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I knew it'd only be a matter of time before I posted a thread like this here. I didn't anticipate it would be less than a month into ownership, but here we are.
So... I needed to buy a DIN removal tool to take out my radio, cause my wideband is giving me an error and I have to access the back of it.
I start the car up today - let it warm up like normal - after water and oil are about 110*-120*F, I start driving it nice and easy. I wait till both water and oil are at/above about 160*F. I give it full throttle in third revving from about 3500 rpm's to about 7000 rpm's and let off as I approach some slower traffic.
Pull up to the stop light, everything is perfect. Drive to Best Buy about 5-7 minutes away, everything is perfect. Get there, go inside for about 10 minutes. Start the car in the lot easy peazy, everything is running perfect. Drive the car around back to speak with the car audio guys. Cars turned off for 10 maybe 15 minutes. Go to start it and it won't start.
Starter spun just fine, motor even started for a moment but wouldn't idle and I couldn't keep it going even with pushing the gas a bit. Tried it again same thing. So, I'm thinking it must be flooded some how. I sit there for about 15 minutes, this time I try to start with the gas pedal floored, to try to deflood a bit. Try it again without the gas pedal and nothing. Cranks, cranks, cranks but won't catch.
Pushed the car into the Best Buy bay and the super cool guys hooked up a battery charger to my battery so I could try again with stronger cranking power. After another 15-20 minutes, same exact results.
At this point I've convinced myself it must be flooded. So, I pull the two trailing plugs and they are dry. Had my wife bring me new plugs from the store and put them in. Nothing. Crank crank, no start. I had to tow it home.
I am baffled. Why the car would start moments prior and run perfectly, giving no warning or any sort of strangeness in its idle or anything, beats the hell out of me.
I'm totally confused. Any input would be much appreciated.
As a side note, last night I did have to drive home from a meet in some pretty heavy rain but I don't know how that would or could have effected the car. Especially when it ran fine today, just minutes prior to this. Anyone else have a similar experience??
Thank you!
Nick
Last edited by Brilliant7-LFC; Jan 10, 2016 at 09:09 PM.
check the plug and wiring to the igniter and make sure they are good
Check the fuel pump fuse. The one in the fuse box behind the drivers side kick panel.
How modified is the car? Does the car have a j and s knock sensor?
Thanks for the help Fritz.
The car has an A Spec GT40 single kit, all supporting mods. Motor is street ported, built by Kilo. I was actually planning to take it to him in the morning anyway to get a boost issue worked out. Now, I've got this...
I will check the fuse as that seems to me the most likely, I had it in mind to check tomorrow morning anyhow but didn't want to mess with it tonight.
The circumstances are what's throwing me off. All of these things are possibilities but how/why would it be running flawlessly and then after shutting off for 10 minutes, it give me this problem?? That's what's got me scratching my head.
You hear plenty of stories about how the car started to run like **** or that it wouldn't idle or whatever. The car was PERFECT, until it suddenly wasn't. That's what's so damn confusing...
Gotta start with the basics.. fuel,spark,compression
Maybe check for codes as well.
Thanks for the feedback dude. I am going to start tackling this list in the morning. I was hoping to get an idea before diving in. Was hoping someone else had this issue at some point.
Car has a Microtech LT-10 so not sure how to check the codes on it.
Potential issues with the fuel pump could extend past a blown fuse as well. Had a guy here in Utah, a few months ago, who's car exhibited the same issues as yours. Turned out that his WB 255 had sucked the sock material through the pump and ruined its internals.
Potential issues with the fuel pump could extend past a blown fuse as well. Had a guy here in Utah, a few months ago, who's car exhibited the same issues as yours. Turned out that his WB 255 had sucked the sock material through the pump and ruined its internals.
I have a couple spare fuel pumps that came with the car. Any way to test for this outside of removing it?
Looked at several fuses, everything's good. Wanted to rule out the flooding thing so I pulled the EGI fuse, cranked it for 15 seconds with the gas pedal fully pressed. Repeated this a minute later. Then, tried to start it normally and got nothing.
Called a good friend and rotary mechanic and he asked me about my fuel pressure - it didn't make sense to him that my plugs were so dry when I pulled them.
Low and behold, I've got "0.0" on my SPA electronic gauge and my Aeromotive FPR reads dead 0 as well.
So, I pull both lines from the tank, under the rear carpet - and the hose on the passenger side dribbles out only a few drops of fuel. The line to drivers side, when pulled, had zero fuel come out of it. Then, with both lines disconnected I cranked the engine (well my wife did) and no fuel came from either of the lines.
Next step is to determine if the fuel pump is the issue or the Microtech perhaps not sending the signal to it.
I do have a spare fuel pump, it's from Rotary Performance and when speaking to them, they insist they rarely go bad so I may try that pump out instead.
Looked at several fuses, everything's good. Wanted to rule out the flooding thing so I pulled the EGI fuse, cranked it for 15 seconds with the gas pedal fully pressed. Repeated this a minute later. Then, tried to start it normally and got nothing.
Called a good friend and rotary mechanic and he asked me about my fuel pressure - it didn't make sense to him that my plugs were so dry when I pulled them.
Low and behold, I've got "0.0" on my SPA electronic gauge and my Aeromotive FPR reads dead 0 as well.
So, I pull both lines from the tank, under the rear carpet - and the hose on the passenger side dribbles out only a few drops of fuel. The line to drivers side, when pulled, had zero fuel come out of it. Then, with both lines disconnected I cranked the engine (well my wife did) and no fuel came from either of the lines.
Next step is to determine if the fuel pump is the issue or the Microtech perhaps not sending the signal to it.
I do have a spare fuel pump, it's from Rotary Performance and when speaking to them, they insist they rarely go bad so I may try that pump out instead.
For now, I've got to go to work...
Nick
Clearly fuel pump isn't getting power. Solve that and you fixed the issue
Replace that fuel pump fuse anyhow, that was my first instinct too. I've been on long drives and had it heat up and "melt" more then "pop". If you don't pay particular attention, it might look like it's fine but actually be done.
No better feeling then discovering it's a $.10 problem.
Clearly fuel pump isn't getting power. Solve that and you fixed the issue
Probably hack job fuel pump wiring bypass job
Yeah, hopefully it's relatively simple and not expensive.
I did notice a Bosch relay wired into the fuel pump's wiring, looked a little simple in nature. In speaking to the builder he says that relay goes into the car's factory wiring, if I remember correctly.
An easy test to do before removing the access panel and removing the pump is to check for voltage to the wiring connector at the pump's wiring harness.
Just clip on your leads to the source side of the harness, and watch the multimeter while cranking.
This will test if you have a 0V problem, or a fuel pump problem.
How insulting. Yes, it's got half a tank of pre-mixed 93 ready to be burned! Will try to test when I get home tonight. I won't be out till 9PM though...
Nick
Last edited by Brilliant7-LFC; Jan 11, 2016 at 10:55 PM.
It's always something to check. For some reason my gauge goes to a smidge below a 1/4 tank and fuel pressure starts cutting out. Have to check mine out as well.
Good news is, the Microtech lights up! So, I know it isn't dead which is a good thing.
Ok, so I'm discovering I wouldn't make it on the bomb squad.
So, here's as far as I can figure out...
- Red wire coming off the battery (unconfirmed) splices to orange wire with inline fuse holder and 20 amp fuse -- this wire terminates in the relay
- Wire harness from car has a red/white (thicker gauge), green/white and blue wire
- Green/white and blue wire remain unaltered and terminate at fuel pump clip
- Red/white wire has been spliced to pink which terminates in the relay
- Red cable out of relay splits to red/white wire and black wire, which both terminate at fuel pump clip
- Green wire from relay terminates at grounding point
Now as far as I can work out, I assumed the thicker gauge red/white wire would be power and the green would be ground.
Then I notice the mystery black wire and I'm confused.
I am not sure which to test. I tested my tester on my battery and got 12v so it should be accurate. In playing around with it, I couldn't get a solid reading from the pins but perhaps I didn't jam it into the holes far enough? I did get one of them to read 12v while grounding to the grounding point pictured. Not sure which one... Any advice?
The green/white and blue wire are for fuel level, red/white is pump power, black just ground. To test power, turn ignition to ON and jump the F/P and GND pin in the diagnosis box, and you should see 12V at the 4-pin connector on red/white wire. If not then you need to check to see if you are getting 12V signal to the relay (red/white wire on the harness side), next would be that fuse with orange wire, then the relay or the pump itself.
I would suggest redoing the wiring, find a better place for the relay and that fuse should really be as close to the source as possible.
Did you inspect the bulkhead connector? I know it was suggested but didn't see a response from you. I've burned these up before and replaced them with a Racetronix unit. Here is what a burned up bulkhead connector looks like.
The green/white and blue wire are for fuel level, red/white is pump power, black just ground. To test power, turn ignition to ON and jump the F/P and GND pin in the diagnosis box, and you should see 12V at the 4-pin connector on red/white wire. If not then you need to check to see if you are getting 12V signal to the relay (red/white wire on the harness side), next would be that fuse with orange wire, then the relay or the pump itself.
I would suggest redoing the wiring, find a better place for the relay and that fuse should really be as close to the source as possible.
Yeah I was less than impressed myself. I was considering redoing the whole thing while I'm at it. Once this has been fully diagnosed, I will reference those two threads posted in here earlier.
Wiring and electricity are not my specialities So, please help clarify for me: "jump the F/P and GND pin in the diagnosis box" -- are you saying to take a wire and connect the F/P and GND so they make a circuit? Forgive my ignorance and, thank you for the direction...
Did you inspect the bulkhead connector? I know it was suggested but didn't see a response from you. I've burned these up before and replaced them with a Racetronix unit. Here is what a burned up bulkhead connector looks like.
Where is the bulkhead connector? I don't see it or remember seeing it when working in the area...?
I'll check it out along with the wiring mentioned above tonight after work.
So, please help clarify for me: "jump the F/P and GND pin in the diagnosis box" -- are you saying to take a wire and connect the F/P and GND so they make a circuit? Forgive my ignorance and, thank you for the direction...