prizm/corolla won't start in the morning

[achim59]

hi @ all,

got a 97' prizm(based on Corolla)
and it won't start in the morning. Batterie is perfect, cranks the engine pretty quick! Crank it for about 60-90sec then the first cylinder fires(actually #2 from left to right).
I wait a min or 2 try it again for another 60-90 sec. Then you notice that 2of'em fire.... Another few minutes another try "hey, there's the 3rd one".
Finally after about 10-15 min. the last one kicks in!
I really can't tell if it's spark or fuel related!
It idles then normal, but if you floor it sounds like getting not enough Gas.
checked the fuel pump, disconnected fuel line and started, shoots gasoline about 5 feet *Yuck* don't have a pressure Gauge!
Replaced fuel filter... no help!
Replaced coolant temp sensor, distributor cap and rotor, and yesterday spend 40 bucks for a new coil pack.....still no luck!
now if someone have a good idea what else to do?
please let me know!!!

[johnholl]

Take the car to a garage, or borrow a fuel pressure guage. The pressure needs to be above a specified number for the engine to run and run well. If you need that pressure let me know and I'll look it up. Too bad you spent all that money....I think you were on the right track before.

ps: Its not a safe idea to disconnect the fuel line while cranking a fuel injected engine. The potential for fire is dangerous

[johnholl]

your injectors may also be clogged.

[achim59]

Originally Posted by johnholl

your injectors may also be clogged.

well,
then the car wouldn't run very good!
But after that 15 min procedure it runs all day long fine , no stalling or sputtering, it also starts right up, even after sitting for about 8 hours at work....!

[johnholl]

Hmmm? Got me puzzled.

Perhaps weak or leaky plug wires? See if they all ohm-out when cold. Does the car sit outside? Try spritzing the plug wires with water with a spray bottle to see if the engine dies. Sometimes you can locate the arcing by doing this at night in the dark. I'm thinking condensation building up at night. Try a bottle of drygas...[isoprople only].. in the fuel tank for a couple of fill ups. Are all your sparkplugs tight. Check all your elcetrical connections for corrosion or loosness [grounds included]

[achim59]

Originally Posted by johnholl

Hmmm? Got me puzzled.

Perhaps weak or leaky plug wires? See if they all ohm-out when cold. Does the car sit outside? Try spritzing the plug wires with water with a spray bottle to see if the engine dies. Sometimes you can locate the arcing by doing this at night in the dark. I'm thinking condensation building up at night. Try a bottle of drygas...[isoprople only].. in the fuel tank for a couple of fill ups. Are all your sparkplugs tight. Check all your elcetrical connections for corrosion or loosness [grounds included]

hmm*headscratch*
Bad Plug wires, well had that a few years ago...now i remember
but first , got me today a new(salvage) Fuel pump just in case.
if that's not it, aehem.. how many ohms should a plug wire check, i guess no resistance either hot or cold, right?
it' now 9.30pm gonna check it right now...
wish me luck for tomorrow morning
and thx achim59

[achim59]

Originally Posted by achim59

hmm*headscratch*
Bad Plug wires, well had that a few years ago...now i remember
but first , got me today a new(salvage) Fuel pump just in case.
if that's not it, aehem.. how many ohms should a plug wire check, i guess no resistance either hot or cold, right?
it' now 9.30pm gonna check it right now...
wish me luck for tomorrow morning
and thx achim59

i checked one of 'em
it had 4.83k ohms
check it again in the morning......

[johnholl]

No, There should be a resistance on the wires. So many ohms\foot. I'd have to look it up. The difficulty lies with diagnosing an intermittent problem..if the wires look cracked, replace them. With the engine warm and running well, go with the misting test to see if the wires are arcing when wet. Some injector cleaner in the tank might help too. Check to see if the IAT [idle air temp] sensor, and coolent temp sensor are okay, Replace the plugs if you havent already.

John

[achim59]

well,

*lol* you know, piss on it!

Gonna buy tomorrow new spark plugs and plug wires!!!! this time a set of good ones!
After that.........it'll become a trade in*rofl*
I still love'm *sniff*
----------------------------------------------------------------------
No, i hope that works i spent enough for a while and i think i should keep'm a lil' longer. But that 162000 miles worries me a little! i still get about 33 mpg if i drive...*lol* my wife gets about 29 how???? i don't know!

I keep you informed if the wire set was helpfull or not
cya.... and thx

[johnholl]

Man if we could get GM or Ford to run 162,000. mi we'd have the world by the ass. NEw plugs and wires sounds like a plan

Good Luck

[achim59]

Originally Posted by johnholl

Man if we could get GM or Ford to run 162,000. mi we'd have the world by the ass. NEw plugs and wires sounds like a plan

Good Luck

yeah, tell the world...*rofl*
but next i have to survive a timing belt change, still the 1st one in it!
I'd put almost only Highway miles on that car and a Friend of my son has a Geo LSI with a whopping 211,000 miles on it's first timing belt.
That's why i think i still can keep 'em for another 50000 miles...*fingercross*


thanks for the good luck, and i hope i can help some other people, too!

cya

[achim59]

Originally Posted by achim59

yeah, tell the world...*rofl*
but next i have to survive a timing belt change, still the 1st one in it!
I'd put almost only Highway miles on that car and a Friend of my son has a Geo LSI with a whopping 211,000 miles on it's first timing belt.
That's why i think i still can keep 'em for another 50000 miles...*fingercross*


thanks for the good luck, and i hope i can help some other people, too!

cya

follow up...

This morning the same hassle, and i think now it is spark related.
As the motor after 10 min limped on 2 cylinder i pulled the other 2 wires no spark or just every 3-4 sec.(crap,why didn't i keep the old ones).
I mean there's a new coil pack in front of them and i get around 13 volts to the coil, unless there's more in the distributor??
gonna check it out..

[achim59]

Originally Posted by achim59

follow up...

This morning the same hassle, and i think now it is spark related.
As the motor after 10 min limped on 2 cylinder i pulled the other 2 wires no spark or just every 3-4 sec.(crap,why didn't i keep the old ones).
I mean there's a new coil pack in front of them and i get around 13 volts to the coil, unless there's more in the distributor??
gonna check it out..

follow up 2nd!

took the car down to a Garage, after talking to some Mechanics they were both pretty sure that's a Distributor Problem, may be he Hall effect plate(sensor)! So i got me a Distributor (salvage) and hope that's it!
well, gonna see it tomorrow morning...!
P.S. they said it's not the Plug wires...

cya....

[johnholl]

[quote=achim59]follow up 2nd!

took the car down to a Garage, after talking to some Mechanics they were both pretty sure that's a Distributor Problem, may be he Hall effect plate(sensor)! So i got me a Distributor (salvage) and hope that's it!
well, gonna see it tomorrow morning...!
P.S. they said it's not the Plug wires...

The 97 has a distributor? Mmmm. My wifes 99 doesn't.[individual coil packs] The Hall effects sensor [pickup coil?] says here 185-275 ohms cold...275-340 ohms hot

sounds like a very good guess, if indeed it has a distributor. I need to pay attention better.

[achim59]

[quote=johnholl]

Originally Posted by achim59

follow up 2nd!

took the car down to a Garage, after talking to some Mechanics they were both pretty sure that's a Distributor Problem, may be he Hall effect plate(sensor)! So i got me a Distributor (salvage) and hope that's it!
well, gonna see it tomorrow morning...!
P.S. they said it's not the Plug wires...

The 97 has a distributor? Mmmm. My wifes 99 doesn't.[individual coil packs] The Hall effects sensor [pickup coil?] says here 185-275 ohms cold...275-340 ohms hot

sounds like a very good guess, if indeed it has a distributor. I need to pay attention better.

*grrrmblrr*
Wasn't it either , this morning same Problem, it drive me nuts!
Some Guys at Auto zone mentioned it could be a bad injector or two...
well, sounds good that idea . I switched this afternoon the two on the outside with the two on the inside....let's see....what happens!

cya