Engine Cranks, Does Not Start

[backusgj]

First today, I replaced my battery at 65K. It was hiccuping when I started it last night and this morning. At lunch, there was not enough juice to turn it over. No problem, a new barrety did the trick. Ran home fine. No problem. Now 4 hours later, it cranks and cranks but it will not start? Its a 98 4 Door XLT with 65K on it. Mechanically, it has been fine until today.

 

[aldive]

Did you get a check engine light?

 

[backusgj]

Yes. I get a check gauge light as well but that goes off after about ten seconds.

 

[aldive]

You need to run an OBD II scan and determine the trouble code. Post it and maybe we can offer assostance.

 

[Stephen S]

Was the light a "Check Gage" light or a "Check Engine" light. There is a difference. The check gage light is red and is at the top of the guage cluster. The check engine light is yellow and is at the bottom of the cluster. The check gage light means that one of your guages is reading in a danger area (low fuel, low oil pressure, low voltage, or high temperature). The check engine light means that one of the engine's sensors has a problem and it's throwing a trouble code. Knowing exactly which light it is may help the troubleshooting.

 

[backusgj]

The Check Engine Light is on now when I crank the engine. It did not come on on the way home today. It just now came on.

 

[LukeDog3D]

Take off your alternator and have it tested at an auto parts store. Autozone and Pep Boys do it for free.

 

[aldive]

If the CEL is on, you need to scan for trouble codes asap.

Good luck.....

 

[Maniak]

Sounds like your missing spark or fuel.

Checking for Fuel is easy.. A quick an dirty check it to push in the shrader valve on the fuel rail. You have have fuel under pressure in there.. If nothing comes out, fuel pump is most likely bad. You can also plug in a fuel pressure guage (most people don't have one).

To check for spark, pull a spark plug out of the engine, plug it back into the spark plug wire and lay it on something metal so that the metal part of the plug is touching metal. Now have someone try to start the truck. If you see sparks jumping across the plug, you have spark.

that should at least point you in the right direction..


Now, back to your symptom... It actually matches what we just had on our 1995 Neon.

day 1 - battery is dead (it is 106F outside, and the battery is 3 years old, so I just buy a new one).. car is fine rest of day/night

day 2 - car won't start.. it just turns over and over and over

later in day 2 - car starts right up and all is fine

day 3 car won't start, it just turns over and over and over.. This time I check things when it isn't working. I have spark, but no fuel in the fuel rail. I have someone turn the key to "on" and I listen for the fuel pump.. NO noise.. I then "jump" the relays for the fuel pump. Still no noise. I then buy a $200 fuel pump assembly.. install it, and now all works just fine..

So, if you don't have fuel, check the relay first, but since the battery died the night before, it sounds like the fuel pump is bad OR the relay got stuck the night before and now is stuck closed.

~Mark

 

[CoreyP]

My 99 SOHC did this from time to time. I was able to get it to run fine as long as I kept my foot on the gas a little. I found out that the IAC (idle air control) valve wasn't opening. This dude handles air flow in the intake for idle. Mine wasn't working, so I had basically no air. I just took the cover off and carefully sprayed in some carb cleaner. It's worked fine ever since.

This may not be your problem, but it's a cheap fix if it is. The dearler wanted to charge me something like $80 for a new one if I remember right.