Suddenly engine would not start

[Yoni_d]

Hi everybody

I have a big problem...I havent drove my car for 3 weeks and yesterday I have recharged the battery and tried to start the engine with no luck
At first starter it tried to start for a second but then it was only the starter noise.

Here is a list of things I have checked so far:

Electrical:
Battery ok (13V)
All fuses are ok
Ignition coil was checked according to manual check list and was found ok
I have disconnected from the distributer the wire that comes from the ignition coil and connected it to a spark plug and while turning the ignition on there was a continues spark
I have disconnected one plug wire from a plug and connected it to a test plug so I can see the spark. The spark seems to be a little thin...less strong then the continues spark when I checked the coil...I dont know about that.

Fuel system:
After many tries of starting the engine there was a fuel smell in the engine area
Fuel pump is working (I can hear it so I didnt check the fuel pump relay)
I didnt do a fuel pressure test since I dont have the check device at home but I have disconnected one of the small fuel lines that connects to the injector and with the starter running there was a spray of fuel coming out of that small fuel line.
I have tried also to apply fuel directly to the intake manifold just to hear something from the engine but the engine ignored it completely...only a starter sound...

I am completely lost

After a day I tried to start the car and again for a second the engine tried to start but then only a starter sound...

Please guys, I can use some advice here....
The problematic part is that I will not be able to work on the car for a few days but I will try everything you will write later this week.

Thanks for your help.

[Mrmerlin]

OK so you say you hear a starter sound ?
Does that mean you hear the engine cranking??
If its cranking and you smell gas and you have spark, I would say you have fouled plugs.
Try holding the gas pedal to the floor and crank it till it starts to run.
If the battery is low then you may not have enough voltage to start the car.
Also check the battery terminals, add another ground wire with one of the jumper cables from the neg post of the battery to the chassis, if you have a bad ground wire this may assist in getting the car started

[Yoni_d]

If one or even some of the plugs are fouled, I should hear sounds of the engine trying to start right?
I will check the ground wire and I will try to start it with the gas pedal all the way to the ground...by the way, why holding the gas pedal to the ground should make it start? I thought only if the engine is flooded then I should start it with the gas pedal all the way to the ground...right?

[Mrmerlin]

once the engine gets flooded then the plugs get fouled they wont really dry off as fresh fuel will be getting injected, as you try to start the engine.
Holding the pedal to the floor will let in a lot of fresh air and this should dry off the plugs to get the engine to start if that is your problem.
You could also try squirting some ether into the intake and see if it fires ( do this after you try holding the pedal to the floor), If it fires after the ether test then you dont have sufficient fuel to run the car so a fuel pump may not be working

[Yoni_d]

I didnt try to start it with the gas pedal all the way down but I did try to squirt some fuel into the intake manifold and I got no reaction...only the starter sound and the engine doesnt show any signs that it wants to start working.

[EIPtuningR32]

3 things that are key to a running car:
1. Spark
2. Fuel
3. Compression

it seems like you have checked the first two so it may be time to start thinking about compression.

[Yoni_d]

mmm I dont think that bad compression is the case here since I never had starting problems and each cold start took a split of a second.
I think that compression problem is a process and something that doesnt happen in one day.

I really think that the spark on the plugs may be weak..but how can I know it for sure?

[Mrmerlin]

what happens after you do the things suggested in post 2??

[Yoni_d]

Sorry, as I said, I have no time to check it in the following days but maybe this evenning I will try to start it with the gas all the way to the floor but I am not sure that I will have the time

[Mrmerlin]

If you have weak spark then you also may have a low battery, make sure the battery is charged up before you try to start the car

[Yoni_d]

The battery is 13V and I also tried to connect another battery because I thought that mine is weak...I think that when I will have time I will open the distributor and check it out

[JhwShark]

Interesting...it doesn't sound like a core (engine problem)...it started for months, then just won't sart, right. You have not perfformed any modifications between good state and curreent no start state? did not adjust ig timing?
Onething about a Bat, (how old is it) if it is good it may have a bad cell so not enough Amps but reads good volts...does all the electric work, lights, fans , wipers while you try to start or do things slow down /dim, if so just replace the Bat...
FPump is good
have spark so in line resistor is OK
Ig Switch is good,
If AUtomatic trans check the Start Relay click, it is usually next to the fp relay (on left)...turn ig to start while you have a finger on the relay it should click like the fp relay. You have to touch them to feel which is working because you will hear clicks but have to isolate which relay. You can cubstitute the fan relay if fan works for a start relay on some 928's.
How about Cold Start valve??
That's my thoughts for now,
Jon

[Yoni_d]

The car was working perfectly fine for months...
Battery is good and just in case I attached another one inline.
Electrical system works (lights, wipers etc)
No modification been made since the last time the car worked.
It is not automatic..
mmm...I am not familiar with the cold starrt valve...where can I find it? what should I check?
could it be that the distributer is not 100% ok?

[Mrmerlin]

what happens when you hold the pedal to the floor and crank it??
It sounds to me like your doing a lot of tail chasing, you probably have a set of fouled plugs. Please,Do this first then report back

[Yoni_d]

OMG!!!! it started!!!

at first, I tried to start it normally and there was an explosion from the exhaust pipe and then the engine was just cranking with no intention to start.
I have then pressed the gas pedal all the way down and after 5-8 seconds I started to hear that it is trying to start...after 3 more second it started!!!!!
at first it worked very rough and I couldnt remove my foot from the gas pedal but after 20 seconds it stabilized....I am sooooo happy!!!!
There is also a strong smell of gas coming out of the exhaust pipe...mmm...like it is flooded...

Thank you Mrmerlin!!!

But I have no clue how it could happen
Last time the car was running was 2 weeks ago with no problems...how could the engine get flooded or the plugs get fouled while the car was standing!?

Now I can go to sleep with a smile

[Mrmerlin]

First if you start the engine then shut it off without driving it till it gets up to temp this will possibly load the plugs with an extra rich mixture and if the car doesn`t start immediately then the plugs can get fouled.

That said if the battery is low when you try to start the engine the same thing can happen as the engine wont turn over fast enough and the spark will be weak, resulting in fouled plugs.

Remedy drive the car to get it up to temp, take to hi RPM a few times to clear the plugs.
Disconnect the battery if your not going to be driving the car for over 1to2 weeks keep the battery on a charger so it has enough power to start the engine.
Glad you got it running, now go for a drive atleast 40 miles

[Yoni_d]

Thanks man!

[Mrmerlin]

Keep em flying Bro!

[MPDano]

Originally Posted by Yoni_d

OMG!!!! it started!!!

at first, I tried to start it normally and there was an explosion from the exhaust pipe and then the engine was just cranking with no intention to start.
I have then pressed the gas pedal all the way down and after 5-8 seconds I started to hear that it is trying to start...after 3 more second it started!!!!!
at first it worked very rough and I couldnt remove my foot from the gas pedal but after 20 seconds it stabilized....I am sooooo happy!!!!
There is also a strong smell of gas coming out of the exhaust pipe...mmm...like it is flooded...

Thank you Mrmerlin!!!

But I have no clue how it could happen
Last time the car was running was 2 weeks ago with no problems...how could the engine get flooded or the plugs get fouled while the car was standing!?

Now I can go to sleep with a smile

MrMerlin to the rescue! Now drive that car and stop storing it for 2 weeks at a time. I drive mine at least 2 times a week to work (55 miles round trip).

[Yoni_d]

It wasnt my fault My rear coupler probably got loose since I cant shift into 1st, 3rd and 5th...I was waiting for a friend of mine that will help me with that issue since I cant do it by myself so thats why the car was standing....