96 200SX Won't Start

[ChevyCelebrity]

Car was working fine on Friday, temperatures were approximately -20 degrees F. Car sat all weekend in the cold without the block heater being plugged in. When tried to start, the starter engages but the motor will not start. I thought it was frozen fuel lines so I pulled it into my garage and let it warm up. On the following day, tried to start the car and it did the same thing.

I put some Heet into the fuel tank, which is approximately 1/4 full of fuel. Replaced spark plugs and fuel filter. Pulled each plug to check for spark, and fuel seemed to squirt out from the cylinder when the plug was removed. So I seem to have fuel and spark. Any suggestions?

Car electrical seems okay, have power to all accessories (lights, radio, etc). Starter cranks and seems fine. When you first turn on the car, fuel pump kicks on and sounds okay. I'm lost, maybe timing chain? How do you check timing if you can't get the car to start?

[slideways...]

the only way to check timing is by pulling the cover and checking static timing. i would bet that timings not your issue though. if nothing else changed, i would add a half tank of fuel, wait another day or two in the garage and see what happens. cold weather plays havoc with fuel systems. and 1/4 tank is borderline too low for -20 degrees. the colder it is outside the more fuel you should keep in your car. more fuel = greater heat retention.

[ChevyCelebrity]

Well I bought 5 gallons of gas, added it to the tank and sure enough it fired right up! Thanks for the good advice, I'll have to pass it on to all of my North Dakota friends.

[slideways...]

no prob. i face the same issues, as im in minnesota.