Car randomly decided it wouldnt start. Help?

[Scott]

Hey all, I drove my SVX home from work the other day. It started up with no problems like always, and drove home without ANY incident. Then an hour later, I got back into the car to drive to Orlando and, all of a sudden, it refused to start.

The engine will crank all day long, which leads me to believe it's not the battery. My first guess is that it's either getting no fuel or no spark. I haven't checked anything yet due to my incredibly hectic schedule. But it definitely seems weird that it would die completely and without warning. I remember my first car had a little sensor that would detect some sort of impact, and basically immobilize the car. This could also be wired into the alarm system. Basically, all it did was kill the power to the fuel pump, and you could reset it by pushing a button located in the trunk. Is this by any chance a feature of the SVX? Anything else I can try before I start pulling fuel and electrical lines?

[dcarrb]

Did you try holding the gas pedal to the floor as you cranked the engine? Don't pump it, just hold to the floor and release immediately if it fires.

I'm not aware of any sort of reset button for the security system.

dcb

[Scott]

Originally Posted by dcarrb

Did you try holding the gas pedal to the floor as you cranked the engine? Don't pump it, just hold to the floor and release immediately if it fires.

I'm not aware of any sort of reset button for the security system.

dcb

Tried holding the gas pedal. No luck.
Tried resetting the ECU. No luck.

I guess I'll have to start tracing through the fuel delivery system first and foremost to see if there's a clogged line or a bad pump.

Any other ideas?

[Hocrest]

Timing Belt??

[subarufamily]

possible MAF issues when my Mass air flow meter went it did the same thing would crank crank crank no start checked CEL found it out maybe could check for stored codes

[lhopp77]

I would also check the timing belt first.

Lee

[AFBeefcake]

Temp sensor. My car did that a couple times, but holding the pedal to the floor it would start. Temp sensor fixed it.

[vrkSVX]

Originally Posted by Scott

Hey all, I drove my SVX home from work the other day. It started up with no problems like always, and drove home without ANY incident. Then an hour later, I got back into the car to drive to Orlando and, all of a sudden, it refused to start.

The engine will crank all day long, which leads me to believe it's not the battery. My first guess is that it's either getting no fuel or no spark. I haven't checked anything yet due to my incredibly hectic schedule. But it definitely seems weird that it would die completely and without warning. I remember my first car had a little sensor that would detect some sort of impact, and basically immobilize the car. This could also be wired into the alarm system. Basically, all it did was kill the power to the fuel pump, and you could reset it by pushing a button located in the trunk. Is this by any chance a feature of the SVX? Anything else I can try before I start pulling fuel and electrical lines?

Love your line from "The Princess Bride"

[subarufamily]

timing belt is a good idea to check also

[cozykat]

Originally Posted by Scott

Tried holding the gas pedal. No luck.
Tried resetting the ECU. No luck.

I guess I'll have to start tracing through the fuel delivery system first and foremost to see if there's a clogged line or a bad pump.

Any other ideas?

Have you tried spraying Carberator or Throttle Body cleaner into your intake on the Throttle body? As I understand if you spray it alot with the cleaner and your car starts, that will confirm it's got something to do with the fuel lines/pump.
Other reasons I've heard suggested for a car not starting: dirty/failed MAF, temp sensor, throttle position sensor, speed sensor, oxygen sensors, knock sensors, bad coil packs (especially if you recently replaced your spark plugs)...
Are you getting an codes from your ECU?

[Scott]

Thanks for all the input. Will be trying it all out this week and will report back when I find the culprit.