car cranks but won't fire up

[arffmedic]

Hello,
I've got a 1987 carrera. engines been rebuilt by motor Meister. Runs great untill........ one day it wouldn't start. cranked strong just wouldn't start. I had some fellow firefighters push start me I think they took photos, really enjoyed watching push start my beautiful car. Anyways, I replaced th dme relay, no help then I replaced the ignition switch. That seems to have taken care of the problem for about 3 weeks. today I tried to go for a ride and encountered the same problem. I don't hear the fuel pump when I turn the key. engine cranks good and strong. the headlights off when i try to crank it and there are no gauge fluctuations when I am cranking it. please help
Sam

also 3.2 fuel injected

[htron435]

Check the cylinder head temperature sensor and the fuel pump. If your fuel pump is original, it may be the problem. I had an '88 Carrera that acted that way. Fuel pump died. Good luck with the diagnosis!

[DonMo]

CHT in my 3.2 got the same symptoms.

[Jbabic]

Do the simple cheapest first...fuses, spark, etc.

[BReyes]

Have you checked the dme itself? What does the distributor look like?

Goodluck.

[Drew001]

Originally posted by BReyes
Have you checked the dme itself? What does the distributor look like?

Goodluck.

+1 on the DME. It happened to my '87.

[jorian]

".........engines been rebuilt by motor Meister."

This is likely the root of the problem. No kidding. Do a search.

On the helpful side, did you check your DME relay? These are known to fail.

[slyguy]

check your fuses, the fuse block, wired connections and relays. Jump the relay (I have one I removed the cover from, makes a great test relay) make sure you're getting power to your pump. Invest in a multitester with continuity. Make sure your ground connections are all in place. If you have power to the block and relays, next go for the pump. Start eliminating the obvious as mentioned earlier.

[rick-l]

Whoa cowboy !!!!

Before you replace the DME, Head Temp Sensor, Speed Sensor, Reference Sensor check the standard stuff.

Symptom - Starter turns over engine acceptably fast but engine will not run.
Cause- missing one or more of the following; Spark, Fuel, Compression.

Simplest (first) test pull a plug wire, put in an old plug, hold the plugs metal shell against some metal engine part and see if you get a spark when you crank it.

Do you smell fuel after you crank it? Put your stethoscope on one of the injectors and see if it buzzes while cranking.

Fail one test and you have isolated it to a system. Fail both tests and come back and ask about DME troubleshooting

If these both check out ok ...... GENERAL QUESTION Do you ground the Head temp sensor leadd to make it think its cold????

[durrett]

My 78 SC recently went through a phase where it cranked rapidly until it wore down the battery, then repeated the process each time I recharged the battery. After much troubleshooting dianosis on spark, fuel, etc., I discovered that despite the battery turning the engine over, the spark just wasn't strong enough. Solution was a battery replacement and since then it starts each time on the fourth rotation.

[xlr8]

Tech article here.

Good luck!

[eddiehotrod]

I had intermittent symptoms just like yours for a couple of years, eventually I replaced both reference sensors and I've had no problems since. All the above are good ideas, but I can't think why any of them would be bypassed by a push-start.

[schamp]

I am thinking his engine is trying to run while in start mode but when he lets off the key it won't keep running. If that is the case makes me think about reference sensors. Computer doen't know where the crank is, when to fire the plugs, etc. I had an Audi 5000 do that once. Took me a year to figure out the pin on the flywheel had been cut when wheel was resurfaced. Car ran OK when push started but would not start. My .02 and likely worth even less. Spencer

[khj]

This might sound dumb, but have you tried checking if you have gas?

[cabmandone]

Check spark. If you have spark, it shouldn't be the speed/reference sensors. If your fuel pump isn't running, the DME relay controls the fuel pump IIRC. You should be able to jumper 2 pins on the DME relay plug (30 and 87b I think??) and make the pump run. If the pump runs you should have fuel. Cylinder Head Temp sensor can have a jumper installed to bypass it for testing. If it was running okay and just died, I'd start with the very basic very easy things and go more in depth after that.

Another thing, I'd have to check my fuel pump but I don't think it goes until you turn the engine over. I don't think you should hear it with just the key on but I could be wrong. I don't notice mine running with the key on only. I believe that's why you have to do the jumper in the DME relay plug to get it to run. Another thing, check fuses and I don't mean visually, put a ohm meter on it and test your fuse for the fuel pump.

[mikesride]

Originally Posted by khj

This might sound dumb, but have you tried checking if you have gas?

Exactly.... See my thread about "stung by a faulty fuel sending unit".....Lol.....talk about feeling stupid!

[74-911]

HMmm... this thread was started in 2006 ?? I would assume the problem has already been solved?

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by 74-911

HMmm... this thread was started in 2006 ?? I would assume the problem has already been solved?

Maybe the guy is really bad at troubleshooting?

This thread start date gets me every time