Advice needed on Crank, No Start
I'm hoping this doesn't get too wordy, but I've been told more information is better.
2000 Galant ES 2.4L Automatic
Three weeks ago I got a "check engine" light that amounted to P0420 "Catalitic Converter Below Threshold". This was a little upsetting since I replaced the CAT and both the upstream and downstream O2 sensors a year and a half ago, but I knew the aftermarket CATs don't last long. Since my state doesn't do emissions tests, I decided to push this off for a future fix. (I don't think any of that is important, but again completeness)
Last week I pull out of my garage, and the door breaks, so I shut off the car to run in, get my tools and fix the door. Door's all fixed, hop back in the car and no start. It cranks and cranks, and sounds "normal" but never sounds like it fires. After work I troubleshoot it down to a fuel pump by:
- Starter Fluid Test - Car Runs
- Check voltages at relays - Voltages Good
- Check voltage at pump - Voltage Good
- Pull fuel line off of pump - no fuel - bad pump
Put my car in neutral, push it in the garage, put it back in park and wait for pump to arrive. Pump comes in, swap it out, still no start. In a moment of judgement lapse, I pull the fuel line off the pump to remove it thinking I had a bad part and get fuel everywhere (thank God for safety glasses). Fuel pump is good. The crank sounds a little different, but not like a no compression crank. Sounds more like it is working harder, or the battery is dying. Recharge the battery and do the starter fluid test again. No dice, car won't start. Maybe I burnt up the plugs, or they went bad (Can't think of any other reason it would go from being fine to not starting while parked) It's about time for a plug replacement anyway, so I replace the plugs with NGK Iridiums. Still no start. I'm starting to bang my head against a wall. Get my spark tester and there is no spark on any of the 4 cylinders. No OBD codes, but I can't tell if that's because it won't store codes if it doesn't start. I can see the rocker arms moving through the oil cap when I crank the engine, but that's all I have time/patience for tonight.
Tomorrow I'm going to do a compression test, but after that I'm out of ideas. My searches on here have lead me to believe it might be the crankshaft position sensor, or cam position sensor, or maybe even a timing issue. Strange that any of those would happen coincidentally with nothing happening but a fuel pump swap, but who knows? I'm not usually a fan of shotgunning parts, so if anyone has any more tests I could do to narrow this down, or any advice on what it might be, it might just save my sanity. If there is any information I can provide that might help, please let me know, and I will update as much as I can. Unfortunately, I work a lot during the week so I will probably only be able to update once a day, about this time.
Thanks,
--Rage