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Crank but no start

P

pvtnum11

Member
Hey there - got a high-mileage beater t-top and cloth car - and I went out this evening to start it up and move it, and it cranks - but it won't catch. Sounds different, too, like there's no compression or something wierd, kind of hard to describe it. Letting it sit for a bit.

I hear the fuel pump engage when you first turn it to run, so I'm sure I have fuel, but I may not have spark, maybe...? Any quick ways to check for spark? Hope my cam sensor didn't go...
 
UPDATE: Thanks to the nifty chart Start Trouble Shooting Here over here, I decided to check to see if my camshaft rotated or not - pop oil fill cap, wife cranked car, yay, valves are moving. I then checked for spark - removed a wire at the coilpack, laid my leatherman so it's just barely not touching the terminal (other end on the plenum) cranked it, and I have spark.

Still sounds "off" when it cranks.

Tow truck is going to come rolling in at about 2 am looking for errant cars to two, so I have to move it somehow, or fast-talk the driver, IF he shows up.

Oh, and go to work tomorrow. That might not happen.
 
Update the Second: Pulled codes just for kicks. Nothing but 12, which is expected.

I'll tackle it in the morning when I got daylight; it's almost eleven pm right now.
 
Sounds like what happened to me when my nylon cam gear broke. The car was good and running then I shut it off checked the oil level and it never started again. Took for ever to solve that mystery. But I finally felt air coming out the air filter as we turned the car over. I knew that was wrong!! But you should check both the cam and crank sensors in a no start issue.
 
I thought if the crank sensor was dead, that you'd have no spark - or am I thinking how the old MPFI 3.1 chevy motors worked... I had a crank sensor die, and the car would crank but no spark was generated.

So was your problem in that the camshaft was really out of sync with the crank, so that exhaust came out of the intake?

...is confused.
 
Yes you are correct about spark and crank sensor, I was just saying. Yes that was the problem my cam gear broke so the can shaft and crankshaft were way out of sink and that was the problem. Do you know if the car has original timing chain and gears?
 
I suspect it is the original - 110,000 miles, so it'll be about that time for the nylon gear to strip out and slew out the timing, or whatever it did, as I can still see the valves operating with the oil cap off.

As I lack even a carport to work on it, I'm getting price quotes for a timing chain replacement. It'll probably cost me a bundle, but I'll have the peace of mind.

...still have to move it out of that guest parking stall before tonight. That'll be fun.
 
Okay, so I found a nice local shop that can diagnose it (after I described the symptoms, they said they'd troubleshoot in more detail than I can) and they said a timing chain job would run about 550 total for labor and parts.

Maybe I'll get lucky and it's something stupid I didn't look for, and it'll be cheaper.
 
Okay, they finally got to it and confirmed that the nylon gear was shot to hell. Also wanted to replace the coolant pump; the bearing was trashed. Threw in an oil change (I'm guessing you have to drain the oil anyway) and fresh coolant, and oil filter. The damages to my wallet aren't terrible, either. So, in a few days, I'll have my car back.
 
Good luck on repair . 500.00 sounds cheap did it my self last year on a good chain . 188,000 miles on car did not want a break. any how if that gear is that bad (most teeth gone ) pull oil pan broken gear can and will plug oil pump pick up
 
The gear wasn't that bad, apparently - just enough to preclude starting ever again. Should be ready for pickup tomorrow.

I'm wondering if the rattling noise I was hearing when the car was running was the coolant pump bearing - it didn't used to make noise like that when I used to drive it, but after a year-long nap, it sounded almost like something was tapping the exhaust. Since they said that the coolant pump bearing was toast, who knows. It would be nice if the car didn't sound as bad as it looks - the driver's side of the bumper is all banged up from some incidental contact; enough that the paint chipped off of the fiberglass. Not enough to destroy the fiberglass, though. But when I paint the car, new front clip is pretty much mandatory.
 
Hooray, I have my car back. Seems more responsive than before and sounds healthier. The mechanic mentioned that one of my cooling fans isn't kicking in; suggested that I get that replaced soon.
 
They turn on at different times. Did he check with the air on? If your air isn't working, you can jump out the pressure switch to see if it turns on. There are also modifications you can do to make them both turn on at the same time. Do a search. If it's not turning on, it could also be a bad relay.
 
HVAC needs a charge, so no clue if it would still turn on or not. I;d imagine not, what with the compressor not clicking into action (low refrigerant switch)... Hmmm, sounds like I need a can of refrigerant to test that fan out.
 
No - there is a pressure switch on one of the lines that turns the fan on. If you disconnect it and jump the 2 wires, it will turn on if it's working.
 
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