Engine Cranks, Won't Fire Up...

[Treppiede]

Good Afternoon Guys.
Last Wednesday night my SVX left me stranded for the first time. I had left work at 1am, fired her up and left campus. After a couple of blocks it just died on me and I had to pull over.

The battery had charge, when I cranked the engine the starter would turn it at the regular speed it does with a good battery, but the engine simply wouldn't turn on. Sometimes the engine would vibrate so it's trying to fire up, but somehow it can't.

Today I finally got to do some basic troubleshooting on it:

- Poured 2,5 gallons of gas in the tank (I was low on gas anyways) and pushed the car left and right to move liquid in the tank, just in case the fuel pump might have been clogged.

- Unplugged the fuel line to the filter and asked my friend to turn the key on. Fuel everywhere, therefore fuel pump works.

- Unplugged the fuel line to the fuel rail (from the filter) and asked my friend to do the same. Fuel everywhere, again, therefore filter is not too clogged.

- I just pulled my Optima Yellow Top from my Eclipse, and I am gonna put it in the SVX just in case she needs a little more cranking power.

Next thing to check are the Spark Plugs I guess. I got the car with 120K miles, she now has 135K miles and I must admit I neglected that part since I heard it's quite a pain in the arse, but now I have to. I already searched the Forum and read that you guys are doing great with the NGK-PFR6B-11. NGK's website also lists the Standard plugs BKR6ES-11 for my SVX, so I was wondering if anybody has tried those since I have a feeling they may be quite cheaper and right now I am really broke. Also, is there a special tool I should use to pull the plugs? Or a 2-feet long wobble extension (thanks Mike) with the proper socket will do it?

Any further troubleshooting advice will be immensely appreciated!

Regards,

Walter

[Beav]

Save your money, six spark plugs won't all fail at the same time.

No-starts require you to begin with the basics: Air, fuel, spark. Changing the battery won't help anything if the engine cranks at normal speed. Remove one coil and place a spare spark plug in it. Lay the metal portion of the plug on something metal (grounded) and have someone crank the engine while watching for a spark. Next, remove a connector from one of the fuel injectors and place a test light ground lead on one terminal and the positive on the other. Again, have someone crank the engine while you watch the light - it will be faint and brief so you need to shield the lamp from ambient light to see if it flashes. Next, connect the test light ground to a ground and while the key is 'on' probe both terminals to see if the light comes on bright and steady on one terminal.

Results: no spark and no injector pulse = probable crank sensor - if no bright light at injector harness also may be bad ignition switch. Spark & no pulse, but bright light when checking for 12v power = bad ECU or wiring. Injector pulse but no spark = probable bad igniton module or ECU. No bright light when checking for power = blown injection fuse.

Check the three items and let me know the results. I can give you additional help.

[immortal_suby]

I would bet on the timing belt. Pull one of the plastic covers off and see if it is ok.

[Treppiede]

Beav and Matt, thanks for the tips.

Also, I have forgotten to mention that I have changed the Power Steering pump about two months ago, and although the pump install was fairly easy, I was never able to figure out the belt portion and I have been driving the car with a slightly loose Power Steering belt. It has been screeching (the belt) especially with the engine cold, and I have never managed to pull the belt out and re-do the tensioning since then because school is killing me (some days are 8am-1am - yes, 17 hours straight including work). Is there a way to properly tension the PS belt? I was unable to understand the tensioning mechanism and I hope that this issue is not due to my neglecting of the PS belt, because I'd slap myself.

Beav: I will most definitely try your suggestions tomorrow morning, when I go back to school (it is currently parked in the garage).

Matt: I surely hope you are wrong, I do know we have non-interference engines so the valves should be ok, but still a timing job is something I can't really afford right now.

Thanks again!

Walter

[Electrophil]

Check the ignitor too. Crank angle sensor and ignitor.

[Beav]

Originally Posted by Electrophil

Check the ignitor too. Crank angle sensor and ignitor.

Ignitor = ignition module.

First things first. Besides, how do you propose he check it?

Let's just see if he has spark and pulse first.

Matt: You could very well be right, if the belt has never been changed.

Timing belt would be my guess.

Mike

[Beav]

Actually the injectors are ground switched, my bad. When checking for pulse the light will glow and briefly dim each time it is supposed to 'fire'. Sometimes it is easier to attach the test light's ground lead to the battery + and probe the ground terminal of the injector connector. This way you will have a light that is normally off and flashes on.

Timing belts (and chains/gears too) usually break during starting. The sudden shock of the starter against the 'at rest' valve train is a tremendous load. The next normal failure occurs when someone is goosing the throttle in neutral, again the shock/strain is greatest then. This is why I think the other checks are a better place to begin.

[immortal_suby]

Originally Posted by Beav

Timing belts (and chains/gears too) usually break during starting. The sudden shock of the starter against the 'at rest' valve train is a tremendous load. The next normal failure occurs when someone is goosing the throttle in neutral, again the shock/strain is greatest then. This is why I think the other checks are a better place to begin.

I haven't broken one on the SVX yet, but I have broken 4 of them on the little red wagon - 3 of them were during highway driving, and 1 accelerating from a stop. I know the engines are very different (very very different), but each time the dash lit up like a xmas tree and the car would not start, just turn over. One time I was doing 70 in the far left lane when it broke - it was fun coasting through the lanes with no power steering to get to the shoulder.

Yes, we used to run the bejeezuz out of timing belts. We've had them last between 40k-80k. One time the car was ticking/knocking and I thought I had finally killed the engine. I was so sad. A new timing belt fixed it.


/threadjack (sorry)

[immortal_suby]

Power steering belt tension will not affect your problem.

To tension it, first loosen the nut in the center of the idler pulley, then look for the head of the long bolt that leads up and to the right from the pulley. Rotating that bolt will move the pulley assembly (assuming no one has altered the setup on your car)
Once you have tightened the belt sufficiently using the long bolt, tighten the nut in the center of the pulley and you are done.


If the timing belt is your problem we have enough how-to's here that I'm sure we can walk you through it. If you can change the spark plugs you are more than capable of changing the timing belt. A new belt is around $90.

[QUOTE=immortal_suby]Power steering belt tension will not affect your problem.
QUOTE]


But the power steering belt also runs the alternator, which could affect his problem. Since his battery seems ok though, I lean towards the timing belt.



Dave

[Treppiede]

Originally Posted by immortal_suby

I would bet on the timing belt. Pull one of the plastic covers off and see if it is ok.

Originally Posted by Beav

Matt: You could very well be right, if the belt has never been changed.

Originally Posted by Green1995SVX

Timing belt would be my guess.

Originally Posted by red95svx

I lean towards the timing belt.

Aaargh!!! You guys were right! I just removed the two top bolts on the driver's side TB cover, pulled the cover, peeked in and guess what? The TB is loose, shiny, smelly and ugly!

This is really bad news because I am really broke right now, and it's strange too because the previous owner of this car gave me all the maintenance paperwork (performed at a Subaru dealership), very complete and reassuring. I should go back and see when was the timing belt changed last.

Anyways, I am gonna order the stuff from the good guys over at Subaruparts.com on Monday morning I guess. Besides the TB, what else should I order? I am not looking forward to change more expensive parts like water pump and the like, but if a new bolt, seal or plug is recommended I will surely go for it. Here's the link I am looking at.

Also, if you can point me to your favorite timing-belt replacement how-to that would be great. How many hours am I looking to put into this?

As usual, thanks for all the help.

Walter

[immortal_suby]

This is probably the best how-to
http://www.ryanmacdonald.com/car/howto/belt/belt.html

We'll really need to know what caused the breakage to determine what else needs changing. Some have had the water pump or idler pulleys lock up causing the timing belt snap. Hopefully yours was just old.

You don't need to change anything else if it isn't broken, but I really recommend changing the front main seal (crank seal) while you are in there.

First time and barring something goes wrong like the crank pulley or main sprocket is stuck on, I'd bet around 2-3 hours to do it.

[Treppiede]

Originally Posted by immortal_suby

This is probably the best how-to

Matt, thanks a lot, I already read the whole thing and I am a bit relieved. Is there any other how-to where I can see better pics of the alignment portion of the TB replacement? Some of the pics on that how-to are blurry, perhaps there's no need because once I'll be doing it it will be all clear, but just in case a couple of extra pics/alternative tutorial shouldn't hurt...

Thanks,

Walter

[TomsSVX]

I have a slightly used water pump and a brand new gasket if you want to knock that out of the way while you are in there. it is yours if you cover shipping.

Tom