Wont start-HELP!

[skline]

Drove the teener to pick up my son this morning and the car ran great all the way there. Got there and turned it off in the driveway. Washed the windshield and got in to go. Turned the car over but it would not start. Went to breakfast with the kids and got back to try it again and it still wont start. Turns over just fine but sounds like there is no spark. I smell gas but it doesnt fire. Any suggestions??

[M. Hendrix]

No luck still?


M

[skline]

No, the ex gave me a ride back to my house. It is way hot out there at her house and I did not want to spend the day there. I will go back when it starts to cool down a little to work on it. I was hoping to get some suggestions on what it might be.

[M. Hendrix]

Doesn't she live near Ben Laden?

I wish it was an early car, I'd say vapor lock, and be done, but it's looking like uhh... I say your ignition switch is the place to start... no pun.


M

[mike95125]

No spark? Thats easy to check. If you confirm it then maybe you have bad points or condensor. Cheap, easy fix (see Acham's Razor).

-Mike

[Toast]

When was your last Engine Tune-up? Definatly check your rotor, cap, and plugs. Well, I guess check your plug wires too. I had a similar problem recently. Rotor was horrible and one of the plug wires had a nick in it and was exposing the wires...
Guess sometimes we forget about the simple essentials. Should cost you about $30, unless you like to throw money (that you don't have) at your cars (like me and spend $80 for Jacob wires).

[skline]

The last tune up was done just before the Temecula run. He replaced everything to the tune of $500.00. It has been drive about 600 miles since then.

[skline]

Ok, Just got home. Went all the way out there, popped the engine lid, took off the distributor cap, pulled of the rev limiting rotor, it all looked brand new just like the cap, seperated the points with my finger just to make sure they were not fused, put it all back together, and it fired right up and ran perfect. Is it possible that it was just vapor locked??? It's a 74 2.0 liter FI engine. Who knows?

[M. Hendrix]

Did I not tell you to 'start with the ignition'.

Trust me.



M

[SteveStromberg]

Check the ground strap. steve

[Ron Meier]

Dr Ferry, please listen to me,
Come back from the dead and explain to me,
This great thing, the Porsche mystery,
I'm going crazy, I'm sure you can see.

Untold Deutsche Marks I have spent in amounts untold,
Just to make this -14 run, run so bold,
And each time I turn the key,
More Deutsche Marks it demands from me.

And if you find youself all tied up and busy,
Please send Dr. Peich if he's not with ale dizzy,
To get me out of this mystery tizzy,
Why my engine just won't get busy.

I promise I won't speak the name in vain,
But this damn car just is a pain,
I would like a trip to make,
And return home, spending no more money, for my sake.

From afar you hear my plea I know,
Just don't ignore me so,
A rice rocket I will buy and sigh,
And blow this damn -14 into the sky.


(obviously I have had to much coffee)

[red-beard]

Is the 2.0 being kept in Liquid Nitrogen until medical science reaches the point it can be revived?

[sammyg2]

Anby time a car won't start you need to follow a logical system of troubleshooting. Trying different things in a shotgun approach adds to the frustration.

If the engine turns over but does not run it can only be two things:
either it doesn't get the proper fuel/air mixture or it doesn't get a proper spark at the proper time.
That's it. First thing every time is to check for spark. Before you do anything else pull a plug wire and check for a big fat spark. My preference is to use a spare spark plug grounded on the sheet metal and then crank it over and watch/listen for spark. I like to carry a remote starter button in 914s and any car that is older or prone to possible problems. it really comes in handy for those times when you need to crank over the engine while checking something in the engine compartment. (harbor freight tools, around $5)

If you have a good spark and it is hitting at the right time you can start looking for fuel problems but not before. If you have good spark and you think the car is not getting fuel hit it with a quick squirt of starting fluid (ether, $4 a can). If you have good ignition the car will start with starting fluid in the intake.

I've been faced many many times over the years with cars that didn't want to start. it was almost always ingnition related. For those that weren't, using starting fluid helped to nail down exactly what the culprit was.
BTW the worst and hardest problem to troubleshoot is one that comes and goes. You never know when it will come again.

[Ron Meier]

It is encased in a hermetically sealed bubble, environmentally controlled until a new prothesis for it's a$$ end can be fabricted at less than a cost of a new 767 or an amount equal to the National Debt - whichever comes first.

I put on my clean suit and enter the shrine frequently to run my fingers over the corinthian leather steering wheel and make 4 cylinder sounds with my cheeks.

I wipe it's tears of oil ever so gently with the finest silk from the East, while gently stroking it's (bent) rear trunk lid with much love.

[M. Hendrix]

Originally posted by Ron Meier
Untold Deutsche Marks I have spent in amounts untold,
Just to make this -14 run, run so bold,
And each time I turn the key,
More Deutsche Marks it demands from me.

2 trailer park girls go 'round the outside, 'round the outside..

[Ron Meier]

I beg your pardon Sir. In California we have Mobile Home Parks (cardboard boxes are easy to carry).

Now, Im gonna go drink some squeeze.

[M. Hendrix]

They call them Mobile Estates here.

That was an eminem ref.


M

[Ron Meier]

Sorry - don't do M&Ms