Here is a quick senero... my wife took her car to work at 5pm.... started and ran just fine.

11 pm..... she goes to start the car and it runs very very rough (she describs it as shaking violently) she gives it a little gas and the engine dies. Over the phone she describes issues that sound like a vacume leak (bad idle, sounds like it wants to die and so on) well it dies and she cannot get it started. At this point i assume it is simply flooded and that is the reason it will not start. eventually she gets its started and drives it for about 10-15 miles, during which she said the car acted completely normal. stop lights came and went and there where no idle issues. When i go to look at it after it had been shut off for about an hour it would not start. it turns over (not the starter or battery) and i think i can hear spark as it is hesitating and wants to start but there is just not enough to get it all the way there. I tried push starting the car and it would not go.

My question, what would you guys check first? I plan on jumping on the boost leak, vacume leak first thing. my next plan of attack is the fule delievry system, possibly the filter and the injectors (do the fuel pumps have a history of failure in the FD's). if all this fails i will jump on a compression test and pry i do not have to pull and replace for falty seals.

any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

Is it possible the hose to the MAP sensor has come off (it will be hard to start and act like the motor is blown) then again you did say it ran ok once it was started and typically if the map senso hose is off it hard to give it gas and get it above 3k. rpm. Have you changed the plugs since you got the car ?

 

have not changed the plugs yet.... its on the long list of things to do! as far as the MAP sensor.... i dont think it could be the culprit as it ran fine once she got it started.

 

For anyone that cares.....

Fist thing i inspected where all the vacume lines/hoses. everything seemed to be in order. next the spark plugs. I believe these where the cause of our problem. The 2 spark plugs on the front most rotor assembly were in "finger tight" i did not even need a wrench to get them out. I will have them all replaced in the next hour or so and i assume that should solve our problems!

Hoping and praying we dont have to swap motors just yet!!!!

 

well... I figured out why the car was dropping one of the rotors, the front rotor housings spark plugs were only in finger tight. Once i replaced all the spark plugs it started up. When the sparkplugs were removed there was ALOT of oil on them. Also every now and then Melissa has problems starting the car. and LOTS of white smoke (not coolant) comes out the tail pipe.

any segustions as to where to begin on this one?

 

Most likely the injectors are leaking.

Take out the primaries and replace the o rings. May as well check the secondaries to. Do a search for how to info.

good luck

 

thank you..... reseraching now

 

Hey Sam,
Hope the plugs helped you out. If your car sits outside like mine does it's not unusual for it to put out some white smoke for a short period of time (mine clears faily quickly) as we have some high humidity. Forgot to mention and hope you put some anti-sieze on the plugs befoe installation (if not then it's a good excuse to remove them and have a look at there condidtion after a short run period). Wouldn't get too worried about a rebuild as of yet as plugs and wires can make a word of differense on these cars.

 

Thanks for the time on the phone BTW...... it went much quicker once i got under the car!

Yes i put anti sieze on the plugs.....

Yes it solved my problems temporarly. I am still concerned about the amount of oil that was on the plugs when they were pulled. As of last night melissa could not get the car started AGAIN! so i will be replacing the injector o-rings either tomorrow or saturday depending on how quickly i can get them in my hand. I am really thrown for a loop with this.... I do not understand why the car acted normal immediatly after the plugs were changed. Maybe they just need to be re tightned after some heat cycling.

 

Well, We did a compression test today......only 60 psi on the rear rotor assembly. Oh well. The original engine lasted 97xxx, so we knew it would happen sooner or later. So, she's dead for now. Thanks for all the help though, guys.

 

Did you get ahold of Passivemike (name on forum) located in Jax and had a great deal on motor tranny combo. ? ? ? Jack

 

I PMed him, but as of yet he has not contacted me. I wish he would, b/c I would possibly get it Saturday.