Weird no start condition

[93MTXSHO]

I know that I was a real ass in my last post, and I hope that you can find it in your hearts to forgive me. However, I seem to have a new problem coming to light. Please help if you do not mind.

Last night, I drove my car about 1/2 mile and then parked it for an hour and a half. When I came back to the car, it would not start. I cranked 3 times for about 15-20 seconds a piece, turning the key off and back on to cycle the fuel pump each time. Finally, it stumbled and then started on the fourth try. The engine was cold, so I decided to take it for a ride so that I could check the codes. Both KOEO and KOER yielded 111. No help from the computer. It has done this before, but it would always start the second try, with very little effort, never like this. Here's a brief synopsis of the ignition/fuel system's maintenance.

14K on Spark plugs, timing belt, and wires, 2K on fuel pump and filter, DIS is cracked on the front left, but I smeared some Permatex in it in hopes to help avoid any problems. My only thought is CID, or CPS, but I don't think it's the CPS as when I was cranking the tach was runing around 3-600 RPMs (I think). I know the CID isn't hard to replace, but what do you think? Are these the symptoms manifested in it's failure? I just checked the CID sensor for oil. It has the oily grit all over and underneath it meaning that the seal is weeping, will this cause my condition? How hard are the cam seals to replace? If the sensor fails, will my car still run?

Thanks so much for your thoughts. Again, I am truly sorry for the last post I made.

 

[luigisho]

A faulty CID sensor has a 1 in 3 chance in starting at any given time. So yes a faulty CID sensor can cause a no start condition.
Cps will not always throw a code and can cause no start condition.
A cracked dis (how did it crack?) can have several possible problems like: did it crack due to excessive engine movement? If so and it moved enough to crack it how healthy are the wires in that area that have been stretched about. Or are things amiss in the elements in the film? Etc...

How is it operating lately? I would replace the easiest to access part first CID. Then try to swap a good DIS module from someone. Then go to CPS.

 

[93MTXSHO]

Thanks luigisho. When I got the car the water pump was leaking, but at that time, I did not know of the crankshaft position sensor. I checked my fuel pressure, and it was about 30 pounds before trying to start the engine, and tonight, it fired up every time I tried. The DIS was cracked when I got the car right around the front left spark plug wire. It looked like some amatuer didn't know that you had to squeeze the retainer clip and just pulled. Right now, the car is performing like a million bucks. If the camshaft seal is leaking behind the CID, will that cause intermittent sensor operation? Also, Autozone lists the valve cover gaskets as not available in the store. Can they still order them? I don't have a credit card, so I can't order anything online. Thanks.

 

[luigisho]

I'm not sure about the slow leak on the CID. Hopefully a more experienced member can lend some experience here.

I "think" the felpro set is available only online. Have you taken the part # into the store? Perhaps you could drop the AutoZone.com site an email asking if you could mail a payment to get the part for the best price. I was in an Advance Auto today and they sell the same set but it's a little over $90 there. Check in your area for the suppliers who carry felpro/federal mogul stuff. They should be able to get a set.

 

[projectSHO89]

You can special order the FelPro gasket set in the store. Be sure to take the part number with you.

You can unplug the CID sensor for testing purposes. If you do: 1) the tach won't work, at all and 2) It will likely take several attempts to start the car. Once started, it will run fine. Why unplug it you ask? Because if the computer sees it there at startup time, it will continue to depend on it while the engine is running. A flaky sensor then can cause bucking and stalling if it goes south while the motor is running. If the engine never saw the sensor, it will just guess as to the cam timing. Once it starts, it will continue to use the same timing information that it used to sucessfully start the engine.

My cam seal was leaking bad enough that there was over a tablespoon of oil in the sensor and mounting housing. Still worked. I replaced the cam seal, cleaned the oil out, and reinstalled the sensor. Still works 10K miles later. YMMV.

Replacing the seal is a PITA. Best done at 60K time.

Steve

 

[93MTXSHO]

Thanks guys, but I still am completely stumped. I unplugged the CID and the car idled like crap. I didn't take it for a drive, but it idles so much smoother when the sensor is plugged in. Now, it will start up every time I try, but when I'm driving it and put the clutch in, the idle will jump about 5-600 RPMs and then just coast down to 0. It doesn't even hesitate around idle, it will just jump and die. This has so far happened 4 times just today. The car also has a terrible time maintaining idle when the a/c compressor engages. It will drop down to 500 or so and then finally recover to about 750. Sometimes it will just stall during this time. I'm really certain that the IAB has never been cleaned, so I'm hoping that cleaning it will resolve some problems. Every other time I've reset the idle, I have never put on all engine loads, I have just taken the car for a drive. It would always straighten itself out in 2 or 3 days. I reset the idle 2 weeks ago and it still idles like crap. The "correct" way didn't do it for me, but I'm wondering if the CID will just make it stall out of the blue? Thanks for the replies.