strange spark plug wire situation

scrambled2k3 · 10-28-2003, 02:22 PM

i bought some new spark plug wires and i hooked them up. and i checked several times to make sure they were hooked up in the right firing order, and they were. Well....the car wouldn't start at all. So i thought the wires might have been bad that she sold me, so i plugged the old ones back up, and the car still won't start. The firing order is right. but atleast 2 cylinders would fire up with the old wires. Anybody got a clue. Its really stormy here right now, could the weather affect it. This is the car that has been stored for 2 1/2 years and i recently got it started by replacing the fuel pump!

clinton · 10-28-2003, 02:45 PM

Sounds like two injectors are not working. What two cylinders are working ?

scrambled2k3 · 10-28-2003, 02:50 PM

the first and the fourth. But the car started fine with the old plug wires the other day. and today it won't start with the old ones, or the new ones. The car is parked under a garage, but its really stormy outside right now.

scrambled2k3 · 10-28-2003, 02:50 PM

first and fourth don't work...the 2nd and 3rd DO work!

clinton · 10-28-2003, 02:58 PM

I would cheak the wires to the injectors first,I think the 1 @ 4 injector fire at the same time as do the 2 @ 3 so it sounds like you have a injector wire problem . They both could be pluged up but not likely the same time .

scrambled2k3 · 10-28-2003, 03:06 PM

but even cylinders 2 & 3 would fire the other day, enough to start the engine!

clinton · 10-28-2003, 03:12 PM

I would look at the wires to the first and forth then. Are you sure the cap and rotor is ok. Are you getting spark to all cylinders ? What do the plugs look like?

MrPants · 10-28-2003, 03:23 PM

id check the cap and rotor. is there spark from the main wire to the distributor?

scrambled2k3 · 10-28-2003, 04:57 PM

everything is firing ok...i disconnected wires from cap and the points are firing ok...i just bought a new fuel pump...and i depressurized the fuel line, jumped 87b and 30, and the pump won't cut on....the pump is a week old and its already gone out again! anybody got any idea what may have caused it to go out like that??

drew1 · 10-28-2003, 05:58 PM

What kind of distributor are we talking about with points?

drew1

Tishabet · 10-28-2003, 06:12 PM

Ahem.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?threadid=132811

scrambled2k3 · 10-28-2003, 07:31 PM

the points on the distributor cap that the spark plug wires connect to...i disconnected the spark plug wire from the cap and the electricity was arking off of it pretty good. There has got to be a short not allowing enough energy to go through, or either too much energy and is burning up the fuel pump! Or maybe i got a bad pump. its got a lifetime warranty so i'm sending it back. Could it be maybe debris in the gas tank formed or something, the gas is 2 1/2 years old in the car. And it doesn't get filtered before it goes into the pump(go figure). Why would you put a fuel pump before a filter, wouldn't that cause more of a risk of fuel pump failure?

MrPants · 10-28-2003, 08:35 PM

can you hear the fuel pump running if you go put your ear by it?

SoCal Driver · SoCal Driver's Garage

I've found the problem!

"the gas is 2 1/2 years old in the car"

newoldguy · 10-28-2003, 11:08 PM

Yep, SoCal is right. Gas that old can be nasty. You need to drain or siphon as much of the old gas out as you can. Refill with nice new fresh gas. I'd probably change the fuel filter too. See what happens then but you may get to run some "cleaner" through if you've got gunked up fuel lines and associated parts.

scrambled2k3 · 10-29-2003, 04:29 AM

the filter is new...and so was the fuel pump. Do you think the DME may have played a part in it to? If the DME is not sending enough current, it could burn it up, should i replace it, or do you think its just the bad gas?

Kirby2 · 10-29-2003, 07:27 AM

Now, not later, swap out the injectors for balanced and clean ones. ($125 ) Drain the tank (don't try to resurect old gas with stabilizers). Refil with a good cleaner - mine likes techroline.
The gunk in old gas seems to be able to pass through the best new filter and create havoc. I fought this for a year after a stop at an BAD gas station.

SoCal Driver · SoCal Driver's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by scrambled2k3
the filter is new...and so was the fuel pump. Do you think the DME may have played a part in it to? If the DME is not sending enough current, it could burn it up, should i replace it, or do you think its just the bad gas?

The DME does not send out current to the injectors or the fuel pump. It grounds the injector circuits and the second coil in the DME relay.

If there is insufficient power to the injectors because of worn contacts in the DME relay then the DME can only ground out what is there.

The DME takes the second coil in the DME/fuel pump relay to ground. The current going to the fuel pump is then from the battery through a fuse.

You can age whiskey. You can age wine. You CAN NOT age gasoline.

If you truly are burning up fuel pumps it's because you didn't drain and clean out the fuel tank.

profssr2017 · 10-29-2003, 09:46 AM

1) Use a spare battery or battery charge to put power directly to the pump to see if it will turn on. You may have a faulty wire providing power to the pump.

2) Clean the speed and reference sensors .

drew1 · 10-29-2003, 03:30 PM

Scrambled,

Theres's nothing likea no crank early 944, no codes, etc. I'm going to suggest putting a guage on the fuel rail & see if the pump builds up pressure when you jumper 30 & 87 on the relay socket. There is a strainer at the tank outlet to the pump. After you drain the tank, clean the crud out of the strainer. Maybe the new pump will work then. Most places don't have warranty on electric parts. Hope you don't need new injectors, try some Techtron in new gas.

Good luck & keep trying. You'll be awfully proud when you get her running.

drew1