Dad's car won't start. Help.

SON240sx Automotive
1

I swear this car is just a fuckin money pit - more than my 240sx. And it’s just been nothing but a POS this whole year.

Car is 1998 Ford Contour btw.

Ok so this morning dad said car wouldn’t start.

I try to turn it over and it turned over but fell flat onits face.

I wait a few sec and try again. This time I held the gas down and it started and I kept revving and it ran.

I let go of gas and it idled below normal (< 700) eventually falling flat on its face and dying.

I wait a few sec and try to turn over again. This time the starter just clicked loudly but nothing happened.

Battery voltage is 12.5V (while cranking it dipped to around 10ish). All accessories work fine. The Alternator was replaced a month or two ago.

I got my car and tried to boost it but it still juts clicked.

What’s the issue?

  • Starter solenoid?
  • Loose cabling
2

Just becasue the battery has 12 and a half volts doesnt mean its good. i see batterys all the time at work that have proper voltage but next to no amperage, which is what you need to start a vehicle.
Also check to make sure the fuel pump is running.
-A simple way to test the first scenario woul be jump start the car.

  • A good way to test the second screnario is open up the fuel fill cap, turn the key to run and listen for the pump.

try those and let us know what you come up with

3

Well I can hear the fuel pump priming. On these cars its a quick prime (2-3 sec)

I did try to jump start the car - I had my car running and tried to boost my dads car using my battery.

The starter just appears to click very loudly.

And to make matters I can’t find the fucking starter on this fucking POS (I know where to look but I can’t seem to locate it) :run:

4

put a good battery in the car from your 240sx

and try again

5

Ok I took out dads battery and put mine in.

Car fired up and it just keeps dying now.

I have to keep revving it to keep it going. Moment I let go, it falls flat and dies. Checked the voltage while it was running and it was 14v.

I fucking hate electric gremlins :frowning:

6

mafs or map set up. check the crank and cam sensors

7

While it was running with me giving gas, if I let go fo the gas slowly the idle would come down to about 200-250rpm and it would stay running there for a bit.

Eventually after a while it would die.

It’s a MAF setup and i have no way to test the shit or the crank/cam sensors.

8

Well I’m convinced now it’s the alternator.

Right now the only way to keep car going is to hold the gas down.

WIth that said, voltage at battery is about 14.

I decide to check voltage at alternator (which mind you was replaced probablly a month or two ago).

The voltage while running was about 12.5-13v

The moment we let go of the gas, the RPMs came down. As the RPM continued to fall the voltage at the alternator dropped as well (to about 10ish or so.

Eventually the car stalled.

9

There’s your problem right there.

Doesn’t the alt pump out more juice the faster it spins?

10

take off the alternator belt off, sounds like it could be seized or close to being seized. If the car can start and idle for a bit without it then its probably the alternator.

11

I didn’t get around to checking the belt but yes the car does fire up initlaly but as the rpm come down to near idle, it just falls flat and dies.

And yes I’m quite aware of the #1 problem being here, and that is the worthless junk of a car, the Ford Contour.

12

just an idea, check the plugs/wires.

my 240 used to do that and it was cause there was a crack in the wire that went to the first plug.

13

you don’t even need an alternator for the car to run so that isn’t it btw.

14

coil?

or air leak in mani?

15

:picard:

16

It sounds like you have a bad ground. Did you double check all your grounds?

17

You said it idled then died on you, if theirs a air leak in the mani the lack of pressure will cause the engine to stall. You said you replaced your starter, so why would it not be possible that coil isn’t giving any spark.
Don’t star track me when I’m trying to help and you would think after so many posts you would learn to but it in the right section.

18

I said it idled at 200-250rpm - that is nowhere near normal. And the only reason it did that was because there was enough juice in the battery to keep it going.

We (CAA technician and I) saw it with the multimeter. With throttle open and rpm 2000+ voltage was 14v. Moment he let go throttle, RPM came down and so did the voltage.

As it was around 200rpm or so you can see the voltage dropping slowly and within 5-10sec it dipped well below 11 at which point it just died.

I never said I replaced the starter; we replaced the alternator Aug 9th.

I appreciate your input and I’m sorry if you felt patronized.