Please help my mx3 wont start!

[mattyhbomb]

Hello,

Please help.

(sorry if i have posted this in the wrong place, new to this internet lark)
I have a 14 year old MX3 and it wont crank, I know a little bit about cars but I'm no expert. The cars a 1.8 v6 manual 1996. The battery is sound, its fully charged putting out near to 13 volts, the distributor cap & rotary arm are new and it has plenty of fuel. When I try to start it, it sounds really positive, but fails to crank, there is a strong smell of exhaust fumes and when I check the plugs they are wet with oily fuel. The plugs are also very sooty. I have checked the plugs for a spark and there is one but it does not arc to the ground but it sparks to the thread (if that makes sense). Any help/ideas would be greatly appreciated!! I am pulling my hair out!!

Many Thanks

[wytbishop]

If you have spark and fuel (i assume you have air) the only missing ingredient is timing. Check the plug wires, make sure the rotor is in the correct orientation. It is possible to install the rotor 120º out if you force it...but you would have had to force it. Has the car run since the new cap and rotor were installed? You may have the wires in the incorrect order. I would clean or replace the plugs as well. If they are arcing to the thread as you say it's likely that they are so dirty that the electrode is grounding partially to the plug body due to excess carbon buildup.

[Ryan]

Just to clean up a bit of confusion:

If the car does not 'crank' the starter motor is not turning the engine. If the starter runs and the motor spins, it cranks.

Does it crank?


The distributor houses a few parts, all of which I have heard of failing.
- Primarily, the internal ignitor fails. This is fixed with the HEI mod.
- Secondly, the internal coil fails. To test this, test the two outside pins on the 3 pin connector. Should be between 10 and 20 ohms. Also, remove the distributor cap, and stick on lead into the tower on the distributor, and the other on the outermost pin on the 2 pin conenctor (closest to rad) this should also be between 10 and 20 ohms. The fix to this is a new internal coil, or an external coil.
- Thirdly, there are two angle sensors in the distributor. One of them. NE1 signal, sends 6 pulses/revolution to aid in spark timing. The other signal, G signal, sends one longer pulse per revolution. I'm still to the point of researching which one of these, or both, are crucial to the starting of the vehicle. Once I have a good running car to play with, I'll find out...

Good luck.

[mitmaks]

any codes?

[Daninski]

Install new plugs, gap them around .040', use BKR6E-11 NGK's or BKR5E-11 (hotter plug), you can't adjust the timing on the 96 so just check that the disty is set in the middle. That will probably fix your problem. Also you mentioned engine cranking, check that the power wire to the starter isn't corroded at the starter. Pull back the insulation on the wire at the starter when you check. If it's corroded then clean the wire with baking soda and hot water. Spray with a lubricant after to stop further corrosion.

[wytbishop]

When I try to start it, it sounds really positive, but fails to crank...

cars that don't crank at all make no sound, let alone a positive one. I assumed that he means it won't catch/start etc. In which case it is almost certainly a timing problem. And Dan, I know that you maintain that the timing cannot be adjusted, but it just can't be so.

[Daninski]

With TEN and Gdn jumped I tried to adjust my timing and it didn't matter where the disty was positioned the ECU would maintain 10deg. Now he's talking about a 96 and that's a little different story than a 92-95 right.

[wytbishop]

While I can agree that a 96' is different in some respects from most 95's and all previous model years, in my opinion it is flatly impossible that a car in that era was manufactured without the ability to advance or retard the timing. That being the case the only answer is, that we are not doing it right. But we can agree to disagree...I don't care enough to press the issue.

[mattyhbomb]

Thanks every one for your help, Its very much appreciated.

When i say its not cranking I ment that the starter motor is turning the engine but its not firing.
I'm getting new plugs at the weekend as its dark by the time i get home from work. the plug gap is far larger than .40, they were more than 1.5mm! Is this why the spark was arcing to the thread possibly?

My only concern is that the car started first time every time then after three weeks left standing it wont start at all. is this normal for plugs to just stop working? If it is them timing could this also have just happen on its own?

Im getting new plug at the weekend as i said, but in the meantime i have closed the gap and cleaned the carbon build up off. Will check for a better spark when the Mrs gets home... will keep you posted.

Many thanks again.

Mat.

[Ryan]

woah buddy, 0.04 INCHES. http://www.mx-3.com/manuals/showimg.php ... /G-026.gif" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;