checked spark off TB and car died now wont start help!!

mab · Post by **mab** » May 7th, 2006, 10:53 pm

I have a no start problem . is it possible to have weak spark?

mab · Post by **mab** » May 7th, 2006, 10:54 pm

mx3 wont start. i had it sitting for 2 years. then i started it up and ran it for about 4 hours i came home and pulled a spark plug, held it to the manifold then the car died. i checked all the fuses. its getting fuel but i dont know how much and theres spark but its questionable. what should i do next? CAN ANyONE HELP?

hgallegos915 · Post by **hgallegos915** » May 7th, 2006, 11:06 pm

seems like u ffried the hei or a bad coil

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » May 7th, 2006, 11:16 pm

Does it still spark?

Also, did it sit for 2 years then you fired it and it ran. Then you tested the spark? Or did it not run after sitting for 2 years and you think it is spark related?

Just a note, but maybe too late. You shouldn't ever start a car that has sat for more than a week without putting some WD-40 down each spark plug hole. With the motor being bone dry of oil all kind of things will break VERY quickly. You could have a host of different problems or maybe just a minor issue from sitting for so long.
I'd bet that your answer will come from a trained mechanic not this forum. Y ou could ask questions for weeks and check each thing we suggest, but in the end I'd save the head-ache and let someone take a look at it. You've let it sit for a long time and didn't take precauctions to lubricate the motor for the few seconds it would take for the oil pump to prime and get oil to the top end. Therefore, you are left with any number of issues that could cause the car not to crank. Anything from burt-out piston rings or a stuck valve to a broken or non-operating sensor. It could also be a wear and tear item like a disty cap or rotor that has corroded and just isn't making proper contact.

jschrauwen · Post by **jschrauwen** » May 8th, 2006, 3:41 pm

Pat, I was just about to touch on your very last point. Although I agree 100% with the rest of what you said about prep and long term inactivity. MAb you will have to learn in future questions that you'll need to be quite indepth with a complete background and events leading up to your particular dilema. As Pat said numerous problems that could be associated but the first thing that came to my mind would be the carbon contacts inside the disty. I would imagine that 2 years of non use my lead to a deteriation of the carbon contact points in the disty cap. Whether it be drying out or excessive moisture over time.The car would have ran for those 4 hours but may have not been up to peak performance and I'm guessing that is what prompted you to do a plug check on the manifold after that fact. Just guesing here since we have little go from. And if that's the case that prompted the check than a replacemnet of the disty cap and rotor would be in order........ cause it couldn't hurt anyway and it's good to have new parts as a basis for ground zero which may be what appears to be in your case. Post back with a bit more info if you wish to continue trying to sort this on your own unless to opt for Pat's idea about having a shop giving it a barage of tests to check other things.
Things like doing a compression check that may have to be followed by a leakdown test. and of cousre there's the usual other miantenance things like flush and fill of all fluids becasue after 2 years most of them for the most part will be quite corrosive to your engine. That means the engine, tranny and steering fluids and also the coolant will need flushing and filling too. Air filter, plugs, PCV, and check servicability of each plug wire to ensure there are no shorts in the wire or the caps within the valve cover housings. Ensuring the linkgage of the TB is good and that the intake tubing, TB and IM has been cleaned out also. It may be necessary to confirm the integrity of all vaccum lines as well since the rubber may have gotten hard and brittle from non use. Pat also mentioned sensors that may need to be confirmed as far as their operational viability. You have made no mention as to any CEL codes so that is still a questionable area also. Like i said before, yu need to post back shat load of more info and history on the MX for us to be better able to assist you. Good luck with that and post back, cheers,

John

mab · Post by **mab** » May 8th, 2006, 10:03 pm

thanks for the quick replies!

here's how it all went down i did change the fluids except for the tranny. which i will do once i get it to a hoist. i primed the oil and it ran great until i made the mistake of checking the spark for no reason. it chugged a few times and that was the end of my project. i let it sit for so long because i am in school and saving money for more mods, this is a big pain in the rear. i checked my cap and rotor and the rear rivet on the rotor was broken, the cap looked good. but my plugs look pretty black from unburnt fuel. but i am getting spark it seems pretty weak but it's spark so i am putting a new rotor and plugs in it tomorrow. i turns over like a dream and then it doesn't fire. fuel pressure is good. is it possible i fried the ecu? or would a fuse blow first? I have alot of questions but i'm going to try the rotor and plugs first, i think it's related to the spark off the manifold. do u think it's possible that it blew the rivet on my rotor?

In a few days i am buying a parts car for 400 bucks with a cam related problew in the 1.8l. i still have my old motor so i think i am going to mess around with that if i ever get this no start problem figured out.

so i will have alot of spare parts to try and figure this out. so any suggestions will be very helpful.

mab · Post by **mab** » May 8th, 2006, 10:07 pm

oh ya i have a jap klze with my old 1.8l minifold on, i tried it because i did not get the mellinia manifold for my klze and it worked great i lost a bit of top end though. have you heard of anyone else triing this?

mab · Post by **mab** » May 8th, 2006, 10:08 pm

What is a hei?

mab · Post by **mab** » May 10th, 2006, 1:56 am

got a part from the s--- yard and got no spark

bought a parts car for 200 that i drove home. i swapped the diasty with coilall in one. firered like a dream!

so whom ever said talk to a mechanic, hoop it!

but thanks to everyone else for the help