good RPM and did not get down to the normal 800 RPM where it was dying. We are so confused and just wanted some help with ideas before we are told some awful price for repair.
Thanks again, :mad:

audiobotica

Hi!

My 2000 3.0L Ford Ranger won't start. Cleaned the battery connections and charged it. Lights come on strong and all the wires look ok but still no starter turnover. I was desperate to get my wife to the dentist so I climbed under the truck and shorted the starter manually with a wrench. Boom! Kicked right over and ran fine.

So apparently the starter is ok but the solenoid or relay is bad? How can you tell which one is on the fritz? :surprise: I'm in school right now so all my money just went for books. I really need to fix this myself instead of just taking it in and asking a mechanic to figure it out for me.

Thanks!

Ben

lumped

lumped

I have a 95 4runner v6 and have replaced both the starter and alt. My problem is sometimes the vehicle will start right up and other times when I turn the key, I get nothing. Once in awhile I will get what sounds like clicking coming from under the dash and other times if I hold the key it will start. All these problems occur whether the vehicle is hot or cold. Reading some of the problems in the forums, I keep seeing something dealing with the main or starter relays. Can somebody point me in the right direction. According to one shop, all my connections are good.

aharper

Found the problem. I had a broken wire in a connection under the relay box. There are three red wires with a white tracer connected to a single wire in the wire bundle coming out of the relay box. You have to cut the tape off and peel back about 6". This connector is taped seperately and mine was wet and had green corrosion are the junction and up into the wire itself. The single wire was broken off and no power was getting to the Auto Shut Down Relay or the Fuel Pump Relay. Found the solution on a Dodge Forum. Hope this helps someone else out in the future.

tnneedhelp

Was running fine then went out this morning put keys in and turned it and got nothing, keys are stuck, tried jumping battery and checked fuses but nothing. any ideas its a 1999 gmc jimmy with 123,000 miles

snaker

Ok, replaced sensor and NO GOOD. Still NO SPARK. Where do we go from here? HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

toomanyfumes

I have a 2001 Mercury Villager with the 3.3 V-6 Nissan engine. It starts fine when cold. When the car is warm the only way it will start is if the gas pedal is held down part way. Once it is started it runs fine. It was recently tuned up, that did'nt help. The van only has 40,000 miles. Thanks in advance for any help.

slikrik1

My car (honda accord 88) wont start. I only heard a clunk sound when I start it. I installed a new battery and I still heard the clunk sound when i started it. What could this be? Pls help. thanks.

pittypat

We can get fire to the coil but not from the coil in a 1989 Galant. Please can anyone help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

john_5182005

i have a 1990 ford thunderbird it wouldent start so i changed the nutural saftey switch and the solenoid it started fine a couple times and then it stoped, it doesent even click but you can hear the electrical system turning on, so i am back to jumping the solenoid. help me. thanks

interstate10

I have a 1995 Dodge Stratus with a vexing intermittent problem. For large swathes of time, the car starts and runs perfectly. Then, all of a sudden, after driving it, out of nowhere, it decides not to start. I'll turn the key, and the engine will just crank and crank until it's blue in the face. This problem has occured twice, both at inopportune times and with no warning. If the car is left alone for a few hours, the problem magically goes away, making it embarrassing to call the AAA, because the tow truck driver ends up starting it right up.

I have taken it to a couple of mechanics, and have gotten different suggestions, as no one seems to be able to re-create the problem. One said that it could be the cam shaft sensor. Unfortunately, the particular engine configuration I have requires that the entire distributor be changed in order to change the sensor. He wanted to charge me $900 just for the part, and he didn't even know for sure that was the problem. Great. I don't want to throw that kind of money into this unless I know it's gonna fix it. Is this going to be one of those problems where I just get something changed, drive it for a while and hope I don't get stuck--ad infinitum?

This car has become a problem child; I don't know what to do with it. I don't drive it much anymore because I don't want to get stuck, so it sits parked out on the street, gathering dust, pine needles, and spiderwebs.

Thank you in advance for any help you can give me.

evans344

I have the same problem with my 1997 GMC SAFARI VAN dying while driving it. I also had a diagnostic check done and they could not find the problem, but they would not answer my question about the crank sensor. Did you find out how to check the crank sensor?

parhamj

Hi!

Please advise me on this matter. I have a 1993 Ford Escort. Ihave replaced the battery, popped the fuel cutout switch several times but to no avail can I get the fuel cutout light to go off. What is my next step, it has a half of a tank of gas, and the alternator is good as well as the battery. Please help me on this matter. I know it is something simple that I am doing or not doing.

Thanks for the help.
:confuse: :sick:

J.P.

theabo

My bmw 316 won't start, i tried to start it last night but i think i bumped the alarm switch on while i was starting the ignition, and might have done something to the immobiliser, which i did not realise i even had, i am a new owner, 4 weeks, it is a 1992 model, i had a breakdown guy come look at it after i tried and failed to jump start it, no luck, before i get it dragged off at great expense to be repaired, i would like to know is there anything that can be done, i found a key for the immobiliser in my office desk, so i can turn that on or off, but i still can't jump start this beautiful car, can't stand it. oh yeah, and i did have the tank drained last week cause i accidently put diesel in, but it has been running really smooth all week, and it was running like a dream on my way home from work yesterday - damn it.

bill572

I have a 2002 Tahoe LT with 40,000 miles, I have owned it since it was new. When The fuel gauge reaches 1/4, the engine will not start. I have driven it until the low fuel light comes on, and it runs fine, but if the engine is shut off, it will not re start until I add a couple gallons of gas. The fuel pump comes on, and I just replaced the fuel filter, but the problem still exists. My warranty has expired, and I would like to repair it myself. Any Ideas?

charbrow

Please help!! Can anyone help me with this one? I am baffled (and stranded) by my car. I have a used 1993 Jeep Cherokee Laredo (in good condition) that I just took in for a tune-up, but was told it really didn't need one. Mysteriously, after parking it one night in the garage, I went down the next morning to find the inside roof light on (but dim) and that the (after-factory installed CHAPMAN) alarm system had somehow engaged itself and was faintly sounding (and probably had been overnight). I tried to use my remote key to disengage the alarm, but was unsuccessful. I used my actual key to open the door and when I tried to start up the car it was completely dead, but the headlights, dash board lights and the inside cabin lights were still dimmly lit. Throughout this whole time, I could hear the alarm still faintly sounding and trying to click itself on and off. It even continued to sound when I had the doors to the car closed. I called for a jump and the car started and while letting in run for a minute or two the alarm started sounding again and the car shut off and went dead again. Two times we tried this and both times the jump started the car and then it died. I tried to stop the alarm by hitting the "Kill" switch under the dashboard to no avail! Someone then told me that if my remote key battery was dead, that might be the problem. I got a new battery for the remote and low and behold after the third jump, I was able to disengage the alarm with the remote and it was running fine (although I didn't drive it out of the garage). I let it run for a while and shut it off and went to bed. I just went down to start my car again this morning and guess what...DEAD AGAIN. Can anyone help!? Is it possible for an alarm to drain a car battery? Any suggestions?

cfisher2

my 98 Volvo V70 wagon does the exact same thing. Although it never does it for the mechanic so I have yet to finf the problem. Did a mechanic ever find the problem with yours? If so please let me know! I get nervous driving it around with my 2 kids...really don't need to be stuck somewhere with a car that won't start

erickroll1

I am having a bit of trouble with this car. Sometimes it starts up just fine, other times I have to crank it a couple of times and usually give it a little gas to get it going. I have replaced the fuel pump and that didn't fix it. I really have no idea at this point, maybe fuel pressure regulator, but I really don't know. It also doesn't throw up any fault codes, as the service engine light has never came on. . If anyone has had similar problems or knows what could cure this ailment, please let me know. Thanks.

ron3520

It sounds like the distributor is 180 degrees out. It is probably firing on the overlap not on the compression stroke.

Ron

ryanfiala81

My roommate and I washed our vehicles yesterday, and today his 1995 GMC full-size pickup won't start. It cranks, but won't turn over. He's tried multiple times with hourlong intervals between attempts. The truck (with a fuel-injected gas V8 - probably a 350 - and straight pipes) started for him a few times just hours after washing, but today no such luck. I suggested that maybe air restriction could cause it (perhaps wishful thinking), but he's thinking more along the lines of a problem involving spark or fuel delivery - which I agree is probably more likely. I'd like to see if someone here might have a suggestions of where the problem might lie. Is this model notorious for any particular part failing that might give us a good place to start in diagnosing the problem?

Thanks.