bmphone

used the tip about the jumper on the test plug to get my fuel pump to run. Now i'm not sure what to replace to get it to function properly. Replaced main relay and what I believe was the fuel pump relay(relay in rear near drivers side shock tower?). Still wont prime without the jumper.

NZConvertible

The jumper wire is to bypass the safety cut-off switch in the AFM. Put a DMM across the two terminals at the left hand end of the socket and test for continuity. There should be none with the flap closed, and continuity when you push the flap.
If the switch has failed, replace the AFM. Don't just drive around with the jumper wire in. That switch might save your life in an accident.

FreedS4

What if the car doesn't start with the jumper in?

HAILERS

FreedS4...with the jumper in and the key to on, open your fuel cap and listen for the fuel pump running. If its running, your problem is another thing.

Could be an ignition problem. Turn the key to on position. Disconnect the small white connnector at your Lead coil assy. Put your digital meter on the black/yellow wires socket and see if you have 12v approx there.

FreedS4

Thanks Hailers, I'll try that.

I'm helping a friend trying to get his car started. I have posted in the thread called "Bare Block Pictures" since this problem started when we took his only solenoid left in his car out. We've got the vac lines run EXACTLY like mine and mine runs perfect.

FreedS4

I have 6.5V...........****.

OK, HAILERS....Now what?

HAILERS

That 6.5 volts is unusual. Its usually nothing or 12v. Is your battery up????? OH. Another thing. Thats a two socket connnector. Its usual for the other wire to have approx 5v on it. I'd go back and make sure you are touching the black/yellow. While you do that I'll think on it. I'll check back in a half hour.

FreedS4

I metered across the two wires in the connector, black/yellow and green/yellow, is that right, or not? Metering across yielded 6.5V.

Should I meter the black/yellow to ground? Is that what you mean?

FreedS4

The black/yellow metered with ground yields 12V.

HAILERS

Yeah. Black/yellow to ground. Should get 12v. The other wire approx 5v but not unusual to see 0. Not to worry.

So, the car makes no sound of starting????

With the fuel check connector jumpered(the yellow plug near the right front strut tower), do you hear the pump running if you take the fuel cap off?

FreedS4

Yes, with the jumper in, I can hear the pump humming. The car kinda hiccups about 1 second after the key is turned and tried to catch but doesn't.

HAILERS

Sounds flooded. You familiar with unflooding procedures???

FreedS4

Yeah.

SonicRaT

iTrader: (6)

Perhaps you have a faulty AFM? Try to start it with it disconnected once, just don't drive it that way.

HAILERS

Well that means you tried to unflood the thing and it did not work. Try this to prove if its fuel or spark. Disconnect the fuel pump plug located behind the rear left strut tower. Buy a can of starter fluid from Pepboys. Spray no more than approx two seconds into the snorkel infront of the afm/air filter. Turn the engine over with a fully charged battery. If there is the least amount of spark, the engine will go varoom for a moment. If that is the case, do this for about four times, then reconnect the fuel pump plug and try again. What happened? Note: do not spray continuously into the intake to keep the car running. This is to just confirm that the electrical works and that it is a fuel problem of some sort. Continuous spraying while running WILL cause knocking which does no good.

FreedS4

this is a friend of theirs they switched afms once i'll tell them about the started fluid thing

FreedS4

I tried this, but I did not disconnect the plug for the fuel pump. The car sputters for a second or two and dies. I yanked the plugs to see if they were wet and they were not wet at all. They smelled like fuel, but were not wet. I'm convinced it's a fuel delivery problem.
We switched leading coil packs with mine out of my car, same result.

FreedS4

I didn't think it would start with the AFM disconnected.

HAILERS

Well, if you disable the fuel pump by disconnecting it. Then spray the starter fluid for one to two seconds. Crank the engine over and if it goes varoooom, then you KNOW that you have a fuel problem and can eliminate the thought of it being electrical.

I don't know the history of the car, but perhaps the fuel lines that come and go from the engine are connected up backwards. That happen recently to a fellow who knows what he's doing. Just happens sometimes. The line that comes from the fuel filter which is located just a foot or so below the brake reservior, make sure it goes to the front fuel line that goes to the engine. Make any sense??? Anyway, give the fluid a chance. It'll give you a sense of direction.

FreedS4

The car was running last night, so I know the fuel lines are hooked up correctly.

I had it running for about 30 seconds. It ran very rough, backfiring when I lifted the throttle, and was pushing coolant into the overflow tank.

Sounds like I blew some coolant seals.

HAILERS

How very, very, very sad. Probably a bum apex seal. TAke both lower plugs out. Pull the EGI fuse so you won't get sparked to death. Have someone spin the engine over while you hold a finger in one lower hole, then the other. You should be able to tell the difference b/t the front and rear if a apex seal has gone. The good rotor will give you constant pulsing wheras the bad rotor will be considerably different. It'll give maybe a solid pulse then maybe try to suck your finger instead of blowing it off. Don't do anything else to the car until you do this. Takes but thirty or less minutes. Does not require a compression gauge. You won't have any doubt at all if one is bad. Sorry, but I think that is the problem.

When you had it running it was virtualy on one rotor, in my opinion.

FreedS4

I will go back outside and try it. I did pull the lower plugs and crank it over. The pulses were equally loud and spaced apart rythmically with no lulls.

FreedS4

I just put my fingers over the plugs and all is good. Now what? I'm have no clue what the deal is. Can get it started with starter fluid but can't keep it started, no fuel delivery at all. Hmmmmm.........

Chris

HAILERS

Ok. Thats good news. Just a guessing game here. Is it possible the trail plugs are firing and the leads are not?? Or is has the cas been rotated and the timing is off? Are the lead plugs really going to the lower plugs? Mabe got swapped with the trails?? Probably not.

One idea I've seen on this forum is to take the cas out of the block. Put the spark plug wires close to a good ground, maybe even take the plugs out with the wires on them and lay them on a good grounded surface. Then with the key on, spin the cas with your fingers and see if the lead spark plugs arc or not. Same with the trails. Never done it myself, but sounds interesting and should work as long as the plugs are on a grounded surface.

It'd help if we knew when the car worked good last and if anything has been done to it since, like turning the cas pulling injectors etc.

Oh crumb. I just re-read the part about pushing water into the overflow. Just gotta be a blown water seal. I've got an idea. Fill the car up with water(radiator). After a full nite has passed, take the lower plugs out and look for water. If not seen, have someone turn the engine over and see if a water spray comes out of the spark plug holes. Pumpin water. Ugggggggg! Called a rotary water pump. Hope I'm wrong, but hopin never solved anything. Good luck.

jimmyv13

HAILERS,

This is my car that FreedS4 and I have been working on for the past two days. I thank you for all of your help. I swear my heart melted when I saw the coolant on the ground below the overflow tank. I know it's got to be a blown coolant seal.
Last night, I put some ATF in and pulled it behind a truck to see if I could keep it running. Didn't work. I'll ask Freed to check on the blowing water idea.
I bought a comp gauge from Autozone and couldn't get any numbers with the Schrader valve removed. I can hear good compression, but I just can't get any numbers on the gauge. I'm probably doing something wrong. I've slept 3 hours in the last three days so my brain is probably mush.

What is the CAS?