Few days ago I got home from school and parked the car. The next day I went to start the car and it wouldn’t start. The car cranked but wouldn’t start. Checked the battery and it was dead and getting there in age (6yrs) so I figured the battery was the problem. Went and bought a new battery with the same amount of cranking amps and put it in. Before I put it in I changed the battery ground location from the battery tray to the same ground coming off the intake manifold to just behind the fuse box because the battery tray was all rusty. Put the new battery in and it fired right up.
Two days later after everything was fine and dandy the car wouldn’t start again. I took the battery out and checked the voltage and read 12.76V. I’ve had the knock sensor and coolant temp sensor changed recently. I hear the fuel pump (walbro 255) prime when the key is turned onto the ON position. I don’t know if this can attribute to it but the vacuum when the car was running on idle was 15Hg, which I think is low considering a friends stock S14 SR had 18-20 on idle. Could the vacuum leak be the problem? Any help/thoughts/suggestions would be really appreciated! Thanks.
Forgot to mention, the car started back up out of the blue, and I drove it around the neighborhood for 30 mins. Came back home, parked it, turned it off and it wouldn’t start again. Nothing was tampered with.This was before your post Dj-Infinit.
How would I go about testing that? And also, the new battery didn’t lose voltage over the past 2 days it ran, wouldn’t this mean the alternator is fine?
If his battery voltage was 12.76 after it sitting for two days, and after driving it previously, I highly doubt it’s the alternator… That’s a fully charged battery. If the alternator was fucked, the car would run off the power from the battery, and kill it.
Did you notice any change in performance when it was running before it stopped starting up?
Well the car didn’t boost until 4k rpm. And I did some searching that said the knock sensor could be at fault, so I changed that and no good. It had/has no low end power.
I would try moving that ground back to the battery tray. Clean up the rust in the area that it bolts on (unless of course its rotted out completely) so that the terminal touches bare metal, and clean off the rust on the bolt holding it down as much as possible as well. While you’re at it, clean up any of the other grounds that have corrosion on them in the engine bay if possible.
Started the car today when it was cold no problem. Thought that the car only started cause it was cold. So I drove it around til it was warmed up. Brought it back home, parked it, shut it off, and it started right back up. Left the ground where it was but changed the terminal connection for a tighter fit. Cleaned up the ground. Changed the PCV valve for kicks. What could the problem be?
@Dj Infinit - Got 14.50V when running. 12.69V Car off.
6 days later it doesn’t start again. What could it be? Some days it works some days it doesn’t…
Recap of what i’ve changed/checked:
Battery is fine
Alternator is fine
Changed coolant temp sensor
Changed knock sensor
Swapped intercooler because old one was leaking
Symptoms:
Car doesnt start at random.
Doesnt boost til 4krpm.
Clicking under dash (could be a relay) while driving.
Checked the ecu and it was snug. Tested the ignition relays and one was bad so I changed it. Put everything back together, and the car still doesn’t start… Tomorrow I’ll check for spark and see if the plugs smell like fuel. This is a total bummer lol. Gotta find out why it doesnt start sometimes then I have to find out why I only boost at 4krpm.
PS Thanks for all the suggestions/help!
Keep em coming if you can lol…
My car turns out was out on timing. And because of that I had 70lbs compression on each cylinder. Took the time and lined everything up and the car pulls nicely again. However this did not fix my starting issue.
I found that if I were to unplug the CAS and crank the engine, and then plug the CAS in while cranking and giving a bit of gas, the car starts up. It fires as soon as the CAS makes connection without giving gas.
Any more ideas? The two ignition relays on drivers side click while driving. I took them out and put 12V through the coil and checked for continuity between the other two pins and they checked out to be fine. But when in the car they click while driving. Gonna replace them today. I’ll post results.
Swapped coil pack for a known working set and didn’t change anything
Reset ECU to see if stored codes are keeping it from starting, didn’t help (disconnected battery and pressed the brake for a bit to drain any left over power and let it sit for 5 mins)
Ecu connection is not loose
Symptoms: Car will start 10 times no problem, and then on the 11th try it wont start, and it wont start again for at least a few hours if not more. Car always cranks hard but doesn’t fire.
4 months into this headache and I’ve had no luck =/
It’d be so much easier to deal with if the car just didn’t start AT ALL.
As always, any input is extremely welcome. What am I missing/haven’t checked?
Chris, if the car were to roll into my bay at work, here’s what I’d do. First, verify fuel pressure via a test gauge. Have an C.O.P tester handy (Coil On Plug), and noid lights for the injectors, though some C.O.P testers can be used to see if an injector is pulsing. You said that the car will start 10 times, then just crank on the 11th. When the failures start to occur, this is the point where we must gather as much data as possible. So, as soon as the car doesn’t start, do you still have the specified fuel pressure? are your coils still firing? are your injectors pulsing?
There are too many variables, for me to start firing off what it could and couldn’t be. I have a hunch, given what you’ve said about the CAS, that you may have a problem with either your Cam Angle Sensor, or your Crank Position Sensor. If the computer does not receive both of these signals, your injectors wont pulse, and you will have no spark. In some cases, it wont allow the fuel pump to energize either. You will either need a scan tool, or an Oscilloscope to verify the CAS and CKP are both sending the signals as they should. If they are, then your down to wiring in order to verify that the computer is receiving this data. If it is, you may be looking at replacing your computer.
I had a 1997 Legacy come in for almost exactly the same thing… I traced it down to the fuel pump relay, and the main ignition relay (Which, also supplied power to the fuel pump relay). Replaced both, and the car runs like a top. So, get a hold of the tools I mentioned, and get the car to it’s no start condition…and begin your diagnostic. Follow the basic steps I have laid out, this way there is no guessing, only facts. Good luck.
Thanks Eric. To be honest I wish you lived closer so I could bring the car to you lol… But ill take your advice and buy a c.o.p. tester and a fuel pressure tester. Any Idea where I could buy a c.o.p tester though?
Snap On, Matco… not Mac, because Mac is poo lol. I can ask my Snap On rep to get me the number of someone who can help you get a hold of one out there.
