Changed fan belt, engine won't start?

evren · 05-11-2003, 08:13 AM

I noticed today that my fan belt had a crack in it, so I decided to change it, per project 3 in Wayne's 101 book. After the belt replacement, now the engine refuses to start... I can hear the fuel pump, the engine turns over, but nothing else. There don't seem to be any obvious loose wires anywhere.

Before I start pulling fuel lines and spark plugs, have I done something simple and stupid? The car was running fine just this morning, and I've never had problems with starting it before.
Frustrated in Istanbul, Evren ('71 E)

Chuck Moreland · 05-11-2003, 08:41 AM

Evren, I suspect you might have knocked something loose while installing. The coil wire is pretty close to the fan.

pwd72s · 05-11-2003, 10:14 AM

Come clean Evren, it's okay to admit that you have sinned.

In an email to me, you also mentioned that you did "cleaning in and around the engine compartment"...

Actually, a wire doesn't have to be all the way loose to be a bad connection...Anybody else here have ideas of what my have been loosened? I was thinking coil or distributor...possibly a ground wire?

evren · 05-11-2003, 11:33 AM

ok, yes, I have been obsessing a bit lately...

haven't found the culprit yet, though... The West Anatolian Classic Car Rally is in two weeks time, so have to make sure everything is in tip-top shape before then.

pwd72s · 05-11-2003, 12:16 PM

Just keep checking wires...also, the Sears book I bought to go along with your multitester is full of good tips on how to test automotive circuits. Tips on continuity, etc...

Neilk · 05-11-2003, 01:19 PM

Check the wires to the distributor or the dist. cap itself. Those are all in close proximity to the fan belt and could have been affected when you replaced the belt.

Sounds obvious, but I was about to replace my starter yesterday until I started searching through the archives and reading that I should check the battery first, which ultimately was the cause of my problem.

makaio · 05-11-2003, 01:24 PM

If it was running fine before, it has to be something simple, that you knocked loose.

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

it also could be that you have an old wire that might have given up upon being moved.

HarryD · 05-11-2003, 03:42 PM

Evren,

when you crank the car, do you get a spark?

You can test in several ways:

* If you have a timing light, connect the light to spark plug lead and see if it flashes as the car is cranked.

* If you want pull a wire from a spark plug and hold the end near the metal of the car, when you crank you will se a spark (and may feel a tingle).

If you are not getting a spark, you need to follow your ignition wiring to find the broken wire.

One last thought. You do have gas in the car? your car is carbuterated. You should smell unburned gas as well.

Good luck.

pwd72s · 05-11-2003, 04:59 PM

Evren's car is a '71 E, MFI intact...that's why I tend to think it's spark, not fuel...especially considering that it ran well before. I'm thinking Neil could be on to something. Gawd I hate electrics! Broken parts are easier to see...and understand.

HarryD · 05-11-2003, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by pwd72s
Evren's car is a '71 E, MFI intact...that's why I tend to think it's spark, not fuel...especially considering that it ran well before. I'm thinking Neil could be on to something. Gawd I hate electrics! Broken parts are easier to see...and understand.

Duh.... I knew that!

Doesn't the pump run whenever it is cranked?

pwd72s · 05-11-2003, 06:02 PM

It should...unless the belt is broken. But Evren got a new belt & gear cogs less than a year ago...

RoninLB · 05-11-2003, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by pwd72s

...that's why I tend to think it's spark, not fuel...

maybe the dizzy trigger wire connection.. it's between the case and dizzy.. and you have to look for it.........Ron

pwd72s · 05-12-2003, 09:12 AM

It's a pretty skinny wire...yeah, could very well be. Thanks, Ron

evren · 05-12-2003, 12:39 PM

Thanks to everyone for chiming in with good advice. I'm afraid it's a bit difficult to maintain the interactivity of the forum with the istanbul time difference, but I do appreciate everyone's help...
So, here's the update -- I was all mentally prepared to attack all sorts of electrical gremlins today, but I decided to try starting it first, just in case -- and it fired on the first try!.. yes, i am relieved that everything seems to be work, but it is rather frustrating not to know exactly what the problem was.
I'm feeling particularly stupid for not actually pulling a spark plug yesterday and confirming that it was electrical, and not fuel related. Since I did not get any hint at all of an explosion I was quite sure it was electrical, but in retrospect, it might very well have been fuel related, as well.
Thinking back, after I replaced the fan belt, i did crank the starter to tighten the belt, for a few seconds, then shut down. Perhaps running the engine for such a brief amount of time caused a vapour lock of some sort? Not sure, but I think i still will be checking old wires and connections as a preventative measure this weekend...

HarryD · 05-12-2003, 12:54 PM

Evren,

Don't be so hard on your self. We have all been there in some fashoin or another.

I, for one, I glad you got it going again.

pwd72s · 04:30 PM

Me too!

Sorry if I'm weighing in way late here...an ISP mess up here, couldn't get on the net for 36 hours or so...it was he!! Nice that some problems fix themselves...perhaps some moisture in the distributor cap that dried out on it's own?