Engine cranks but no start

[LaX SHO]

My car is a '94 MTX, it cranks just fine but it won't start. Fuel tank was quite low (gauge wasn't quite on "E" but light was on) and I thought it might be out of gas so I put some in and it still won't start. I cycled the key to see if it just needed some fuel in the system but to no avail. It is sitting in the parking lot at work, luckily I still have my old car so I'm taking some tools with me tomorrow. Any suggestions as to what I should check (and tools to bring) would be greatly appreciated.

 

[autobahnsho]

Try the codes. (see www.shotimes.com or www.shophoenixproject.com)

Do you hear the fuel pump come on when you 'cycle' the key? If not it might be bad.

Does the tachometer move when you crank the key? If not you could have a bad sensor.

 

[LaX SHO]

Well I got to work this morning and it fired right up. It runs like nothing is wrong now. Not sure what would cause something like that. Any ideas?

 

[Ishodu]

Well I got to work this morning and it fired right up. It runs like nothing is wrong now. Not sure what would cause something like that. Any ideas?

Yes it sounds like a CPS issue. Did you have a CE light when you were cranking? Check your ECC codes see what you come up with. Try a search on ECC codes you will find all the info you need to get them and find out what they mean.

 

[LaX SHO]

Grrr, it won't start again this morning. I checked and the CE light stayed on while I was cranking, but I was under the impression that's normal? The cam sensor was replaced on this car by the previous owner, he gave me the repair order to prove it. I'll check for codes tonight and let you know what I come up with.

 

[LaX SHO]

Well I got a whole bunch of codes (most likely from the previous owner) so I cleared the codes and tried starting it. I then tried codes again. Got 111. Still won't start. What else should I check? The Chilton manual doesn't seem very helpful when it comes to diagnosing problems.

 

[masho95]

Does the tach move while you are trying to start the car?

 

[LaX SHO]

Yes, the tach moves.

 

[LaX SHO]

If the tach moves, does that rule out the crankshaft position sensor?

 

[masho95]

Yeah most likely but it's still a possibility. Did you hear the fuel pump prime when you turned the car to run?

 

[LaX SHO]

Yeah, I can hear the fuel pump.

 

[SHOoff89]

My old 91 did this exact thing when the fuel pump died. You could still hear it when you turned the key, but when we checked the fuel pressure, it was not enough. Have you checked the fuel pressure yet?

 

[LaX SHO]

No, I still need to get a hold of a fuel pressure gauge. I'm just too cheap to buy one right now, lol.

 

[LaX SHO]

Well the car fired right up today so I decided to drive it to my dad's house since he's got a garage and tools there. On the way there, the car died without warning. The tach still moved when I cranked it, although I couldn't tell if the fuel pump was going cause of all the noise from the rush hour traffic. So about five minutes later it miraculously started again. I kept on driving and then traffic slowed to a crawl. I looked up through the sunroof and said "Dear God, please don't let my car die again." I got it there without it and I'm going to work on it tomorrow. Seems like the crankshaft position sensor from what I've been reading, but the tach still moves. Does it get engine RPMs from another source as well? Could it still be the crankshaft position sensor even though the tach still works?

 

[SHOoff89]

I am going to stick with the fuel pump. Anyone disagree?

 

[Ishodu]

With no code and a tach reading it sounds like a fuel pump. But a pressure test will tell you for sure.

 

[LaX SHO]

OK it's been a while, but I'm back. Checked fuel pressure, it's fine. There is no spark. I finally just took it to a mechanic because I don't have that much time to work on it. He has been working on it for the past day and a half and can't find anything wrong with it yet.

 

[LaX SHO]

Crankshaft position sensor was bad. I was reading another thread and it said something about coolant from the water pump dripping on them and making them go bad. Should I be looking at a new water pump as well? I haven't noticed any coolant leaking, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. Also I thought that the CPS would give a code and that the tach would not work if it was bad. Any thoughts as to why my tach still worked and I got no codes?

 

[LaX SHO]

Anyone?

 

[autobahnsho]

I replaced the CPS June 2003 and didn't have any waterpump issues until the car blew up this May..

The CPS USUALLY gives codes and certain signs but not all the time.
Anything electrical can be intermittent. That's why these newfangled computer controlled cars are so tricky...