T
Tim C.
Well, it's come time to post, sorry for its length. I have a '92 940
(Regina) B230F.
A few weeks ago, we had our first big (North Carolina) cold snap - it
went from 60-70 F to 15-20 F over a few hours one day. I came home
from work about 5:30 pm, ran to the grocery and came back about 8 pm.
At 11 pm my wife begs me for ice cream, so being the obliging fellow I
am I drove back to the grocery - about 6 miles.
As far as I could tell the car was running fine up to this point,
certainly no sputtering, skipping, all around a normal drive.
As you have guessed the car did not start at all when I came out of
the store (about 15 minutes or so). I swapped out my backup fuel pump
relay - still no dice. Towed back home, put the battery on the
charger, and the next morning, still no start.
So, over the past couple of weeks I've gone through the maintenance
that I should have done long ago: new plugs, wires, distributor cap,
rotor, fuel pressure regulator. I have the fuel filter but I need to
pick up a 27mm wrench, that's my afternoon errand.
For now, the car does not start while cranking, even sputter or
anything, except as noted below (when I release the key occasionally).
As far as symptoms:
The engine turns over fine, so I don't think it's the starter. The
starter sounds like it's doing work - and it drains the battery like
nobody's business, but no drain when I'm not cranking - so I think I
have compression.
I have two fuel pump relays, both the old kind but both known
working. They buzz correctly (few seconds at each start attempt).
I changed plugs/wires/distributor cap/rotor. I don't have an
assistant that can follow directions, so I have not checked sparking
yet. (I do have a remote start kit that I've been meaning to install,
primarily for the power door lock but this might be a good excuse.)
I changed out the timing belt (again, but it wasn't that old) so I
don't think it's the timing.
Like I mentioned, I have to change the fuel filter yet (it's getting
along, probably just at 3 years now).
There is pressure behind the fuel pressure regulator (after the
changing) so even though I don't know it's the _correct_ pressure it
is getting something.
The air filter is fairly new, so I doubt that's it.
The tank was about 3/4, I added a gallon or two more just to be sure
that I wasn't out but there definitely seems to be fuel.
When I try to start, the relay will buzz for 2-3 seconds and then
stop. The starter will turn, never catch at all while the key is in
the start position, and occasionally when I release make a little chug
- never enough to catch though. That was why I thought timing was off
at first, but that definitely wasn't it.
The cold start injector rewiring appears to have not been done. It's
reasonably warm here now, though.
I will note here that the grocery serves two major universities, so
fraternity pranks aren't out of the question. I was next to a street
lamp though so I think it's only marginally likely.
That's about all I know, I haven't done a full gas-spray-from-FPR-into-
can yet but that's pretty high up on my list (would that definitively
point to fuel pump?), as is the starter fluid.
My wife is heading out of town with our good car Wednesday night, so I
have several days to get mine working. I'm within walking distance of
the bus and rental car places, but I'd rather have everything I need
at the house than load up two kids into a bus seat.
We have several well-equipped scrap yards around, so I can buy pretty
much anything I'll need in the way of parts today and tomorrow. I's
like to run this car for another 100K+ so I don't mind keeping extras
in my basement, if I can get it running. =)
degrade with age?)
MAP sensor
crank sensor
interference relay
ignition control module (?)
fuel pump
I'm open to any suggestions, either of parts or tools that I'm going
to wish I had, so that I can have a slightly-less-frustrating weekend
working on the car. =)
Thanks!
-TC
(Regina) B230F.
A few weeks ago, we had our first big (North Carolina) cold snap - it
went from 60-70 F to 15-20 F over a few hours one day. I came home
from work about 5:30 pm, ran to the grocery and came back about 8 pm.
At 11 pm my wife begs me for ice cream, so being the obliging fellow I
am I drove back to the grocery - about 6 miles.
As far as I could tell the car was running fine up to this point,
certainly no sputtering, skipping, all around a normal drive.
As you have guessed the car did not start at all when I came out of
the store (about 15 minutes or so). I swapped out my backup fuel pump
relay - still no dice. Towed back home, put the battery on the
charger, and the next morning, still no start.
So, over the past couple of weeks I've gone through the maintenance
that I should have done long ago: new plugs, wires, distributor cap,
rotor, fuel pressure regulator. I have the fuel filter but I need to
pick up a 27mm wrench, that's my afternoon errand.
For now, the car does not start while cranking, even sputter or
anything, except as noted below (when I release the key occasionally).
As far as symptoms:
The engine turns over fine, so I don't think it's the starter. The
starter sounds like it's doing work - and it drains the battery like
nobody's business, but no drain when I'm not cranking - so I think I
have compression.
I have two fuel pump relays, both the old kind but both known
working. They buzz correctly (few seconds at each start attempt).
I changed plugs/wires/distributor cap/rotor. I don't have an
assistant that can follow directions, so I have not checked sparking
yet. (I do have a remote start kit that I've been meaning to install,
primarily for the power door lock but this might be a good excuse.)
I changed out the timing belt (again, but it wasn't that old) so I
don't think it's the timing.
Like I mentioned, I have to change the fuel filter yet (it's getting
along, probably just at 3 years now).
There is pressure behind the fuel pressure regulator (after the
changing) so even though I don't know it's the _correct_ pressure it
is getting something.
The air filter is fairly new, so I doubt that's it.
The tank was about 3/4, I added a gallon or two more just to be sure
that I wasn't out but there definitely seems to be fuel.
When I try to start, the relay will buzz for 2-3 seconds and then
stop. The starter will turn, never catch at all while the key is in
the start position, and occasionally when I release make a little chug
- never enough to catch though. That was why I thought timing was off
at first, but that definitely wasn't it.
The cold start injector rewiring appears to have not been done. It's
reasonably warm here now, though.
I will note here that the grocery serves two major universities, so
fraternity pranks aren't out of the question. I was next to a street
lamp though so I think it's only marginally likely.
That's about all I know, I haven't done a full gas-spray-from-FPR-into-
can yet but that's pretty high up on my list (would that definitively
point to fuel pump?), as is the starter fluid.
My wife is heading out of town with our good car Wednesday night, so I
have several days to get mine working. I'm within walking distance of
the bus and rental car places, but I'd rather have everything I need
at the house than load up two kids into a bus seat.
We have several well-equipped scrap yards around, so I can buy pretty
much anything I'll need in the way of parts today and tomorrow. I's
like to run this car for another 100K+ so I don't mind keeping extras
in my basement, if I can get it running. =)
coil (is used, i.e. from a yard, likely to be okay, or do they
degrade with age?)
MAP sensor
crank sensor
interference relay
ignition control module (?)
fuel pump
I'm open to any suggestions, either of parts or tools that I'm going
to wish I had, so that I can have a slightly-less-frustrating weekend
working on the car. =)
Thanks!
-TC