[V8] ANOTHER V8 won't start...and I am stumped!

Wed Dec 15 11:55:43 EST 2004

Yes, when I left mine sitting partially disassembled for over a year
to do the timing belt, when I finally restarted it, it did seem to
crank very unusually in such a way that I began to doubt my work for a
few moments.  It finally percolated to life, though I had to hold the
throttle wide open for much of the subsequent cranking and then it
took a few more moments for it to remember how to run smoothly.

Ed

On Wed, 15 Dec 2004 11:00:12 -0500, Coleman, David
<David.Coleman at blackrock.com> wrote:
> Good points -- fuel pressure regulator in particular.
> 
> I also meant to opine that if you haven't heard a V8 turn but not start
> in a while, or you're used to hearing that situation with a Chevy
> Citation or something, I think the V8 motor makes a more pronounced
> fast, compression-less crank sound than many other motors...
> 
> Just a glimmer of optimism...
> 
> -DaveC.
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: v8-bounces at audifans.com [mailto:v8-bounces at audifans.com] On Behalf
> Of dsaad at icehouse.net
> Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 10:42 AM
> To: v8 at audifans.com
> Subject: Re: [V8] ANOTHER V8 won't start...and I am stumped!
> 
> First off I would:
> - Test fuel pressure for both too high or too low condition.
> - Test fuel pressure regulator to make sure fuel is not comming out of
> the vacuum line (indicating a bad regulator).
> - Take a fuel sample (during pressure test) and look for water
> 
> Keep in mind this motor is very persnickety about its plugs. Mine had
> all sorts of starting problems with Bosch +4 plugs, but does fine with
> even cheapo Champions.
> 
> I would also be tempted to do a compression test because of the fast
> crank.
> Mine also did this and I concluded (probably erroneously) that the rings
> had carboned up and a cleaning job with "GM Top Engine Cleaner" loosened
> things up.
> I had low compression with a cold motor but normal compression when hot
> or with added oil to the cylinders during the cold test. As I recall,
> the cold compression came up quite a bit after the cleaning.
> I also had a sticky fuel pump relay. In my case, the motor would seem to
> want to catch just as I released the key from cranking. I fiddled with
> the relay contacts a little had that problem went away.
> 
> Dave
> 
> Quoting Ben Howell <bhowell at rmi.net>:
> 
> > Yep, another V8 that won't start......
> >
> > Here's the situation: The car is a 91' 5 speed that doesn't get driven
> 
> > a lot. Timing belt water pump and rebuilt heads went on less than 15k
> > miles ago. Plug wires, caps, rotors, plugs were done at the same time.
> 
> > About 3 weeks ago, I started it up to move it in the driveway and
> > after about 4-5 seconds of running, it just died. I tired to restart
> > it and it doesn't even try. It turns over fast, like it has no
> > compression or like the timing belt is broken. Fearing the worst, I
> > pull a the driver's side timing belt cover for inspection and the belt
> 
> > is fine. My next suspect is the reference sender. I know they go bad
> all the time as I have now put two in this car.
> > The one that is in there is less than 10k miles old, but I swap in a
> > known good one anyway...same result, no start, fast crank.
> >
> > So, feeling dejected and defeated, I walk away and leave the car.
> > Finally this weekend I get the chance to dig into it and see what I
> > can see and here is where I am at:
> >
> > I get only one code and it is Intake Temp Sender. I KNOW that won't
> > kill the car, but I check resistance and it is within spec AND I swap
> > in a known good one. Still no start.
> >
> > Now I fear a timing belt jump. I pull both caps and both valve covers
> > and bring crank up on TDC. All cams and distributors are in time.
> > Nothing has skipped anywhere.
> >
> > I stick a spark plug in a wire end and crank....I see a spark, so now
> > I know I have a good spark. Still no start.
> >
> > Now, I run the output test to see if the injectors are firing. All 8
> > injectors pass the output test (or at least the click like they are
> > supposed to). Still no start.
> >
> > Now I pull the plugs out. All 8 plugs range from extremely to somewhat
> 
> > fouled. So, I replace all 8 plugs with new units. Now it's almost like
> 
> > it wants to start. I can hear it trying to catch, but then it just
> > starts to crank fast again. So, I pull all the plugs back out and they
> 
> > are soaked in fuel. I blow all the gas off the plugs with compressed
> > air, pull the fuel pump relay and crank it over for a few seconds to
> > purge it. Now, I leave the car with the plugs out of it for 24 hours
> > in the hopes of really drying the cylinders out. After 24 hours, I
> > reinstall the plugs and hook all the plug wires up and try to start
> > it. Again, it tries to catch every few seconds, but still won't and
> just ends up flooding again.
> >
> > So, here's the bottom line, I have seen a spark with my own two eyes,
> > the plugs are covered in fuel, so there must be fuel and I know
> > everything is in time....why will this thing not start? It makes no
> > sense. Does anyone have ANY idea. Anything? I like to think of myself
> > a being competent with these cars, but this one has me stumped.
> >
> > Any help is appreciated.
> >
> > Thanks!
> > Ben
> >
> > P.S. I am still subscribed to the list, but I have not been getting
> > list mail for months now. So, if you could either reply direct or CC
> > me that would be great.
> >
> >
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