HELP!!!! No start!

tarheel24 · 02-22-2007, 08:17 AM

Have an 87 944 which will not start. Was in Wendy's drive-through when car suddenly cut-off without warning. Pushed car into IHOP parking lot and have been endlessly working on it since. Car will crank but engine will not turn over. Originally believed to be DME relay, but have created a jump out of speaker wire using the 87, 87b, and 30 slots. No response from the fuel pump. No change in start-up either. Possibly a timing belt? (Took car to mechanic at purchase to have belts changed and water pump replaced only to be told by the mechanic that the timing belt had been recently changed and did not need to be changed again -- that was about 5,000 miles ago) Maybe the fuel pump is bad? Car has been driven hard before, but was running well. Only major sign of trouble was high oil consumption rate. Would need about a cup (1/4 quart) of oil every 2,000 miles. I am to try the DME relay jump again, in the hopes that i may have done it improperly... I really don't have the money to replace a timing belt/fuel pump.... and I dont need to hear that the valves and pistons are damaged because of a bad belt...
Help, please!

tarheel24 · 02-22-2007, 08:26 AM

I should say it wont crank at all. Sorry! Can hear the starter, but no response from engine at all.

tarheel24 · 02-22-2007, 08:29 AM

also for reference; when attempting to start car, tach bounces and oil pressure registers... 3 bar ( i believe).

Razorback1980 · Razorback1980's Garage

1. Figure out if you have spark. Do this by removing a spark plug and replacing the wire back on the plug and then lay the plug on the intake manifold and look to see if you have a spark jumping the plug gap. If no, then search for a procedure called "five minute test" from a poster called SoCal Driver. This will step you through the spark diagnostics.

2. If you have spark, then (make sure the engine isn't hot...I'm assuming it isn't by now) and loosen the bolt on the end of the fuel rail while holding a cloth under it. You should see gas spray from there so watch your eyes. If you don't see gas spray from there, then you probably have a fuel problem to attend to. If you don't have pressure, then put your fuel pump jumper in and listen to the fuel pump to see if it is running. If not, then check for voltage at the pump.

Depending on what you find will dictate the next steps, so reply back when you have it isolated between spark or fuel...could be a couple other things like timing and compression, but it's more likely to be one of the first two.

Techno Duck · Techno Duck's Garage

If the engine turns over abnormally fast then you blew the belt.

Trust me, 1/4 of a quart in 2000 miles is nothing to worry about..thats actually not bad! I go through a quart every 3k or so.

Thats all the input i have for now..let us know the answers to Tom's questions and im sure we can figure it out eventually.

tarheel24 · 02-22-2007, 02:27 PM

Thanks guys! I am about to check for spark and fuel... will repost soon.

tarheel24 · 02-22-2007, 03:27 PM

Haven't checked the spark plugs yet... but the fuel rail had practically no fuel...

Razorback1980 · Razorback1980's Garage

Sounds like that might be a problem...can you jump the fuel pump and hear it run?

tarheel24 · 02-24-2007, 02:48 PM

New relay took care of the fuel pump problem i believe... ONLY ONE SPARK PLUG had any spark. I've replaced them all. Ironically, the starter crapped out on me at the same time as this problem surfaces. Starter had been fine before... Waiting on a new starter, hopefully it will fire up fine once it's been installed.

onZedge · 02-24-2007, 04:22 PM

Obvious things to check before trouble shooting:
(You didn't mention any of these in your first post)
Are you sure there is gas in the tank?
When was the fuel filter last changed?
What is your battery voltage?
What condition are your main electrical and ground connections?