OK, I want to start a list of all the possible things that will stop our cars from running and a short explanation on how it was found and fixed. Here I will start with a few obvious ones. Would be neat to have a large list of things that could be archived to check when our babies quit runnin.

No fuel = fuel pump bad, replaced
no spark= bad altenator, replaced
Blown fuses, replaced

 

Car dosnt start = The lack of ignition key = put key in ignition.

Car still dosnt start = lack of gas = put gas in gastank

Car still dosnt start = Welcome to rotory world = smash your nuts with ballpeen hammer, then tow to nearest rotory tuner.

 

Anything, everything.
El Nino once made my car not start. Parking on a hill will still make my car not start.
Not to be a peer on parades, but this thread is kinda... welll, pointless. Not that its not a good idea, but really, there are 1,000,001 things that can result in failure to start.

 

Sort of a backwards question...
The conditions under which a car WILL start are very few and very specific (out of all possible conditions), so how about we concentrate on what it needs to start, and then you check to make sure its getting all of those things.

fuel (the right amount, not too much not too little)
spark (enough, at the right time)
compression
enough speed and torque from the starter

 

I'm with inuissus_cendi - 'cept he left off 'air'. A clogged air filter will give you bad scoobies.

 

Mitch Hedberg's car wisdom

I don't know how to fix a car. If the car breaks down, and the gas tank does not say "E", I'm screwed. But if the gas tank says "E", I get all cocky - "I've got this one, don't worry." So I get out the toolbox, AKA wallet.

But in all seriousness

No Fuel or tach can also mean, dead trailing ignitor, not just bad fuel pump on at least the 84 & 85 first gens(not sure about other years).

 

my car starts better when its warm out. on a cold morning, i have to run out and try to start it. it usually takes about 10 minutes to do so. old rotaries man, what can ya do?

 

I don't know, the dang car always starts.

 

well u need plenty of starting fluid

 

Trying your keys in someone elses car will cause it not to start.

 

I know! Isn't that no fun?

 

You guys should check out Pele's "End of all no start threads" thread, in the FAQ.

Has all the info you wanna get here.

Jon

 

Headlong collisions that destroy the engine.

 

If you have the FACTS right, the car will start:
F - Fuel
A - Air
C - Compression
T - Timing
S - Spark(not needed for diesel )


if the FACTS are not right, the car wont start. and there are millions of things that can make the facts wrong

 

Parked it all winter, jumped in after 6 months, turn key, vroom vroom, so simple, so easy. After months of trouble shooting last year....lol

 

Shooting your engine bay with 40 rounds of 7.62mm with your buddys AK-47 will make it not start.

 

 

Ok, this thread has turned out to be a haven for lounge rats.
Say goodbye!