car wont start ....all does is fart

[RydnClean]

first off it takes my car forever to start all of the sudden, it turns over good but just wont start, then when it does it studders to get an even idle then cuts off after about 5 seconds??? i dont have much gas, i have no clue when the plugs were replaced but i just put oil and trans fluid in and thats all i know, any tips or suggestions would be appreciated! thanks alot

[TJC]

Sounds like it's time for a tuneup. There's a checklist of general maintenance things to do under the tutorial section. Was your car in storage or undriven for some time?

[RydnClean]

it isnt regularly drivin for about 2 months now but i start it every day for about 10 minutes.....i jus drove it to get sum stuff done last week, im also pretty low on gas too, i have been told it could be plugs, fuel injectors or my fuel pump......sum1 help me out

[TJC]

yep, it could be any of those things along with a bunch of other possibilities. only way to find out is to do/check each thing and start narrowing the problem down. I have a beater around too that I start a couple times a week. My guess would be a weak battery b/c my experience is 10 min. a couple times a week may not be enough to charge up the battery. Sometimes the battery eventually dies and I have to break out the big trickle charger for a full charge.

Start with the battery and make sure everything is tight and that the engine ground is also tight. good luck.

[manybrews]

what year and model?

[RydnClean]

94 ES......what are all of the possibilities?.....i put more gas in it and that didnt help, i also charged the battery and it started better but then cuts off quick....? i have a system in my car but i dunno if that makes a difference or not, i tryed a jump start also, what else could it be...please reply ASAP im tryna get this fixed before i start driving again thanks

[manybrews]

probably a dead distributor. pretty common in the 94s and 95s.
but id have it checked out before you buy, as theyre NOT cheap.

[RydnClean]

about how much are they?

[manybrews]

a factory distributor assembly is around 500 bucks.

[bongi]

seldom do distributors break, try the simple ones, like fule filter. if you keep your car parked outside without a garage and on an empty tank, rust and moisture accumulates and can spell an early life for your fuel filter. if you take the plugs out and the they are wet with gas, then your plugs are not firing at all.

[peanotation]

it's probably ur spark plugs or the battery power, however, it could have something to do with your mass airflow sensor. i have a 94ES, and when i forgot to plug my MAS back in, same problem: it'd turn over good, start up, and die seconds later after it tried to keep the engine alive. check ur intake. if it's all good, try to get it to a SMALL and PRIVATE shop, most mechanics will just check it out for free. i work at one, and people come in with problems like that all the time.

[manybrews]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bongi)</div><div class='quotemain'>seldom do distributors break, try the simple ones, like fule filter. Â*if you keep your car parked outside without a garage and on an empty tank, rust and moisture accumulates and can spell an early life for your fuel filter. Â*if you take the plugs out and the they are wet with gas, then your plugs are not firing at all.</div>

umm... no.
i have YET to replace a fuel filter on any mitsu in 10 years time for any drivability problem. and this covers over 7000 vehicals.

i HAVE replaced several dozen distributor assemblies due to damaged coils (which are not available seperatly) on 94 and 95 models.

[RydnClean]

how hard is it to put a new fuel filter in? and where is it located at?

[manybrews]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RydnClean)</div><div class='quotemain'>how hard is it to put a new fuel filter in? and where is it located at?</div>
its not the fuel filter.

and its located on the firewall.

[RydnClean]

well i got new spark plugs and it didnt help, it started up at first but then cuts off and it still feels like its miss firing?? do i need new spark plug wires too? and y dont u think it could be the fuel filter?

[manybrews]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RydnClean)</div><div class='quotemain'>well i got new spark plugs and it didnt help, it started up at first but then cuts off and it still feels like its miss firing?? do i need new spark plug wires too? and y dont u think it could be the fuel filter?</div>
as ive said several times now, i have worked on mitsus for over 10 years. thats at LEAST 7000 cars and/or trucks. and i have NEVER needed to replace a fuel filter for anything other than maintenence, and even that was rare. Even mitsu knows that replacing a fuel filter is unneeded, hence the reason for eliminating it from thier current maintenence schedual.

im saying that its PROBABLY a failing distributor, but due to the cost of one, id recommend having it checked out professionally.

[RydnClean]

ok i got new plugs, new wires, more gas, new battery, and still NOTHING?? im really gettin pissed and i even put my car up for sale, how do i know if its the distributor? and i know it prolly isnt my fuel filter but where exactly on the firewall is it? and how hard is it to put a new one in? please reply ASAP thankz

[2True]

You need to take it into a garage man. Your distributer coil may be cracked and it is not something your going to want to try to fix in your driveway.
Take it to someone you trust or take it to the dealer.
If manybrews is right, and I think he is, none of this preventive maintenence your trying is going to work. I doubt it is the fuel filter, although it *could* be the pump. Either way, you need a mechanic.

[g96nt]

water temperature sensor...

when They go bad, The Car thinks it's overheated, and goes into "fetal position"

check it, see if it's okay

[manybrews]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(g96nt)</div><div class='quotemain'>water temperature sensor...

when They go bad, The Car thinks it's overheated, and goes into "fetal position"

check it, see if it's okay</div>
when they fail, they generally fail to a default position that will allow the car to run (albiet a bit rough).

trust me.. i just replaced TWO distributors today alone.. they have a high failure rate. I still must stress that you have it professionally checked, though, as replacing a 500 dollar distributor due to a random strangers recomendation is probably not a good idea.

[RydnClean]

my car does run.....somtimes..... but REAL rough, im jus tryna sell my car because i dont have 500 to replace a distributor, i have no clue what a water sensor is...where is it? and how much are they to replace?

[manybrews]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RydnClean)</div><div class='quotemain'>my car does run.....somtimes..... but REAL rough, im jus tryna sell my car because i dont have 500 to replace a distributor, i have no clue what a water sensor is...where is it? and how much are they to replace?</div>
man, you cant just guess as to whats wrong and start replacing sensors. there are literally a hundred different things that could cause that problem. you HAVE to have it checked out professionally, as youll spend hundreds (or thousands) of dollars just randomly replacing componants (which may not be the problem anyway... it could be a damaged wiring harness, or something similar)

[g96nt]

I didn't say replace it... I said check it...

*CHECK* it.... Then if it's not operating correctly, replace it.

[IllestGalant]

your gonna have to narrow it down buddy, There are about 700 reasons why an engine will have a crank and no start condition.

[RydnClean]

could it possibly be the distributor cap and not the whole thing?

[manybrews]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RydnClean)</div><div class='quotemain'>could it possibly be the distributor cap and not the whole thing?</div>
yes.

that leave 699 other pieces it could be if it doesnt fix it.

[RydnClean]

well i talked to a mechanic today, he didnt look at it or anything but he said it sounds like my timing belt jumped? how could that have happened? i didnt even drive the car but 2 times.

[manybrews]

well i talked to a mechanic today, he didnt look at it or anything but he said it sounds like my timing belt jumped? how could that have happened? i didnt even drive the car but 2 times.
yes, it could have. timing belts just break, as they are wearing items. thats why theyre suppost to be replaced every 60000 miles.

look, man... not to be rude here, but if you keep coming here and asking what could be the problem, youre never going to get it fixed. it needs to be PROFESSIONALLY looked at.

[bongi]

:oops: that is the reason he goes to these pages to check if there are common complaints in the galant model and i will not blame him. go to the dealer and you will be tacked with so many parts to replace, unnecessary parts( believe me ) and you end up having the same problems again. just because distributors have been replaced 7000x mean anything. if at all, other parts can be defective. temperature sensors are all hooked up together that to pinpoint the actual one you have to do several tests to isolate the problem. it is wired to the a/c control, the transmission(if you have an oil cooler), the radiator fan and name it it is somehow wired in series. an easy way is to check the resistance in ohms if it at specs. if it is the distributor, it will run at all which is the same as having no gas in your lines. so, check everything before assuming it is a $500 part. :wink: as for the timing belt, you can check for teeth if it is worn out by taking out the cover. jumping timing belt is possible but uncommon.

[manybrews]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bongi)</div><div class='quotemain'>:oops: that is the reason he goes to these pages to check if there are common complaints in the galant model and i will not blame him. .</div>
first, ive already told him the most common failures. and just because something is common DOESNT mean its the problem hes having. by the time hes purchased a new coolant temp sensor, distributor cap, and half dozen other items (which may or may not fix the problem), he could have just spent 90 bucks to have it checked out anywhere that knows mitsus.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'>
go to the dealer and you will be tacked with so many parts to replace, unnecessary parts( believe me ) and you end up having the same problems again
</div>
i suggest you find a better dealership. or perhaps just get a better mentality about the whole thing, as i have NEVER just thrown parts at a car to fix it. i diagnose the problem, and give people estimates to fix it. its entirely up to them to make the choice as to wether or not they will let me fix it.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'>
Â*just because distributors have been replaced 7000x mean anything. if at all, other parts can be defective. </div>

thats my point exactly. it needs to be PROFESSIONALLY checked

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'> temperature sensors are all hooked up together that to pinpoint the actual one you have to do several tests to isolate the problem. Â*it is wired to the a/c control, the transmission(if you have an oil cooler), the radiator fan and name it it is somehow wired in series. an easy way is to check the resistance in ohms if it at specs. </div>

actually, thats somewhat incorrect. its true that the current mitsus use only 1 coolant temp sensor for the engine, fans, and AC, but earlier ones had a seperate sensor for all 3. Also, the trans has its own temp sensor and always has.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'> if it is the distributor, it will run at all which is the same as having no gas in your lines. so, check everything before assuming it is a $500 part. </div>
thats also not true. most of the time they ilde fine, but wont run correctly under load. sometimes they work fine until warmed up, then suddenly die, and other times they wont start at all. and once again, ive said 5 times to make SURE its the distributor before just throwing 500 bucks at your car.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'> as for the timing belt, you can check for teeth if it is worn out by taking out the cover. jumping timing belt is possible but uncommon.</div>yes, you can check the teeth by taking off the cover. you can also check to see if the cam is turning by just removing the oil cap whilst the engine is cranking, but this may not be accurate as the timing could have jumped, but still has enough tension to turn the camshaft.
also, broken timing belts are one of the most common failures we see on high milage cars, as very few people ever maintain them as theyre suppost to.


so, once again i simply must suggest a professionaly diagnosis by a known competent mechanic. there are simply far to many things that could be at the root of this guys problems to just throw parts at it.

[bongi]

https://www.thegalantcenter.org/style_emoticons/default/sad.gif there two mentalities when bringing the car to the dealership or any shop, the mechanic will diagnose the problem and throw everything that needs to be replaced if to him it is necessary without considering the cost. that means shotgun treatment and if it fixes the problem, very good job indeed! the owner considers the cost of the repair and the problem that needs to be resolved. if it is your company's car, you can do whatever you like, if it is coming from your pocket, you must be at least cost-effective or efficient in the repair.

[manybrews]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bongi)</div><div class='quotemain'>https://www.thegalantcenter.org/style_emoticons/default/sad.gif there two mentalities when bringing the car to the dealership or any shop, the mechanic will diagnose the problem and throw everything that needs to be replaced if to him it is necessary without considering the cost. that means shotgun treatment and if it fixes the problem, very good job indeed! Â*the owner considers the cost of the repair and the problem that needs to be resolved. Â*if it is your company's car, you can do whatever you like, if it is coming from your pocket, you must be at least cost-effective or efficient in the repair.</div>
as i said before, id highly suggest you find a different shop. Im not sure what kind of people you take your cars too, but if we were to run our business like that, we wouldnt have survived 10 years +.

no, in fact, that is NOT how its done at a reputable place of business. Once again i will say that when a customer comes in for a problem, we charge a flat 90 dollar diagnostic fee, reqardless of the complaint. After i figure out what the problem is, i will then create an estimate based on my findings (I.E, if i found a failed distributor, i would estimate a new one).
thats all there is to it. any decent tech can easily diagnose a car with a lab scope and a wiring diagram.
a dealership is NOT just going to "throw parts" at a car, as its not cost effective.

[Prophet]

Lets get back to the topic here guys and not what some dealerships might do. Manybrews is giving sound advice. I would take it to a shop IMO.

Jason

[krazienluv10]

hmmm my car used to do that too and i like did everything you did pretty much with my old car which was an oldsmobile. after 2 months of getting pissed off i went to the dealer and said it was the wrong fuel... freaking shit it was probably when my mom drove da freaking car and accidentally got diesel... shit how can you make a mistake but now i got my g because of her and everything is better now soo try checking on that???

[RydnClean]

where can i get a used distributor from? any1 have a good online junkyard? and would one from a 92 galant work?

[manybrews]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RydnClean)</div><div class='quotemain'>where can i get a used distributor from? any1 have a good online junkyard? and would one from a 92 galant work?</div>
1) a junkyard
2) no, i dont know any
3) no, it wont



and you STILL havent had it checked out?
are you seriously not willing to spend the 80 bucks for a diagnosis, and would rather spend upwards of hundreds of dollars just throwing parts at it?

[RydnClean]

well guess what........i FINALLY fixed it....and nope i never got it checked out or wasted 80 dollars for a diagnosis, nuthin personal but im only 17 and my pockets dont roll that deep.....the problem was a plug on my distributor was cracked, so we took it off squeezed it together and put shoe goo on it and taped it up really tightly with duck tape. problem fixed runs fine now......i also fixed my squeeling problem that was my alternator belt and it was worn out off track and that caused the belt to slip and squeel. got a new one 10 bucks and everything sounds and runs fine!

thanks alot for all of yall help tho!

[TJC]

Excellent job! :thumbsup: Amazing what a little detective work and some elbow grease will do and save you. :mrgreen: