1600 wont start...still.

[Ebruckbauer]

After storing my 1600 over the winter she wont turn over. I replaced the plugs and made sure all the connections were secure on the ignition wires. My friend and I checked the wires and they are sparking at the distributor, but there is no way of telling if they are sparking at the plug itself because of the location. Could the wires be the problem? THis car ran great before I stored it for 3 mos. I used Sta-Bil in a full tank of gas, so I dont think the fuel has broken down. Any suggestions? The weather is so nice it kills me jus thinking my car is not working... Could this be something other than electrical?

[c.d.iesel]

choke working?

have an 'old' spark plug? -

just plug an extra plug into any of the 4 whires to confirm you do have spark top the plugs - borrow one out of the lawn mower!

huge mouse nest in the air cleaner ?

huge mouse next inside the muffler ?

remove the fuel hose entering the carb - crank over and hold end of hose

in a glass. -=DANGER=-!! DURING THIS TEST ! FIRE!

HOW DOES THE GAS LOOK CAUGHT IN THE GLASS ? HOW MUCH VOLUME DURING A 15 sec. cranking ?

[c.d.iesel]

(nt)

[Ebruckbauer]

choke doesn't work so great.

I have an electric fuel pump and some sort of adjustable fuel filter (prev. owner installation) that changes things I think. No mouse nests. Thanks for the spark plug tip, I'll try when I get home.

Any other suggestions?

[c.d.iesel]

it that eleclectiric fuel pump "BUZZING" or "TICKING" with the key on?

or making noises during cranking? does it have a faulty low oil pressure cut off circuit?, hoses leaking suction from tank?

my $20.02 opinion - toss the 'modified unreliable' ecentrictic

pump in the bushes and install the manual pump with no wires and

malfunctions.

[Ebruckbauer]

It ticks. To start the vehicle (when it did start) I would turn the ignition until the fuel pump engaged. I let it pump (tick) for roughtly 30sec to a minute then turn the motor. Feather the gas and it would start. This usually took 2 tries. Are we talking about a major overhaul to convert the car back to a manual fuel pump or is this a fairly easy fix?

[Blau02(MN)]

I would take the inlet hose off of the elec. pump and squirt in a very small amout of atf or oil , reconnect the supply and retry it. My electric pumps always seem to need a bit of help priming after months of nonuse.

[ingraham]

Based on your description, it's turning over but not firing. Try squirting a little starter fluid into the air cleaner intake. If it fires, you weren't getting fuel. If it doesn't, you weren't getting spark.

[MBH297]

Try taking the plugs out one at a time, hold the metal casing of the plug onto the head with a pair of plastic handled pliers (Make sure they are well insulated, you don't want to end up looking like a burnt toilet brush!) and crank it over, you should be able to see the spark across the plug gap. NOTE: This isn't advisable if you have a heart condition, are standing in a puddle or have strangely sweaty palms!!

[Guest Anonymous]

Okay, so I can see the distributor providing spark to the wires when I pull the boot off. However when I take the same wire and attach a spark plug to the opposite end I hold it up and don't see a spark. BUT, I then removed the hard plastic "tube" that connects the plug to the wire and put, and I was able to produce a spark between the top of the plug and the bare wire. I have ensured all connections are snug, does anyone know what the heck is going on? Do I need new wires?

Okay that was long. Question 2:

When you say spray starting fluid into the air intake, do you mean right onto the filter element, or do you mean spray it into the carbs, put the filter back on and try to start it? (I have dual webers if that changes anything.)

[SteveH]

Sorry, but I don't understand your first question. As for the second, I think someone should explain how to use starting fluid properly before you try that.

I'm not sure if I'm confusing it with Ether, or if its the same thing, but if used improperly, damage can be done.

So the engine is spinning when you turn the key?

When you take a spark plug that is still connected to the wire and rest the plug on the valve cover (top of engine), do you have spark? Don't get zapped!

Are you getting fuel flow to the carbs? You can pull a fuel hose off of a fitting on the carb.

Are the plugs wet?

Does it try to fire? (Backfiring, sputtering, coughing etc.)

[jetboy]

I suspect you are getting spark. all four wires didn't go bad after 3 months of sitting around, and the engine will start even if one goes. so before you risk turing your thumb black- do as they suggested above:

go get some starter fluid, take off your air filter, and spray a short burst into your carb (air)intakes. Immediately turn over the engine and see if it rumbles to life (you will hear the difference.. even though it will probably sputter to a stop almost immediately)

Dont take the time to put back on the filter etc - starter fluid evaporates super fast, so you have to be quick.

if it didnt rumble to life - try once again just to make sure - and then its most likely a spark problem. I have checked the spark on plugs many times and never gotten shocked. just lay the plug so that the body is grounded.. and turn over the car-- you don't have to even hold the blug at all. just lay it or tape it down to the valve cover.

of course you may need someone else to watch it while you turn the key.

if its fuel, check your lines, you may have a leak or blockage. - hell, are you sure you ahve gas? if you have a slow leak it coudl have all leaked out in 3 months! or if it sat for 3 months crap in the tank may have settled in your line - get ready to stink! don't know much about electronic pumps.. but sounds like that is a good bet. your carbs might be flooding the shit out of your engine too, if the seals or floats went south.

heh

i got a 71 vw van that has had just about every starting problem imaginable..

[Ebruckbauer]

Thanks everyone for all your help. Just to prove how little I know I was holding the plug (attached to the wire) in the air not grounding it on the engine... Which is most likely why I don't have spark. I will look into the fuel system for sure. Unfourtunatley it dropped down to 30 again today so that will wait. One thing I want to be careful of is if I decide to drain the gas from the tank to refill it with fresh stuff. It hasn't leaked out, but I am sure its not what it once was (I heard sta-bil can reduce its potency) Other than that I am going to clean the fuel lines and try the starter fluid trick.. I am sure this wont be the last of these posts but thanks for helping a new guy out!!

[Brandon]

I'm not sure if I'm confusing it with Ether, or if its the same thing, but if used improperly, damage can be done.

Starting fluid and ether are the same thing.