I bought a 3.0 02 x type today and got a great deal on it because it won't start. It will crank but won't fire. I already checked the f92 fuse and I do have fuel, where should I check from here, thanks in advance

 

Brett, welcome to the forums. I think you will find a lot of good information here. But, we do ask a simple thing from you. Stop by the "New Member" section and introduce yourself. We are a quirky bunch and we like to get to know one another. Besides, this will also give you a chance to meet the movers and shakers around here. So, sit back, grab a cup of Joe and see what you can find out.

Now, for your problem. I would first ask how you know you have fuel? Are you smelling it coming out of the exhaust? If you put a fuel pressure gauge on the schrader valve, when you turn the key to the "RUN" position (not going to START), the pressure gauge should jump up to between 40-50 psi (closer to 50 psi). If the pressure is below this, odds are you have a failed fuel pump. The pressure should remain in that band as you are cranking the engine.

If you are getting a good fuel pressure reading, then I would next depress the gas pedal all the way to the floor and hold it there as you crank the car (this will force it to shut off the fuel injectors and this should allow the car to clear a flooded condition). If the motor catches then, let up off of the gas and let it come to idle.

Based on past problems with the X-Types, you are most likely looking at a bad fuel pump. They are known for going out and giving hard start/no start problems. that is why I am leaning towards that first. But then, I would also recommend having a code reader connected to the computer and seeing what codes are stored in there. As long as the battery has not been disconnected, the codes will be inside of the computer and may help lead us to a failed item.

 

Ok I replaced the crank pos sensor on the passenger side of the motor, still nothing, with the key on engine off, I depressed the fuel rail schraeder valve and got just a little spurt, but while cranking it, it sprayed out!! Where should I go to next??

 

Brett, run to your local auto parts store and rent one of their fuel pressure gauges. Most places will rent the tool for free with an initial deposit (normally the cost of the tool new, which you get back when you return the tool). Make sure of the pressure. From there, try flooring the car as you are cranking it to see if it will catch that way. Finally, if you look on top of the engine, you will see a small vacuum line running from the top of the intake over to the brake booster. Push in on the hose, then while holding the black plastic ring down, lift up on the hose only. That should allow the hose to be removed. Spray a little bit of starter fluid down the hole and then put the hose back in (just need to slide the hose into the hole). Attempt to start the car. Did it fire now? If no, then you have an ignition issue. If yes, then either the car has messed up timing or there is a problem with the ECU and it is not sending a signal to the fuel injectors.

Without having the car in front of me, I can only recommend a few basic things. After that, codes will need to be read (rent the tool from your local auto parts store or you can get them via e-bay for as low as $15 if you have a smart phone). see what the codes are. That will help to narrow down where the issue may lie.

Another silly question, then you are starting the car, look at the center console. Just below the gear shift is a red light. Is that red light lighting up when you start the car?

 

Thermo, thanks for your help this far, here's where I'm at, I pulled codes and got a p1000 and a p0335, I changed the crank sensor and tried to start but no avail, it has a very weak crank so I had the battery tested and it was at 75% charge, after further investigation I noticed that one of the terminals on the starter solenoid was melted,would a weak starter but a good battery cause a no start?? I haven't checked fuel pressure but before reading this post I sprayed some starting fluid in the throttle body and it did not start, I will get a pressure tester tomorrow and test fuel pressure.. Also the light by the shifter does come on momentarily while trying to start.

 

Brett, charge up the battery to 100% and then get the battery load tested. Then I would also get a replacement starter for in the car as the melter terminal is not helping things. Then lets see where you are then. It may be that with the weak battery (which this car is known for having issues with) is weak enough that the slow rolling mixed with the ECU not seeing sufficient voltage is resulting in a low spark condition. By adding starting fluid to the motor and not getting any start is telling me that you are not getting any spark. One other thing to check is Fuse F92 in the engine bay fuse box. Make sure that 10 amp fuse is good. Granted, it should be good as the car is rolling over. If not, the ECU would not see the car in the P or N position and would prevent the start signal from making it to the starter.

Another check that I would do since we are dealing with a lack of spark condition is to do a hand over hand of the coil wiring. It may be possible that the wiring got damaged and the coils are no longer electrically connected. Otherwise, you are possibly looking at fouled spark plugs and they simply just are not able to fire due to garbage on the electrode. Should be able to pull Coil #1 (behind passenger headlight, the only coil you can really get to without having to dismantle a bunch of stuff). See what that plug looks like. If the gap is excessive (over 0.055") and you get some gunk on the plug, that can lead to what you are seeing too.

 

Someone cranking and cranking and cranking the engine because it wouldn't fire could certainly explain the overheated / baked wiring at the starter.

A marginal battery in combination with worn out spark plugs and burnt wiring on the solenoid could possibly even explain (the crank sensor code and) the no-fire condition when you hit it with the ether, per Thermo's observation.

I'd do as he mentioned: charge the battery, test it with a load tester (a freebie test at any Auto Supply store) to see if it actually is any good.

Further, I would:
1) undo the connections on the starter and brighten them all up with your wife's good diamond nail file and re-cinch them down;
2) remove the ground connection, brighten it up and re-attach it, too;
3) look all over on every vacuum hose for a crack, break or disconnection;
4) inspect the battery cables closely for bad ends, baked innards;
5) and change out the plugged fuel filter.

Occum's Razor teaches us that the simplest answer is often correct. To that end, after you have a good charged battery in the car, try pushing and resetting the fuel pump emergency cut-off button located down by your knee in the drivers seat and see if the car doesn't fire right up.

(Someone might have just pegged a sidewalk curb when parking the car and caused it to trip, and it never restarted).

I truly hope it is that simple!

Best 'o luck.

 

Ok here's the latest, I have a fresh battery and starter checked fuel pressure and it reads 50 tried to start it and it lopes like it wants to start but just won't catch, I pulled one of the plugs and I am getting a yellow spark, also tried ether and no fire it acts like it wants to start but just can't get there!!! There is also a red vacuum line coming off the back side of the bback side of the manifold that is disconnected, where does that go to??

 

Ok I got it running with some new plugs!!! However avert I go it running, I noticed an unusual amount of whiteish smoke coming out of the exhaust, I've pulled the dipstick and the oil is not milky nor is it discolored and neither is the coolant, any ideas

 

Brett, run the car for 5 minutes (or more) and then see if your car is still blowing white smoke. Upon initial starting, especially if it is really humid out, your car will blow out some white steam due to burning off the water vapor that collects in the exhaust system (when you burn gasoline, it does create a mixture of water vapor and CO2 and the water can condense inside the exhaust when you shut down the car). If you still have the white smoke at that point, then I would start to worry as this would most likely be a problem with a bad head gasket (which could have been causing the car to be a hard start). The easiest check at that point is to do a compression check and the cylinder(s) with the bad gasket will have a very low compression (should be up around 150 psi, but ultimately you are looking for all of the cylinders to be roughly the same pressure - within 10% of each other). From there, you can pressurize the bad cylinder using an adapter that fits in the spark plug hole and pressurize the cylinder to around 90 psi (just have to make sure that both the exhaust and intake valves are closed). Then you put your ear next to the tail pipe to see if you can hear air, next to the intake to see if you can hear air, look at the overflow bottle to see if you can see bubbles collecting there, or listen to the oil fill opening for sounds of air. If you hear/see air, then your problem is where you are hearing/seeing it and it will help narrow down where your problem lies.