can't get it to start

[Cali]

for some reason my girl's 7g won't start.....i have fuel pressure and spark, voltage is fine, starter is fine, etc.....don't know if the injectors are firing....the crank sensor has voltage but the damn thing wont start....
any sugguestions? it's kind of getting frustrating. (oh yea, replaced the distributor already)

[GaLaNtKeV99]

intake (filter), TB, lack of air, maybe

[bronxbombr]

Is the MAF plugged in, also you say the CPS is working. How does it sound when trying to crank it up?

[Cali]

it doesnt sound...right...to me. i mean, you can hear the starter but the car sounds "weak" ...reminds me of an electric car whirl.

[bronxbombr]

That whirl sound that you are talking about is the Timing Belt. Does the sound come from the starter or the engine exactly? And trying to crank it over and over maybe made it worse. I suggest you do a compression check on it.

[Cali]

the noise is coming from the starter...i actually took it out and took it to go get checked at two places and they said it was fine.

i havent checked compression but my g/f's neighbor said he checked it and the compression was fine.....

[Shadow19]

Sounds like you need to pull the upper portion of the timing belt cover off. It has 4 bolts, 3 12mm and, 1 10 mm....... Not hard. Inspect it. It sounds like your TB took a shit on you. Good luck man... Hope you find out whats wrong.

[milo111000]

yup starter might be busted.. if your bright enought to take it apart.. you can probly just replace the carbon inside... the one that engages the starter to go up and down.. but good luck/.

[bronxbombr]

Ya but for all that trouble he should just buy a starter and see and if its not the prob then take it back to the store.

[Cali]

Sounds like you need to pull the upper portion of the timing belt cover off. It has 4 bolts, 3 12mm and, 1 10 mm....... Not hard. Inspect it. It sounds like your TB took a shit on you. Good luck man... Hope you find out whats wrong.

Ya but for all that trouble he should just buy a starter and see and if its not the prob then take it back to the store.

already checked the timing belt too....it's fine.

if i buy the starter i can't return it. i took the starter in already and they checked it 4 times and they said it was fine.

im completely stumped at this time.

[milo111000]

have you checked IAC??

[SkylineG1]

already checked the timing belt too....it's fine.

if i buy the starter i can't return it. i took the starter in already and they checked it 4 times and they said it was fine.

im completely stumped at this time.

If you buy it from Autozone you can return it as long as you have the receipt & even if you didn't they have the info in the computer.

[seth98esT]

Sooooooo Cali enters the world of the 7g....

-When you crank it, it cranks fine? Slow? Clicks?
-So you have spark on each wire? While cranking you checked each plug for spark?
-How do the spark plugs look/smell?
-If its cranking slow, try jumping it.
-How do you know your getting fuel pressure, do you have an aftermarket gauge?
-Any blown fuses? Alt fuse?
-Can you manually turn the crank? Take a 1/2" drive breaker bar and put it in the crank sprocket, can you turn it clockwise?
-Cehck all the grounds, make sure the one at the starter is bolted up.

Need more info! :P

Even if the BS belt busted, it should still run, untill the BS belt takes out the timign belt. So if the timing belt is fine, it should start, unless the timing belt skipped and is way out of timing. If that was the case, I would assume the belt would be very loose.

[mitsufan]

How much voltage at starter? Sounds like the starter to me as well: not enought power to turn the engine fast enough to start. Had this problem on my old van. Turned real slow almost like I had little power going to it but it would start barely then went out completly one day at work. IF not that then I would suggest you take a look and see if your injectors are firing off. I had THIS problem on my 1990 Mitsu Mirage. It turned out the computer went out. Hope this helps some

[Cali]

Sooooooo Cali enters the world of the 7g....

-When you crank it, it cranks fine? Slow? Clicks?
-So you have spark on each wire? While cranking you checked each plug for spark?
-How do the spark plugs look/smell?
-If its cranking slow, try jumping it.
-How do you know your getting fuel pressure, do you have an aftermarket gauge?
-Any blown fuses? Alt fuse?
-Can you manually turn the crank? Take a 1/2" drive breaker bar and put it in the crank sprocket, can you turn it clockwise?
-Cehck all the grounds, make sure the one at the starter is bolted up.

Need more info! :P

Even if the BS belt busted, it should still run, untill the BS belt takes out the timign belt. So if the timing belt is fine, it should start, unless the timing belt skipped and is way out of timing. If that was the case, I would assume the belt would be very loose.

1) the car cranks fine not slow at all.
2)i checked each wire for spark. alll fine.
3) i replaced the old plugs with new ones. other than the gap being ridiculously large, the plugs looked fine.
4) dont have fuel pressure gauge so i unhooked the line to the fuel rail and saw gas come out when i turned the key. (yea, i know.... )
5) i checked all the fuses and all were good. which one is the alt fuse? im assuming all the fuses are in the passenger side box in the engine compartment or am i missing some? (yea, i have no manual)
6) havent tried this yet but i can visually see everything turning when i crank the car.
7) checked all visable grounds, including the one on the tranny on the starter bolt.

How much voltage at starter? Sounds like the starter to me as well: not enought power to turn the engine fast enough to start. Had this problem on my old van. Turned real slow almost like I had little power going to it but it would start barely then went out completly one day at work. IF not that then I would suggest you take a look and see if your injectors are firing off. I had THIS problem on my 1990 Mitsu Mirage. It turned out the computer went out. Hope this helps some

im going to try jumping it later tonight see if it does anything im going to kick myself if that does it but who knows. anybody know how to check if the injectors are firing?i checked for current and both wires on each injector has current with the key turned on.

im starting to think it might be the ecu?

I gotta get this car running right since it looks like im going to be driving it around more instead of my black 8g since my girl is getting tired of it always breaking down.

[DOHCstunr]

Purely speculative,
but if yoru starter is turning over slow perhaps its because of all te cranking you(or yoru girl) has been doing off that battery.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++
check for spark.
pull a plugwire out and a spark plug. install the plug into the wire boot, then hold the threads of the plug against the engine hoist points on the intake or exhaust manifold.
have someone crank it while you check for spark.
if you aren't getting spark,
i suspect either the distributor, or your crank position sensor.
if yoru crank sensor is out, then you will nither get spark or fuel.
causes for the crank position sensor going out is most likely the balance shaft belt snapping and destroying the sensor(happened to me, happened to proto)

just cause your sensor is getting voltage does not mean its still triggering a signal.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
you can also get a fuel injector diode at any parts store.
you basically poull the connectort from any of yoru injectors, put the diode in, and crank it.
if the injectors are in fact firing, then it will light up.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
also, if you haven't already you can test yoru fuel pump by powering the fuel pump check terminal.
the terminal is locvated under the solenoid rack thats mounted on thefirewall.
most likely its bundled up in electrical tape.
just find the one with the black wire w/ blue stripe and cponect it to a 12v source while the ignition is in the on position.
you shoud hear the fuel pump running or at least the fuel running through the rail if the pump is in fact functioning.


btw your injectors will ALWAYS get power.
your ecu opens them by grounding the circuit.

ecu's don't go bad on 7g's. they just don't.
most likely its a timing sensor if no fuel or spark.

[Cali]

Purely speculative,
but if yoru starter is turning over slow perhaps its because of all te cranking you(or yoru girl) has been doing off that battery.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++
check for spark.
pull a plugwire out and a spark plug. install the plug into the wire boot, then hold the threads of the plug against the engine hoist points on the intake or exhaust manifold.
have someone crank it while you check for spark.
if you aren't getting spark,
i suspect either the distributor, or your crank position sensor.
if yoru crank sensor is out, then you will nither get spark or fuel.
causes for the crank position sensor going out is most likely the balance shaft belt snapping and destroying the sensor(happened to me, happened to proto)

just cause your sensor is getting voltage does not mean its still triggering a signal.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
you can also get a fuel injector diode at any parts store.
you basically poull the connectort from any of yoru injectors, put the diode in, and crank it.
if the injectors are in fact firing, then it will light up.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
also, if you haven't already you can test yoru fuel pump by powering the fuel pump check terminal.
the terminal is locvated under the solenoid rack thats mounted on thefirewall.
most likely its bundled up in electrical tape.
just find the one with the black wire w/ blue stripe and cponect it to a 12v source while the ignition is in the on position.
you shoud hear the fuel pump running or at least the fuel running through the rail if the pump is in fact functioning.
btw your injectors will ALWAYS get power.
your ecu opens them by grounding the circuit.

ecu's don't go bad on 7g's. they just don't.
most likely its a timing sensor if no fuel or spark.

great info!

i did check for spark by doing exactly what you mentioned...pulled the plug out, installed in wire and grounded it and cranked. each plug got a spark.

so this would rule out 1) the distributor (i replaced it anyways) 2) the crank sensor

i checked for voltage on the plug on the fuel pump housing...voltage came on when i turned the key. fuel came out of the fuel line disconnected at the fuel rail (when i would turn the key on and off, it would spit fuel out...a good amount too)
however, i swear i can't hear the damn pump.


so at this point....im hongry.

forgot to mention, the car initially failed by turning off at a stop sign...it wouldn't turn on after that.

[DOHCstunr]

great info!

i did check for spark by doing exactly what you mentioned...pulled the plug out, installed in wire and grounded it and cranked. each plug got a spark.

so this would rule out 1) the distributor (i replaced it anyways) 2) the crank sensor

i checked for voltage on the plug on the fuel pump housing...voltage came on when i turned the key. fuel came out of the fuel line disconnected at the fuel rail (when i would turn the key on and off, it would spit fuel out...a good amount too)
however, i swear i can't hear the damn pump.
so at this point....im hongry.

forgot to mention, the car initially failed by turning off at a stop sign...it wouldn't turn on after that.

mpfi relay

[Cali]

where is this located?

[DOHCstunr]

i think its under the passenger fender.

but now that i think about it.

did ethe fuel pump cycle only when you triggered the check terminal,
or does it also function even when you are jsut cranking?
you shoudl be able to just pop out the rear bench and put yoru ear to the fuel tank cover and listen for the pump while somone cranks.

but if your pump is cycling while the car is cranking, then yoru mpi relay is fine.

if the fuel pump does not cycle while cranking, then you might have a bad mpfi relay.

its weird that it woudl just de at a stop.
did it die abruptly and violently,
did it sputter like the car was running out of gas?
did it die exactly as it woudl if you turned the ignition off?