SNOWED SHO

[GottaSHO91]

Hey guys, I need your help. Last Monday the snow was pretty bad here in the east coast but lucky me I had to go to work. Got to work just fine but on my way home, I went into a huge pile of snow on the freeway about the same level as the height of the car from the ground. After a few minutes, my car's temp guage just started to climb up, finally it got past to N in normal when I was going up the hill then my car finally stalled. Opened the hood, there was smoke all over and the coolant was overflowing. It was pretty bad, there was snow all over the front of the car, by the radiator area and underneath the engine was packed with snow also. The area around the pulleys also had packed snow around it. A little bit of snow even got up to the intake area but it wasn't pretty bad. Now my car won't start anymore. It just cranks but it doesn't want to start. My car ran perfectly fine before this by the way. Yesterday I tried starting the car, I noticed the fuel pump didn't turn on when I turned the ignition but it will crank and I checked the shrader valve, nothing came out when I pressed it. What do you think is the problem???

 

[jelloslug]

Check the solanoid next to the airbox on the drivers side fender, I had a poor connection there and the fuel pump quit working.

 

[qiksho]

I like your car thumbs_u Do you have some kind of tint on your taillight covers?

First I would check the codes.

 

[dkal]

GottaSHO91:
Hey guys, I need your help. Last Monday the snow was pretty bad here in the east coast but lucky me I had to go to work. Got to work just fine but on my way home, I went into a huge pile of snow on the freeway about the same level as the height of the car from the ground. After a few minutes, my car's temp guage just started to climb up, finally it got past to N in normal when I was going up the hill then my car finally stalled. Opened the hood, there was smoke all over and the coolant was overflowing. It was pretty bad, there was snow all over the front of the car, by the radiator area and underneath the engine was packed with snow also. The area around the pulleys also had packed snow around it. A little bit of snow even got up to the intake area but it wasn't pretty bad. Now my car won't start anymore. It just cranks but it doesn't want to start. My car ran perfectly fine before this by the way. Yesterday I tried starting the car, I noticed the fuel pump didn't turn on when I turned the ignition but it will crank and I checked the shrader valve, nothing came out when I pressed it. What do you think is the problem???

Did you check to reset the fuel pump inertia switch located on the left side of the trunk compartment?
During the impact of your car into the snowbank it may have opened the electrical circuit in the fuel pump electrical circuit.

 

[projectSHO89]

Since the car ran for a short time (at least several minutes) after the impact, the inertial switch is probably not the problem.

That solenoid nect to the airbox is the starter solenoid. It appears to be working since the car cranks. If other accessories in the car such as the lights also work, that connection is fine.

My suspicion is that the snow jammed the cooling fan (or just blocked the radiator), causing at least two things to happen: 1) the engine overheated and 2) an electrical fusible link blew, power to the ICM was interrupted, or part of the ICM failed due to the overheated condition or the power overload from the jammed fan.

YOu will need the schematic and a meter to start diagnosing the problem.

In the meantime, get all the snow out of there.

Steve

<small>[ February 21, 2003, 04:05 PM: Message edited by: projectSHO89 ]</small>

 

[jelloslug]

That solenoid nect to the airbox is the starter solenoid. It appears to be working since the car cranks. If other accessories in the car such as the lights also work, that connection is fine.

When I had problems with that solenoid my car would crank and all the lights worked properly, but the fuel pump was not getting power. There was a connection that was corroed to the point that there was not longer a connection there.

 

[projectSHO89]

Point taken.

I just looked at mine, there are two ring terminals in addition to the line in from the battery on that terminal.

It looks like several fuse links are located shortly beyond that as the power feed branches off.

I guess it all depends which terminal might have caused your specific situation.

Still, a meter and a schematic will tell exactly where to focus attention, whether at that terminal or elsewhere.

Steve

 

[SHO--ripper]

Did you fix your car? if not post and i will give you a few possible things that could be causing your problem.

 

[yamahaSHO]

Glad to see you finally posted here. Like I told you before this place would be your best bet to find the problem. Sorry I ran out of ideas.
Good luck

The car looks real nice. thumbs_u

 

[Modemagic]

FWIW, while working on my no-start condition, I noticed that my fuel pump wasn't working and I couldn't pull any codes. Found out the cause was there is a 10 or 12 gauge wire that connects right at my battery terminal that came off, which provided power to the fuel pump, as well as the PCM. I do though as well have a couple connecters on the battery side of the solenoid. Not sure how its setup on the '91, but this is the case on my '89.

Step one... pull the codes bro. Thats the best starting point. Also check for your starting triangle: fuel, spark, and air.

 

[Mike Kopstain]

There are two fusible links coming off the starter relay that you can check.

I'm going to put my vote in for the integrated relay control module. This has the relays for the fans and the fuel pump in it. If snow was able to get to the intake, snow or coolant probaby got to this and fried it.

Remember, you have a serious coolant leak somewhere also. You need to find and fix that before the car is run for an extended perios of time.

 

[bradman]

GottaSHO91:
...finally it got past to N in normal when I was going up the hill then my car finally stalled.

eek! I know you probably didn't want to lose your momentum getting up the hill in the slippery conditions, but the attempt may have cost you your engine.

<small>[ February 24, 2003, 02:15 AM: Message edited by: bradman ]</small>

 

[SHO--ripper]

GottaSHO if bradman is right and there is a good possibility that he is i can hook you up with an engine if you car is an MTX. If you can email me with a phone # or something we can meet up. We both live in CT. Also what do you think of a CT SHOclub? Good luck. thumbs_u

 

[steevil]

likely you packed enough snow in the fan or rad to overheat the engine.

Not looking real good quite frankly.

hope you find it is something else.....

I'd consider doing a leak-down test and put an oil pressure gauge on it to see what going on. May wanna check the coolant/ oil for debris.

An engine will run for a surprisingly long time without oil but won't tun particularly long without coolant.

 

[SHO--ripper]

What's up with your SHO GottaSHO. The offer is still there if you need it.