Engine want's to start, but won't fire

Post by **apex_240sx** » Fri Jul 26, 2002 3:57 am

alright guys, here's what happened: i'm up here in sask. canada (very very hot prarie summers) and ya..i'm on a gravel road, travelling at 80 km/h (or about 50 mph) and my engines rpm's instantly drop from 3500 rpm to 1200 rpm, and they won't go back up!!!! so i pull over thinking that the engine overheated, but then i noticed that my engine temp gauge was in normal range. so i just sit there and wait for about 10 minits to let the engine cool (i'm thinking that the gauge might be screwed) and i start the engine fine, but still the engine wouldn't rev past 1500 rpm. At this point now, i had to push the gas pedal about half way down just to keep the idle at 900 rpm, and so it wouldn't stall on me. So i just stay there on the side of the road, call a buddy and get him to tow me to his farm about 10 minits away. once we got there, i tried starting it....and it wouldn't start!!!. so the next day i got it towed into town and got a diagnostic done on the engine (the engine was firing fine and the diagnostic showed nothing wrong with the engine) and a compression test was done (and each cylinder reported 130 to 135 psi which is normal for the KA24E. So then i towed the car home and have been checkin a few things out for the last few days here and i still can't get it to start. The engine will try to start, the starter is engaging the flywheel, but it just won't fire!!!!! Does anyone know what could possibly be wrong, cuz i sure the hell don't!!!!! P.S. the plugs are fine, they're sparking good. the fuel pump is working fine, and the fuel filter i just replaced a few weeks before this all happened. I sprayed carb cleaner into my mass airflow sensor (i read on a forum on 240sx.org that spraying carb cleaner into the mass airflow sensor could solve my problem) and that did nothing. So please give me any advice if you can....thx

1990 240sx hatch KA24E w/200,000 km's (or something like 120000 miles

Post by **trpower7** » Fri Jul 26, 2002 3:57 am

this is really a shot in the dark, but timing chain? Perhaps? Distributor? Just make sure you are getting spark, fuel and air, check the injector pulse, ummm, all I can think of for the moment, I'll put my brain to it and try to come up wiht somehting for you

Post by **AunVoh** » Fri Jul 26, 2002 3:57 am

you didnt hit a rock or something and bent your exaust close did you? have you checked your throttle cable? to make sure that it's working right? or the throttle body... good luck

Post by **trpower7** » Fri Jul 26, 2002 3:57 am

The exhaust pipe closed and throttle cable were two of those things I suspected but figured it was way too obvious, but go check them. It could be possible. Make sure all the electrical connections are good at the ECU and in the engine bay, perhaps one finally rattled loose, ummm, check all the fluids for ****s and giggles, FUSES, check the fuel pump fuse and all the other ones. Gee, ummm, make sure no one jammed a tennis ball in the throttle body while you weren't looking, lol, aside from that I am boggled

Post by **YochTown240** » Fri Jul 26, 2002 3:57 am

I had pretty much the same problem and im still wondering what it is. my car runs good for about 2 weeks then has a hard time starting and almost klls itself when driving. when this happens it idles high a like 1200 then i touch the gas then it drops to about 400 and then i have to stomp the gas b4 it stalls out. new fuel filter new fuel pump good plugs,wires,clean air filter all fuses same as the person who posted this. Nissan ran a diagnostic and only found i needed a Head Temp Sensor i dont think this has anything to do with it. BUT i have 1990 and my timing chain rattles when i start and SOMETIMES when i drive. its gotten worse and believe the PLASTIC guides finally gave out...fixing soon. i think that might be why it didnt crank cuz the chain isnt on guide. maybe possibly ill let u know after i fix the chain

Post by **O0ooAJoo0O** » Fri Jul 26, 2002 3:57 am

i replaced the timing chain on my 91 240 about a year ago. funny thing though. nissan discontinued the top guide for the chain, they say it isnt needed. now since i dont have it everything runs fine, but i get a rattle at 3400 rpm through 3700 rpm ONLY i seriously doubt its the chaiunb, you said youve checked the sparks, and everything fires correctly, should go 1-3-2-4. well, then obviously your distributer is fine and in position. you checked pressures? well maybe at idle everything is fine, check again if you can rev it higher. probably the head gasket. mine is sitting in the driveway right now waiting for a new one. i blew it last night in a rain storm. well, 194k miles on it, it had to go some day. anyway. it sounds like the gaskets. it may hold pressure at idle or lower, but it wont rev high because of loss of pressure. do you see any white smoke out of the exhaust ? if so, thats it. PS. importedcarparts.com has the head gasket set for $55 compared to discount auto parts(retail) for $111.99 and they ship over night. good luck

-AJ

Post by **ninjak84** » Fri Jul 26, 2002 3:57 am

um... a word of advicedont do the head gasket unless you know how yourself.the labour invloved will cost you enough to buy yourself a new car!

Post by **technoman** » Fri Jul 26, 2002 3:57 am

wiggle your wireing harness then try to start it 240's have sucky wiring engine harnesses. clean every conector with termanal cleaner.

Post by **technoman** » Fri Jul 26, 2002 3:57 am

sounds like the idle air control valve

Post by **WAbernethy** » Fri Jul 26, 2002 3:57 am

I'd have to say it's not the timing chain. Wouldn't have passed the compression test. Could be the MAFS is burned out. Maybe. Sounds like about the same thing as having it unplugged.

Post by **driftn240** » Fri Jul 26, 2002 3:57 am

I've recently had a conflict like that. Car was running fine, but rough on idle so I was adjusting my timing when my crank angle sensor lead wire arced to ground. After the spark the car would not start so I put it in to the shop. They told me it was the head gasket, timing, and crank angle sensor(inside distibutor). So I've just rebuilt the upper half of my motor. When I was done the car still won't start. I have air, good spark,fuel pressure, and fuel in the fuel rail. The 1 thing I've noticed is that my injectors don't seem to be firing. The car will start and run as long as you spray ether into the throttle body, as soon as you stop spraying the car dies. I've tested each injector individually, and they all seem to work. I also opened my ECM to find a burnt trace on the circuit board. I had an electronics engineer fix the comp. problem, but the injectors still don't fire. car want's to start, it just won't. I've put about 6 days under the hood, and around $1000 dollars into this and still has me stumped. '90 240 Ka24E

Post by **240fastback** » Fri Jul 26, 2002 3:57 am

try looking at your firing order ----1-3-4-2 i think is the firing order that your spark plug wires should be in..... :rolleyes

Post by **240fastback** » Fri Jul 26, 2002 3:57 am

ok maybe it's 1-3-2-4.....shoot i don't remember sorry!!!

Post by **driftn240** » Fri Jul 26, 2002 3:57 am

the fireing order should be 1,2,4,3. this is (sadly)based on info from chiltons.

Post by **240fastback** » Fri Jul 26, 2002 3:57 am

it is 1-3-4-2.....i also looked in the CHILTON.....you must be talking about another car!!! :pface

Post by **driftn240** » Fri Jul 26, 2002 3:57 am

my fault it must be the stanza or something

Post by **driftn240** » Fri Jul 26, 2002 3:57 am

myfault. Isee were I had rotation confused.

Post by **240fastback** » Fri Jul 26, 2002 3:57 am

that's alright!! we all make mistakes!! aight...HOLLA!

Post by **SpeedingMonk** » Fri Jul 26, 2002 3:57 am

i had a problem 1 time when i started my s13 it would squell higher w/ higher RPM. it was the sound of pullys / berrings. turns out the ac compresser berrings were shot. so shot some times it would hault the crankshaft an than fukin up the starter doing all of no good i couldda replaces the compresser but y when i can cut the belt off +D its a long shot but be as descriptive as u can does it sound odd

Post by **SpeedingMonk** » Fri Jul 26, 2002 3:57 am

i do allllllll the work i can on my carif ur car stalls it means its not getting enough air, fuel, spark. so test the **** ur self go get a multimeater(20 beans) an a spark tester (the air gap kind its more accurate) an the repair manual( chiltions will work) do a primary spark test the air gap tester will tell u if the spark is there and how stroung. if thats fine move to fuel. if not its an ignition prob. on the fuel system check the fuel pump, filter (bad gas / water) and choke, and injectors. as for air... i sapose u coulda sucked up some mean **** into ur intake u check ur air filter? make sure nothing is cloged or leaking.

u sayed "The engine will try to start, the starter is engaging the flywheel, but it just won't fire!!!" is the engine cranking? (turning) or is there just a click w/ the turn of the key if there is its ur starter. u can put the car in nutral and rool it bout 5 feet forward put it in park an try to start it if no go rool it 5 feet backwards an try again this DOES work if there is a dead spot on the starter. check the starting system for hahaz use the multi meater its real easy peace good luck if non of this helpsu got some real probs i did think the head gasket 1st tho

Post by **technoman** » Fri Jul 26, 2002 3:57 am

replace the dist ........

Post by **SpeedingMonk** » Fri Jul 26, 2002 3:57 am

"do a primary spark test the air gap tester will tell u if the spark is there and how stroung. " - me

Post by **technoman** » Fri Jul 26, 2002 3:57 am

monk they wont be able to do that.

Post by **SpeedingMonk** » Fri Jul 26, 2002 3:57 am

thats my point tho. if the distributor dont work the test wont work meaning look no farther look deeper

Engine want's to start, but won't fire

Engine want's to start, but won't fire

nostart

engine....

engine...

firing order.....

engine!!

whats it sound like

look at the ovbious

+D

heheh

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