Problems With Starting
04-18-2004, 01:54 PM
#1
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Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Barksdale AFB, LA
Posts: 94
Well, first off, I've got an '86 n/a s5 with 129k miles. if you let it sit over night, it'll start up, and if i want to be able to start it again that day, i have to rev it up to about 3k and kill it. It'll start up fine if i do that, but if i don't, it just sits there and cranks. It will sound like she wants to start, but just won't ever catch. I was told to change out the injectors, but i wanted some opinions before i start into it. my other ideas were to replace the starter or change the plugs and wires (no clue about when they were done last). If you need more info, i can give it to you, but i'm kinda clueless here. thanks for the help
04-19-2004, 01:30 PM
#2
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 62
1. Check compression
2. New NGK Plugs and Wires
3. Check TPS
4. Have injectors professionally cleaned, leak & flow tested.
5. Check fuel pressure
6. Last resort on a tired engine, fuel cut-off switch wired to the fuel pump relay under the dash. I know a lot of people are against it, but it provides an immediate down & dirty solution to the flooding problems that plague these cars.
2. New NGK Plugs and Wires
3. Check TPS
4. Have injectors professionally cleaned, leak & flow tested.
5. Check fuel pressure
6. Last resort on a tired engine, fuel cut-off switch wired to the fuel pump relay under the dash. I know a lot of people are against it, but it provides an immediate down & dirty solution to the flooding problems that plague these cars.
04-21-2004, 02:52 PM
#5
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Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Barksdale AFB, LA
Posts: 94
Thank you for the input guys. first off, i guess i misunderstood something. what exactly is an s4? another thing, i never thought about the fuel cutoff. i was going to try the atf in the rotors, and new(er) injectors and plugs. whith the warming up, i make sure it gets up to normal temp before cutting it. went to test drive a 95 the other day and the guy kept acting like i didn't know what they were. lol, thanks again everyone
04-21-2004, 04:52 PM
#7
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Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: A2, MI
Posts: 453
I have an 88 convertible, and currently its just not starting. When I first got it it worked fine (a couple months ago), but I havent had a chance to drive it a whole lot cause I'm in college in NYC. Two weekends ago, I started her up and drove her out of the garage to just work on the radio, let her warm up, and then shut her off. After working on the radio (the guy before me had a whole mess of aftermarket wiring in her for subs etc), I took out all the wiring he had for the radio, tried to start the car, and it wouldnt start. All I got was a lot of gas-smell. Had to push it back into the garage.
Came back the next weekend (last weekend) to try to get her started, no luck. Was playing with the fuel-cutoff switch that the previous owner had put in, nothing, disconnected it cause it was run with all the other wires that I had pulled out (i hadnt pulled the fuel-cutoff wires out, but was afraid that I may have damaged them while I was working with the other wires), and still no start. So I removed the plugs, and altho I didnt have a compression gauge, there was compression, judged by my "highly calibrated" finger. So I cleaned the plugs and put them back in, still no starting. Took one of them out (front rotor, trailing plug), had my GF try to start it to see if there was spark, and I got a couple shocks in quick succession, and at least I think I saw a couple sparks on the plug, altho my arm was twitching a little with each spark. The plug wires look good, I havent checked them for resistance yet, but there doesnt seem to be any corrosion. It still puts out a lot of gas-smell whenever I try to start it, so I dont think its a problem in getting the fuel to the engine (i dont see any leaks under the car.... besides a little oil anyway)
When I was working on the radio, I needed to get to the door speaker amp, which is up under the dashboard approx over where the clutch pedal is. To get to it, I needed to remove another box that Im unsure of the purpose of, but its mounted at an angle, and has a big long yellow-ed plug with a bunch of wires sticking out of the narrow side. Would this have been a problem?
As for the history of the car, I really dont know it. I got it for pretty cheap from someone who didnt have the history, but I believe the engine in it is either rebuilt or has been replaced fairly recently, due to crayon-looking markings on the top of it identifying it, and by how clean and non-rusty everything in the engine bay looks. The odometer reads a little under 138 thousand miles.
Thanks for your help, Im gonna have a lot of time to work on it once college lets out, so hopefully with your help Ill be able to get it running for the summer.
Came back the next weekend (last weekend) to try to get her started, no luck. Was playing with the fuel-cutoff switch that the previous owner had put in, nothing, disconnected it cause it was run with all the other wires that I had pulled out (i hadnt pulled the fuel-cutoff wires out, but was afraid that I may have damaged them while I was working with the other wires), and still no start. So I removed the plugs, and altho I didnt have a compression gauge, there was compression, judged by my "highly calibrated" finger. So I cleaned the plugs and put them back in, still no starting. Took one of them out (front rotor, trailing plug), had my GF try to start it to see if there was spark, and I got a couple shocks in quick succession, and at least I think I saw a couple sparks on the plug, altho my arm was twitching a little with each spark. The plug wires look good, I havent checked them for resistance yet, but there doesnt seem to be any corrosion. It still puts out a lot of gas-smell whenever I try to start it, so I dont think its a problem in getting the fuel to the engine (i dont see any leaks under the car.... besides a little oil anyway)
When I was working on the radio, I needed to get to the door speaker amp, which is up under the dashboard approx over where the clutch pedal is. To get to it, I needed to remove another box that Im unsure of the purpose of, but its mounted at an angle, and has a big long yellow-ed plug with a bunch of wires sticking out of the narrow side. Would this have been a problem?
As for the history of the car, I really dont know it. I got it for pretty cheap from someone who didnt have the history, but I believe the engine in it is either rebuilt or has been replaced fairly recently, due to crayon-looking markings on the top of it identifying it, and by how clean and non-rusty everything in the engine bay looks. The odometer reads a little under 138 thousand miles.
Thanks for your help, Im gonna have a lot of time to work on it once college lets out, so hopefully with your help Ill be able to get it running for the summer.
04-22-2004, 08:10 AM
#8
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Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Barksdale AFB, LA
Posts: 94
nope, haven't pulled them yet. The last owner gave me the plug wire box with the old wires in it, but right now the cash flow is a little low, and I haven't had much time to look at them yet. I'm going to be buying new plugs/wires shortly, and plan on finding a place that will rebuild my injectors. Other than that, I'm gonna go out and get some atf later
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