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Car won't start, plz help

930 views 7 replies 7 participants last post by  Coldshot 
#1 ·
I'll try to be clear as I can, and I think it may be easy for someone to help me out here, because of a few details I noticed right before it died.

Over the last few days, the car has been a little harder to start than usual, like 4 seconds or so, of cranking, rather than the usual 1 second or so. Then, tonight, I stopped for gas, fueled up, started it, it fired right up, then just shut off. I tried starting it for a minute or two, then, it nearly started at one point, seemed like it fired a little, not enough to start tho. Then I just kept trying to start it, killed the battery, charged it, and still it won't start.

I don't think it's the fuel pump, cause it would have atleast stuttered a little or something, and I don't think it's the timing chain because it wouldn't have nearly started the one time, or could it? It sounds normal when it cranks, no warning lights at all, very well maintained also.

What sucks is I had a spare DIC, the red thing (I'm a saab newbie still), in the back, but someone stepped on it, my bad for not putting it in the hatch rather than behind my seat.

Is this most likely the DIC? Also, where it broke is just one of the cone type things, that runs down to the plug or whatever, um, would it be safe to use a kind of epoxy with a clamp and get it good and tight, or should I just find one at a junk yard?

Any advice at all would be great, I've had it a while now, and this is the only trouble I've had, sucks too, the car has been loving the cold weather, it runs perfect otherwise, up until tonight.

Thanks in advance

-Dave

-- 1995 900SE
engine modds - CAI, MBC, intercooler, bov, exhaust - nothing that would really relate to this problem tho, all the other modds having nothing to do with it, brakes, susp.. etc
 
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#2 ·
DHRammstein said:
I don't think it's the fuel pump, cause it would have atleast stuttered a little or something, and I don't think it's the timing chain because it wouldn't have nearly started the one time, or could it? It sounds normal when it cranks, no warning lights at all, very well maintained also.
When my fuel pump went, it did exactly that. Started, ran for a second while the pressure in the fuel rail bled down, and then - nothing!

DHRammstein said:
Is this most likely the DIC? Also, where it broke is just one of the cone type things, that runs down to the plug or whatever, um, would it be safe to use a kind of epoxy with a clamp and get it good and tight, or should I just find one at a junk yard?
You can take the screws out that hold the black plastic towers and swap it onto the DIC with the broken tower. As long as the white plastic coils under the black plastic are undamaged, you will be fine.

Good luck,
John
 
#3 ·
OK in oreder to help you I need to know the mileage.

If you have more than 100K miles, the gas pump could be suspect. The CPS is what controls the pump and tells it when to fire. The resistance value should be 650 +-50 ohms

Other suspects are fuel pump fuse, fuel pump relay and the purge valve.

To check the pump, bypass everything by running a wire to the fuel pump. You need to lift the rear seat cushion and open the plastic cover then fish the wires to test the pump.

Since the problem happened after a fuel refill, it's a real suspect but usually the car would fire up but run rough.

To see if it's the purge valve just unplug the wire harness going to it, it should start and run normally. The Check engine light will come on but that's normal and won't affect the car. The light indicates that an emission related sensor is defective. Obviously running the car like that for an extended period of time would affect the environment a bit so service that valve if it turns out that it's the cause.


Now for the DIC, it's repairable. Either buy a bad DIC from somne one and take off the lower part or buy a new one and replace it.
The part number is #9167016
 
#4 ·
The knowledge of all the little details is important, particularly the car's mileage, and the conditions during the break-down.

The CPS(crank position sensor) tends to fail when hot, a CPS, undergoing impending failure may be OK when cold.. This occurs for a short time, then I am sure it completely fails...

Doing the diagnosis can be tough... but rewarding..:cheesy:
 
#5 ·
Great advice, thanks everyone.

Today I went back to where it's sitting, to try a few things. I'm such a noob, I realized I could take the black lower part of the dic off the one that's still on the car, and use it on the broken spare. No good tho, they both worked, I got zapped from all four on both, I got the buzz sound, so that's good, it cranks nice, no way it's the chain. So I have spark, and I'm pretty certain it's a fuel issue, especially now that I read the responces on here. But to be safe let me post some more info.

'95, mbc, viggen ic, 3'dp, all vaccums are nice, um... 134k miles, I use royal purple and pro long, it's all I used racing mustangs and have had amazing luck so far. But yeah, fueled up, started, died slowly, not too too slow, but not like, an instant shut off, more of a gug gug......then off. And after cranking for about 30 seconds it nearly started at one point, as if it were starved for gas and a little that was in the line maybe let it fire a little.

So I priced a pump, 111$. I checked the fuses, all of them actually, all good. So I guess i just need to know where the purge valve so I can test that idea before I pay the cash for a pump. Also it seems like this will be an easy job, I can get at the pump from up top, without dropping the tank...? Like under the back seat or something?

Oh also, I realized it's not the crank sensor cause I wouldn't have gotten spark, although I realize I'm a bit of a noob, and that's why I'm here, I can be my own worst enemy with assumptions heh.

Few more details, new head gasket and rebuilt head at 97k, oh and clutch too. Um.... I also noticed today when I went back to the car to try the spare dic(after changing out the black part obviously) that when I turned the key to on, I made sure to listen, and I didn't hear the usual fuel pump sound, so I was sold on a fuel issue right then, but, I realize it may not be the pump, this purge valve or whatever could be the issue. I'm a total noob so a pic or description to it's location would be totally awesome.
Please forgive me for filling the entire page, I just want to be clear because I know how important every detail is.

Keys to issue: Good spark, nice buzz(ecu is good), no fuel pump sound when key went to on position, and keep in mind it sat almost an entire day, so it should have made the all familiar sound; hmmmmmmrrrrrrrrrr, something like that heh...

Thanks in advance, you guys are great.

p.s. Can't leave it where it is, not crafty enough to fix it fast, so I'm going to tow it home right now, I'll check this forum tomorow afternoon, again thanks, I'd be lost without such a forum, 2.0T forever!
 
#6 ·
same thing happen to me. i filled up and then the car wouldnt start... the pump went bad.
 
#7 ·
You can test the fuel pump with the engine and ignition off. It is not foolproof, if the pump is working some of the time.

When the ECU wants to turn on the pump, it does it through a relay and a fuse.
The fuse is accessible in the fuse box on the side of the instrument panel.

You can pull a test lead or a wire from the positive battery terminal to the lower terminal of the fuse (after taking the fuse out). If the pump works, it will run and just circulate fuel through the fuel lines, the fuel filter, and the fuel rail, and back to the tank. The injectors will not open, so no fuel will go into the cylinders.

Essentially, you are "hot-wiring" the pump, meaning, it is being powered from a "hot" lead from the battery.

If you flip up the rear seat, you can hear it run. The fuel will also make a sound going past the fuel pressure regulator, you can hear that with the hood open. And, if you are ambitios, you can measure the current in the test lead from the battery to the fuse, it should be about 6-7 amps, assuming battery at 12 V.

If you can't hear it, and/or if the current is much lower or much higher, the pump is bad.
 
#8 ·
I would flip up the back seat and remove the plastic cover over the fuel pump. You can jump the fuel pump right in the fuse panel by taking power from the fuse above it. I'm not sure what that fuse is (hazard flashers?). You dont need to remove any fuses, just jump from the live fuse above to the fuel pump fuse. Have an assistant listen for the pump buzz. If you hear no noise chances are you need a pump. The gas tank has to come out to do this properly. I know there are people who claim to cut the floor & stuff, but I've heard real horror stories. For my money I drain the tank, remove & replace the pump. Should take a shop about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Good luck. Coldshot.................
 
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