91 Escort Won't Start

[MannyZanny]

I have a 91 Ford Escort and the car won't start. The engine turns over(ie. the belt spins) but the car wont start up. I checked the spark plugs and they make sparks, they are wet so gas is injected, the fuel injector was checked, and I just replaced the cam shaft sensor. Also in the car for some reason the Fuel Cut-Off light is on which boggles my mind. Any ideas why? I also checked the manual and it does not say what triggers the fuel cut-off light.

[Snow93]

Normaly an accident or collision.. but someimtes nothing as it would seem. Depending on the year and model of your car the cut off swich can be in a variety of places. on a 93 lx hatchback theres a panel on the passangerside of the trunk inwich the swich is. (its basicly a red buttion, and for a 91 i aint sure its location, likly behind one of the mini panels if at all in the trunk, driverside or passanger) If poped up then press it down.. boom.. no more fuel cut off. I just hopey ou didnt do all that work, or had it done, becous of that one thing...

[fanofelliottmjb]

It's in the trunk on the passenger side on a 91 also.

Monte

[MannyZanny]

The inertia switch was down but I unplugged and reset it anyway. The light still comes on. The light also only comes on when trying to start the engine if that helps. But I dont think the problem is fuel because There is fuel coming out of the fuel pump and the spark plugs are wet when they are taken off. I think the light is a malfunction. Any other suggestions?

[Snow93]

ill look some things up for ya.. If you get a chance pull some codes off it and do a compression test or see if the belt isnt properly alligned..

[MannyZanny]

The drive belt was worn out a bit on one side side but would that cause a problem?

[Snow93]

It wouldnt be a bad place to start no. And if its as warn as you say then you mass well change it you might get lucky.. but what im wondering about is that fuel cut off.. if the swich has malfunctioned it could still be causing the problem.. if gas, air and spark mix then there should be reaction... but you say there is nothing but the starting motor correct?

[MannyZanny]

The engine tries to start. I know we are getting sparks and fuel but it wont start. Also the other thing is the light ONLY comes on when you try to start otherwise its off. I am also have suspicions it could be the timing belt. Could that be so?

[Snow93]

it wouldnt hurt to change the timing belt even if it wasnt the problem.. by the sounds of it its pretty warn away.

[MannyZanny]

Well we tried spraying quick start into the air intake and there is no suction so we're towing it to a mechanic old school style with a rope HAHA.

[Snow93]

LMFAO. No suction? is the crank even turning? The valves cant be closing.. if theres no suction then theres no compression.. something must be blocking the intake, or friging the valve train over..

[MannyZanny]

We got our car fixed and the problem was the timing belt. We did check the timing belt before but only to see if it was turning. It turns out that the belt had slipped 3 teeth so the sparks were exploding at the wrong time and it wouldn't start.

[Snow93]

good to hear its runnin.