Tweet
Ok:
Background:
- Car was ran out of gas....
- Car was refilled & re-started... Everything OK so far...
- Car was parked & left running with the heat on, as it had gotten a bit wet inside (W WA weather = lots of rain)...
- Car was turned off
3 days later, I got in the car to drive it. It started hard (had to pump the gas to get it started), and ran like absolute crap - barely drivable... I could rev the engine up, but it had no power....
I assumed that it just needed more gas... But before I could get to the station, the car stalled...
At this point, re-starting was impossible... The engine cranks, and I could get it to fire one cylinder (Sometimes contained, sometimes a backfire) but not actually run...
A spark test (inline spark lamp) shows all plugs firing
The engine does NOT run on starting fluid
Pulling the plugs revealed wet, fuel-fouled plugs
A fuel pressure check revealed 30PSI when the key is turned from 'off' to 'on' - this pressure immediately zeroes out when the pump stops priming.
When cranking, fuel pressure fluctuates between 30 and 40 PSI
A compression test showed a fluctuation between 60 and 90PSI, cranking the engine with all plugs out & the throttle at idle. All cylinders turned up the same 60 to 90 reading...
At thsi point, I am thinking that it is one of the following 3 issues:
1) Timing chain jumped
2) Blown Head Gaskets (But it would have to be BOTH - as there is no compression differential noticable)
3) Some sort of sensor or electronic malfunction (Module, cold-start, etc)
4) Fuel System malfunction
I am at the point where I am about willing to pull the timing cover, check that, then proceed down the list to the 'big one' (head gaskets)....
Can anyone help me narrow my search
(Scan tool is of no use - I don't have access to one that reads the OBD 1.5 'hybrid' system in this model car)
Background:
- Car was ran out of gas....
- Car was refilled & re-started... Everything OK so far...
- Car was parked & left running with the heat on, as it had gotten a bit wet inside (W WA weather = lots of rain)...
- Car was turned off
3 days later, I got in the car to drive it. It started hard (had to pump the gas to get it started), and ran like absolute crap - barely drivable... I could rev the engine up, but it had no power....
I assumed that it just needed more gas... But before I could get to the station, the car stalled...
At this point, re-starting was impossible... The engine cranks, and I could get it to fire one cylinder (Sometimes contained, sometimes a backfire) but not actually run...
A spark test (inline spark lamp) shows all plugs firing
The engine does NOT run on starting fluid
Pulling the plugs revealed wet, fuel-fouled plugs
A fuel pressure check revealed 30PSI when the key is turned from 'off' to 'on' - this pressure immediately zeroes out when the pump stops priming.
When cranking, fuel pressure fluctuates between 30 and 40 PSI
A compression test showed a fluctuation between 60 and 90PSI, cranking the engine with all plugs out & the throttle at idle. All cylinders turned up the same 60 to 90 reading...
At thsi point, I am thinking that it is one of the following 3 issues:
1) Timing chain jumped
2) Blown Head Gaskets (But it would have to be BOTH - as there is no compression differential noticable)
3) Some sort of sensor or electronic malfunction (Module, cold-start, etc)
4) Fuel System malfunction
I am at the point where I am about willing to pull the timing cover, check that, then proceed down the list to the 'big one' (head gaskets)....
Can anyone help me narrow my search
(Scan tool is of no use - I don't have access to one that reads the OBD 1.5 'hybrid' system in this model car)