Engine turns over but won't fire!

[svxistentialist]

Originally Posted by saracene

I did the check code but gave up after the engine check light went past 100!Is that normal?

If the light just continues to blink [twice a second if memory serves] regularly with no stops, then that means no codes are stored. And yes it is normal.

Also I would not worry too much on the fuel being old. The filter should stop any gunge, and the fuel should still be OK and burn.

[Now if the car was stored for 3 years on a near empty tank, condensation in the tank could lead to water collecting, and this water would create a problem if it got as far as being pumped to the injectors. Again, the filter should stop that, but if there was more water than would fill the filter housing, then it would get to the injectors and give you grief]

Having said all that it sounds like you have no sparks at the plugs to me, and this is where you need to look for the problem.

Joe

[saracene]

Thanks guys for your input. I am now working on the assumption that there is no spark going to the spark plugs. However I do have a question that I hope someone can answer. Looks like my alarm does not work. The switch on the dashboard does work but thats about it. I tried to reset but have had no luck so far. The alarm does not trigger anything. Dead as a door nail. Now the question. Does this alarm(its original) have a immobiliser built in. By that I mean, that although i don't see it work, it has gone into protection mode and is now preventing my car from starting. If i took the fuse out from the module, would it disable the alarm? Thanks

[saracene]

Disconnected the alarm module. No luck. So not the alarm. Now I am beggining to suspect the fuel pump. Took the back seat off, turned the key to on and could not hear anything. Looks like fuel pump is no good. Is there any way to check it, once out of the car? How do you take it out and which side is it on. There are wires and metal lines on each side. One side has two , once i take rubber covering off looks like they are going underneath the car somewhere. The other side has 3 lines coming out. Have not taken covering off that yet.

[saracene]

Is the fuel pump in the trunk?

[Hocrest]

The pump is in the tank. Before you take open the tank to take the pump out, check for voltage at the connector outside of the tank.

Just outside of the tank, there should be an oval 6 wire connector.
The pump is the Black and Blue wires at position 1 and 4

The Green/Yellow, Orange and Green/White are for the gauge sending unit, ignore those....

[TomsSVX]

so wait.. you are or you are not getting any fuel?? You said earlier the fuel was there

Tom

[saracene]

This is where I am confused. When I did the fuel test, there was fuel coming out of the fuel filter outlet to the injectors. Could it just be old gas under pressure?I decided to check fuel pump and took the cover off. Turned key to the on position and listened for any fuel pump noise. Nothing. Nada. I even used a rubber hose like a stethoscope to try to hear anything. As a final check, with ignition key on "on" i squeezed on the larger rubber hose coming from the fuel pump, there was no pressure. I could squeeze it completely. Did I find the problem? any relays or fuses i could check now before i remove pump.

[TomsSVX]

if there is fuel comming out of the line... there is fuel pressure. Sounds like no spark to me

tom

[longassname]

i would bet you have a bad crank or cam angle sensor...they are necessary for the ecu to tell the relays to throw spark. The annoying thing is you have to keep cranking long enough for it throw a code. The ecu has to detect a certain number of missed triggers before it throws the code. It sounds like you probably already have a code and don't know how to read the light right. I'd give you a link to the thread telling you how to read codes but I have no idea where it is. Maybe one of the people who do know where it is whill give it to you. I don't normally poke my nose out of the mod forums, sorry.

If you want to diagnose fuel futher....put a fuel pressure guage in the fuel line between your filter and manifold. That's always good to have. I doubt you have a fuel problem though.

[svx_commuter]

I just read your original post again. I was wrong thinking it only happened when the engine was hot.

Your engine turns over when it is cold, hasn't been run and will not fire up.

I had the same problem on my 94 Impreza.

It was the temperature sensor.

There was no CEL for this problem.

[saracene]

Thanks for your help guys but I decided to stick with my alfa and maserati, so I sold the svx. The svx was a pain in many ways. Just changing the plugs was a feat on its own. Japanese cars are not for me. Thanks anyways