Car Starting Problems

make sure your car is park, sounds stupid but iv'e done it before. if that's not the problem then its probaly your starter or your starter relay

Bad coil wire, bad coil, etc...

Try changing the oil filter.

Check the inside of the distributor cap. Moisture there will prevent an engine from running. Note that YOUR problem may be something else, but you can start by checking there.

Might be nothing more that dirty terminals or a bad ground connection. Clean the terminals with a battery tool (most partrs stores should have these). Make sure the termilals and the cables are CLEAN and free from all schmutz. If the problem persists, have the battery checked for a bad cell. many places do that for free. After that it gets complicated.

Most likely- bad ignition module inside the distributor. Easier to change the whole distributor and reset the ign. timing, but costlier than digging out the ignition module to replace it. May also be the ignition coil, a very common problem, but will usually show burnt contact when you remove the dist. cap. Note: a new coil usually comes with a rebuilt distributor. You may need a casting number off of the old distributor for the parts guy.

Did you screw up the cam timing while replacing the water pump? Did you try manipulating th throttle control (gas pedal) when trying initial engine start after major repair? Did you forget do plug something important back in?

I had the same problem with my 04 Ion 3 last winter. Sometimes it would start up normally, and other times nothing but a clicking sound like a dead battery. I replaced the battery but that did not cure it.

My local mechanic was at a loss so I took it to the dealer and it turned out to be part of the anti-theft system that was going bad, I want to say a relay but I don't recall exactly (it is now May). Basically it was not registering that the ignition key was valid. They replaced the part and it has worked fine since.

Oddly enough you could jump start the car and it would work- the dealer told me that jumping the car bypasses the switch. I could only jump start with the cables connected to the battery in the trunk (like you are not supposed to). I never could get it to jump start with the cables connected to the terminals in the engine compartment.

When I described the symptoms to the dealer they seemed to know right away what the problem was. It seems that they have seen it before.

When you try to restart it, does it turn over but not start? If you press the gas pedal to the floor and try to start it, what happens? Does it act like it's flooded? I've seen bad spark plugs/wires/cap/rotor cause this problem, but it could also be many other things.

I don't have an answer but have the same problem on 98 silverado.Still searching. homer Check the amount of electrical current that the pump is drawing. If it's drawing too much current you could get a low voltage condition, and make it LOOK like the pump isn't getting enough voltage to run. A worn fuel pump could be drawing too much current such that it pulls down the voltage. check the oil pressure switch located in the back of the engine, this will also prevent voltage from getting ti the fuel pump. The 5 volts you're reading is probably to the sending unit.

Yes, but not usually. If the computer is telling you that you have a bad crank position sensor, it could also be a connector or damaged wire. Don't be too literal.

I wonder if it might be the starter motor not fully disengaging and as soon as the flywheel turns, it's kicking it back.

OK so i was having the same problem with my truck. It would sputter and not want to start. All it was is the fuel filter. you can buy it walmart for $11 the 3727 is what is needed for 1500 suburbans, trucks, and vans. takes about 15 to replace the part yourself, no special tools are needed, just renches.

Depending on the vehicle, it is usually an ignition lead or spark plug.

There can be far more problems however, Injectors, burnt valves, leaky intake manifold, blown head gasket, individual coils, and the list goes on, if it misfires under load, ie. going up hill in a low gear then it is more likely an electrical misfire, if it is all the time and very constant then it may be one of the other options listed above.

It may be easier to figure out by knowing what type of vehicle it is and what year.

If it's turning over, check the fuel pump emergency cutoff in the luggage compartment, on the left behind the upholstery.

He could be refering to the spark plug wires. But wires could meen alot of things too.

If it sat for a year and you did not install a fuel stabilizer then I would suspect a fuel problem. Drain the fuel tank, change the fuel filter, and pour in at least 5 gallons of fresh fuel. Also pour in one can of Techron or Seafoam fuel fuel system cleaner. Use a starter fluid to get it going.

It is at the right rear tire on the rail or frame. WE know this because ours started leaking today and we had to find it. Hope this helps.

An automatic transmission uses a fluid coupling (the torque converter) between the engine and transmission. It is not designed to work in reverse. A manual transmission, on the other hand, has a direct connection between engine and transmission once the clutch is let out. It is true that hydraulic pressure is required in order to cause an automatic transmission to transmit powerflow (or couple) internally. The pressure engages reaction devices such as multi-disc clutch packs or bands to place planetary gearsets in to action. Most modern vehicles have pumps that are driven by the torque converter quill (the part that plugs into the face of the pump housing) and the torque conveter is driven by the engien flywheel. In these vehicles the engine must be running to create hydraulic pressure. Pushing the car will simply turn the driveshaft which is connected to the output shaft of the transmission. Since the output shaft does not transmit any power flow forward toward the engine without hydraulic devices in play, the effort stops there. In some older vehicles that had hydraulic pumps in the rear of the transmission it was possible to push start them. When the driveshaft turned the output shaft of the transmission, sufficient fluid pressure could be developed to cause the reaction devices to engage and pump enough fluid into the torque converter to allow the converter to turn the engine. The vehicle would normally have to be pushed 35 mph or so in order for this to occur.

no, the voltage regulater is for charging not the ignition system, it can however drain the battery

it could be alot of this, a full tune up would help and i would check your fuel pressure regulator, your camshaft posistion senser. or your coil.

I learned from bitter experience that it doesn't take long
to overheat and toast a motor, especially if you tried to
put water/coolant back in while it was still hot. That will
thermal shock (read that as kill) a motor real quickly.
If the motor still turns over, GOOD! Refill the coolant to the proper level,
check the oil level and fill if necessary and try to start
it. If it does start, keep your eye on the car for awhile to
make sure all is well. drive conservatively. If it
doesn't start, see your mechanic.

fuse box in the engine bay

I assume you mean that it won't STOP leaking. If the leak is coming from the parts you replaced, then there is a defect, or you cross-threaded or failed to tighten something. But the leak may be coming from the rack (the part between the front wheels that the lines go to). THAT is a major job to replace. It could also be coming from a cracked fluid reservoir.

Yeah, because you drove it into a river, flooded the engine most likely, fired the electrics...and basically destroyed the car.

Good going.