Problems starting.

[Mainfraim]

About 2 months ago my '91 EB (181,000 miles) started having problems starting. It just sits and turns over fine, but it doesn't seem to want to start. At first we thought it might be the weather, but it doesn't seem to matter. Hot, cold, damp, dry. Sometimes it starts fine, sometimes not. It does however ALWAYS start, I've never had it not eventually start if you hold the key long enough. Anything you guys think I should check? We're getting ready to sell it and would like to fix it up a bit before it leaves. Thanks in advance.

 

[Richard Wise]

Get yourself a battery terminal cleaner and clean the terminals on the battery and the end of the battery cables. You can pick them up pretty cheap at any car store, or even a Target or Wal-Mart.

 

[Mainfraim]

I'll try that. Although it doesn't seem like the battery isn't connecting if that's what you mean, because it seems to turn over, just not start. But it's worth a shot any how. Thanks.

 

[scoara]

Try checking the Fuel pump relay under the hood. I've had problems with two of them on my 94, the fuel pump relay and fan blower motor. Just pulled them out cleaned the contacts and bent the connectors out a little bit to make better contact. Plan on doing all of them with some contact cleaner. Hope this helps

 

[config]

What does the relay look like?

...and where under the hood can I find it?

 

[Houston at NCSU]

The relays are in the fuse box between the your air filer box and the firewall on top of the fender. good luck, and it is probly the relays as i have had this problem too. If you want to replace them, the are only a couple bucks a piece.

 

[ChrisHeapy]

If it were me, I'd have a compression test done. That's a classic symptom of poor compression.

Chris

 

[srpauliesr]

How long has it been since you had a tune up? You also might want to try some fuel injector cleaner.