engine turns over won't start

I have a 98 ford escort zx2. the engine turns over but won't start. It has new plugs, wires, battery, the fuel pump comes on when key is on. The switch in the back is on. ( fuel cutoff) It is getting spark, and fuel. What can it be. I can't run a diagnostic on it with my obd because the engine isn't running. Please help:banghead:

What was the order of events? New plugs, battery, etc ... and then "no starting"?

Or, first "no starting" ... and then the new plugs, battery, etc?

no it didn't start so I thought, you need three things fuel air and spark to run so I am doing a process of elimination. Oh and fuel fuilter was changed to. All fuses are good.

could a plugged catalytic converter do this?

Do a compression check on each cylinder.
You need fuel, air, and spark, but you also need compression.

Also... if your car has a crank position sensor make sure it is connected.

My 93 did the same thing--had spark, fuel pressure was good, just would not start. Turned out it was the temperature sensor that controls the powertrain module. Quick, cheap fix.

There's two sensors in the water outlet. One has 1 wire and goes to the temperature gauge and the other has 2 wires which goes to the PCM (Powertrain Control Module).

Remove your oil filler cap and see if the cam shaft is spinning when you try to start it, if it isn't moving your timing belt snapped.

Remove your oil filler cap and see if the cam shaft is spinning when you try to start it, if it isn't moving your timing belt snapped. Thanks, but I already did that. I also took the timing belt cover off and checked it. very tight. I think the car is just a piece of s**t.

Ever check compression? Is timing correct? Are the plugs wires attached in the correct order?

OK i know this sounds weird but trust me it still might be the fuel pump i talked with a chevy master tech for a cavilier try hitting the bottom or your tank while sum 1 is turning over the car

there is a screen the blocks fragments when you hit it it could losen it up and your car will fire

this will still require u to change the pump

To answer an earlier question...

A plugged up catalytic converter shouldn't keep the engine from starting, the engine should at least try to start and run for a short time (or a few moments) before the back pressure backs up into the cylinders and causes it to stall. Kind of like not being able to exhale when you are breathing.

Try hooking up a timing light and see where your timing mark is on the crankshaft pulley. While you are doing that hook the timing light up to each spark plug wire and make sure that they are all firing.

If they are all firing pull one spark plug at the time and have someone else try to start the engine while you hold the spark plug against the block and make sure that all the spark plugs are firing.

If all that comes out fine have someone try to start the car while you smell the exhaust, if the engine is getting fuel into the cylinders you should be able to smell it coming out of the tail pipe. If you have full fuel pressure on the rail but you don't smell any gas coming out your injectors might be plugged up.

Well we took out all plugs,grounded them to check for spark on all plugs. when we spun the motor over, got sprayed with water and fuel mix out of all cylinders. shot a stream out of each cyl. Well it's either a cracked head,cracked block, or head gasket. What a P.O.S. With the crankshaft lined up on the timing marks, there are no timing marks on the camshafts to check to make sure it didn't jump timing.

Jumped timing or not, you have water where it doesn't belong and the head will have to come off.

I agree, you will not be able to figure it out until the head comes off.

FYI-
These engines usually have an arrow on the cam sprocket that gets aligned with a timing park stamped into the head.... not sure about the zx2, maybe it doesn't have it, but there should be some sort of timing mark.

That said, you still need to pull the head because of the water leak.

A tool is made to align the cam sprockets. It looks like a piece of angle iron. It fits horizontally on grooves of the 2 cams. Go to a parts place and get one.
With water iin all of your cylinders this is probably the least of your worries.