My new 89 esprit HELP
Discussion
I just bought a 89 NOT SE. It needs alot of work! She is turning over, but not starting. It was running two months ago when I first saw it. Then I bought it shipped it got it here and naturaly cannot get it to start. It comes close, but just backfires. I replaced the wires and plugs already. My question to you all is where sould I start to test and how would you do it. Any advice it well apreciated. Anyone is welcome to call me or Email me at jariston64@hotmail.com
THANKS,
RAY (989) 928 5817
THANKS,
RAY (989) 928 5817
Hey... If it "comes close", I'll asume it has spark...
Quikie things I'd check if nothing more than to rule them out...
1)Are you sure that the order of the spark plug wires is correct on the distributor? It is actually easy to get them all out of order - especially if the timing belt has been replaced. If it wants to fire, but then does not fire you could simply be 180 deg. out of time. Quik fix is to rotate the order of the wires at the distributor cap.
2)If it is a carb car, mixture could be the issue... but give a good look at the vacume lines. There are a couple under the intake manifold that can be hard to get at and (at least on my car - 88 turbo) if the black/blue line is off the car will become hard to start. The vacume line going into the distributor can also cause this condition.
3)Stretching thin, but... bad fuel. Could there be water in the fuel?
Just some ideas off the top of my head... good luck!
Drive topless!!!
Cameron
Quikie things I'd check if nothing more than to rule them out...
1)Are you sure that the order of the spark plug wires is correct on the distributor? It is actually easy to get them all out of order - especially if the timing belt has been replaced. If it wants to fire, but then does not fire you could simply be 180 deg. out of time. Quik fix is to rotate the order of the wires at the distributor cap.
2)If it is a carb car, mixture could be the issue... but give a good look at the vacume lines. There are a couple under the intake manifold that can be hard to get at and (at least on my car - 88 turbo) if the black/blue line is off the car will become hard to start. The vacume line going into the distributor can also cause this condition.
3)Stretching thin, but... bad fuel. Could there be water in the fuel?
Just some ideas off the top of my head... good luck!
Drive topless!!!
Cameron
right i'm no esprit expert, in fact 2 weeks ago i knew very little about them. but this info is sort of universal.
have you checked the distributor cap and rotor arm? are they ok?
leads as said above.
has the cambelt been done recently? if so the timing could well be out enough to stop it starting
fuel, is it getting any? is it a carb or injectino car?
either way, take the fuel feed line off and put it into a petrol can. (make sure your not smoking at the time!) and try to start the car. good idea to have someone else to start it so you can keep an eye on the fuel. if there is no fuel after just a few seconds then stop. and if there is fuel then also stop.
if no fuel then it's either a blockage, bad pickup or duff pump. fuel filters cause all sorts of problems and are cheap to replace. a good starting point.
plugs? easy way to check if you have a good spark it to take a plug out (wear some gardening gloves) with the lead still on it. make the thread of the plug make contact with the block. normaly the top of the plug hole is good enough.
get someone else to start the car and you should see the plug spark. if not then at least you know why it wont start.
coil
earth leads. this is common on a lot of older cars.
bad fuel as said above.
vaccume lines. there shouldnt be any lose ones.
plugs or wires that dont have a home.
thats abotu all i can think of off the top of my head now. good luck. and let usknow how you get on as the fix might help someone else.
Luke.
have you checked the distributor cap and rotor arm? are they ok?
leads as said above.
has the cambelt been done recently? if so the timing could well be out enough to stop it starting
fuel, is it getting any? is it a carb or injectino car?
either way, take the fuel feed line off and put it into a petrol can. (make sure your not smoking at the time!) and try to start the car. good idea to have someone else to start it so you can keep an eye on the fuel. if there is no fuel after just a few seconds then stop. and if there is fuel then also stop.
if no fuel then it's either a blockage, bad pickup or duff pump. fuel filters cause all sorts of problems and are cheap to replace. a good starting point.
plugs? easy way to check if you have a good spark it to take a plug out (wear some gardening gloves) with the lead still on it. make the thread of the plug make contact with the block. normaly the top of the plug hole is good enough.
get someone else to start the car and you should see the plug spark. if not then at least you know why it wont start.
coil
earth leads. this is common on a lot of older cars.
bad fuel as said above.
vaccume lines. there shouldnt be any lose ones.
plugs or wires that dont have a home.
thats abotu all i can think of off the top of my head now. good luck. and let usknow how you get on as the fix might help someone else.
Luke.
Since the PH ID is Michigan89Esprit... This car is a USA spec 89, he also said it is a non-SE.
It does not have a distributor.
It does have a pair of coil packs, directly driving the sparkplugs based on signals from the GMP4 ECU.
First thing first.
Does it have spark?
1) remove the fuse for the fuel pump. (in the relay box in the rear trunkarea, the last fuse on the right, next to a big black box with a plunger on top)
2) take out each spark plug, one at a time, and attach the spark plug wire to it and hold it next to the engine while somebody cranks the engine. You should see spark at each plug. (hold only the rubber plug wire!
3)if you don't have spark, then trouble shoot the coils, the wires, and the plugs. Plugs 2&3 are on one coil pack, and 4&1 are on the other. If one coil is defective, then neither of those plugs will fire.
4)if you do have spark put the plugs back in, then check for fuel. Put the fuel pump fuse back in, make sure the black box with the plunger (fuel cutof) has the plunger pushed down.
5) turn the car on to the first position, before it turns the starter on, for a few seconds. Do you hear a fuel pump? If yes, then check the pressure at the fuel rail.
6)if you don't hear the fuel pump, check the pump fuse, and the fuel pump relay.
7) if those are ok, and you have no pressure at the rail, then you'll probably need to replace the pump.
8)if you do hear the pump, but there is no pressure, replace the fuel filter, and test the pressure regulator.
9)If you have fuel pressure and spark, then you need to check to see if the fuel injectors are clogged. Unbolt the fuel rail, leaving the injectors attached to it. Pull the rail out of the intake manifold and place some paper towels under each injector. Start the car. Are there wetspots under each injector? If not, then clean or replace the injectors. If yes then go to the next step.
10)if you have fuel pressure, spark, and the injectors are firing, then you may have a problem with the plug wires being in the wrong order. The coils have the cylinder number printed on them, re wire the plug wires to the correct cylinders.
11) if not then your timing may be incorrect or you may have another problem like the exhaust is plugged by the EBP valve or a disintegrated CAT.
try this and email back your results.
Travis
Vulcan Grey 89SE
www.lotuscolorado.com/vulcangrey/
It does not have a distributor.
It does have a pair of coil packs, directly driving the sparkplugs based on signals from the GMP4 ECU.
First thing first.
Does it have spark?
1) remove the fuse for the fuel pump. (in the relay box in the rear trunkarea, the last fuse on the right, next to a big black box with a plunger on top)
2) take out each spark plug, one at a time, and attach the spark plug wire to it and hold it next to the engine while somebody cranks the engine. You should see spark at each plug. (hold only the rubber plug wire!
3)if you don't have spark, then trouble shoot the coils, the wires, and the plugs. Plugs 2&3 are on one coil pack, and 4&1 are on the other. If one coil is defective, then neither of those plugs will fire.
4)if you do have spark put the plugs back in, then check for fuel. Put the fuel pump fuse back in, make sure the black box with the plunger (fuel cutof) has the plunger pushed down.
5) turn the car on to the first position, before it turns the starter on, for a few seconds. Do you hear a fuel pump? If yes, then check the pressure at the fuel rail.
6)if you don't hear the fuel pump, check the pump fuse, and the fuel pump relay.
7) if those are ok, and you have no pressure at the rail, then you'll probably need to replace the pump.
8)if you do hear the pump, but there is no pressure, replace the fuel filter, and test the pressure regulator.
9)If you have fuel pressure and spark, then you need to check to see if the fuel injectors are clogged. Unbolt the fuel rail, leaving the injectors attached to it. Pull the rail out of the intake manifold and place some paper towels under each injector. Start the car. Are there wetspots under each injector? If not, then clean or replace the injectors. If yes then go to the next step.
10)if you have fuel pressure, spark, and the injectors are firing, then you may have a problem with the plug wires being in the wrong order. The coils have the cylinder number printed on them, re wire the plug wires to the correct cylinders.
11) if not then your timing may be incorrect or you may have another problem like the exhaust is plugged by the EBP valve or a disintegrated CAT.
try this and email back your results.
Travis
Vulcan Grey 89SE
www.lotuscolorado.com/vulcangrey/
Hi,
All sound advice so far. But, I would start by verifying the mechanical timing, especially with an unknown car which you have just acquired. It is possible, with the car being transported and the like to have been pushed while in gear. This could cause a timing belt jump. Failure to rule this out first could have some dire consequences.
The easiest way to do this is to loosen the spark plugs and put the car in 5th gear, then push it forward (this will rotate the engine) until the timing marks on the intake/exhaust pulleys line up. If you run out of room before getting things aligned, put the car in neutral, push it backwards, re-engage 5th gear and push forward again. Take care to feel for any significant resistance and if encountered, don't push any further.
If the belt has jumped a tooth or two, the engine will be hard to start. If it has jumped more than this, rotating the engine will damage some of the internals, mostly the valvetrain, so again, push it gently to align the dots.
Once you have ruled out the mechanical timing, then proceed to the time-honored FUEL/AIR/SPARK. Hope this helps.
Happy Motoring! ...Jim'85TE
All sound advice so far. But, I would start by verifying the mechanical timing, especially with an unknown car which you have just acquired. It is possible, with the car being transported and the like to have been pushed while in gear. This could cause a timing belt jump. Failure to rule this out first could have some dire consequences.
The easiest way to do this is to loosen the spark plugs and put the car in 5th gear, then push it forward (this will rotate the engine) until the timing marks on the intake/exhaust pulleys line up. If you run out of room before getting things aligned, put the car in neutral, push it backwards, re-engage 5th gear and push forward again. Take care to feel for any significant resistance and if encountered, don't push any further.
If the belt has jumped a tooth or two, the engine will be hard to start. If it has jumped more than this, rotating the engine will damage some of the internals, mostly the valvetrain, so again, push it gently to align the dots.
Once you have ruled out the mechanical timing, then proceed to the time-honored FUEL/AIR/SPARK. Hope this helps.
Happy Motoring! ...Jim'85TE
I have two words for you...
Inertia Switch.
If you pop the rear hatch, there is a small round hole with a switch towards the right hand side near the end of the engine cover.
Try pushing it to make sure that it hasn't popped out like one of those turkey timers. I used to intentionally pull mine out as a theft-deterrent in the past and whenever I forgot to push it back in, it sounded like it would almost start, but wouldn't.
Betcha that's what it is. If not, I would venture to guess that the previous owner put in some kind of anti-theft device and forgot to tell you.
Roy
Inertia Switch.
If you pop the rear hatch, there is a small round hole with a switch towards the right hand side near the end of the engine cover.
Try pushing it to make sure that it hasn't popped out like one of those turkey timers. I used to intentionally pull mine out as a theft-deterrent in the past and whenever I forgot to push it back in, it sounded like it would almost start, but wouldn't.
Betcha that's what it is. If not, I would venture to guess that the previous owner put in some kind of anti-theft device and forgot to tell you.
Roy
princecharming said:
Betcha that's what it is. If not, I would venture to guess that the previous owner put in some kind of anti-theft device and forgot to tell you.
Mmmm...
My SE has an aftermarket wire from a switch under the dash that runs to the solenoid/relay box in the engine bay. It cuts the fuel pump feed at the relay!
Well,it did!. All put back to how it should be now
Most theft deterrent devices are starter cut relays. In that case you don't get anything when you turn the key. Aftermarket alrms will siren when you try to start the car (when the alarm is enabled), which also causes the starter cut relay to disable the ignition.
Though my car once wouldn't start when I forgot to re-attach the ground to my Alpine alarm. Eventhough the alarm was not armed.
I doubt this is his problem though.
Though the inertia switch , which Roy and I mentioned would cut fuel, and the car would turn over but not start. Or it might sound like it is trying to start.
Travis
Vulcan Grey 89SE
www.lotuscolorado.com/vulcangrey/
Though my car once wouldn't start when I forgot to re-attach the ground to my Alpine alarm. Eventhough the alarm was not armed.
I doubt this is his problem though.
Though the inertia switch , which Roy and I mentioned would cut fuel, and the car would turn over but not start. Or it might sound like it is trying to start.
Travis
Vulcan Grey 89SE
www.lotuscolorado.com/vulcangrey/
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