alex0047

hello i have a 89 240 with 180k. i was giong to work and my car broke down at a gas station. it cranks but wont turn over. this happened before but i got it started last time within about ten minutes. this time it wont turn over at all. i dont think its the starter becuase it turns over and its not the fuel pump becuase i can smell the gas. after about ten minutes of trying to start it i started mashing the gas so it could be flooded. anyway, i still cant figure out why it wont start in the first place. the batterys good and i just replaced the alternator. i also replaced the valve cover seal, could that have anything to do with it? i have no idea on this one, any help would be much appreciated.

 

bridrive55

180k miles on an SOHC motor? Almost exactly twice what I've got. Ouch.
Probably a bad thing if you can smell gas. I would replace your fuel filter in any case, but assuming the starter motor is working, and the engine is turning but not firing:
a) Starter fluid sprayed into the engine by a buddy (a trustworthy buddy) will help determine if your car has an ignition or fuel problem. If the starter fluid causes the engine to surge and then die down again, you've most likely got a fuel problem. You know this because the engine still has to be sparking to combust the starter fluid.
b) If the engine isn't at all affected by the starter fluid, you can pull the spray-and-pray strategy and just replace a bunch of ignition components (most of them very affordable) and hope that fixes your problem. I'd replace the ignition coil, sparkplugs and wires, and distributor components (cap and rotor). OR, you can test each component individually.
In either case, you need to know whether the problem is spark related, or fuel related. I'd hope to God if I were you that it's fuel.
Get back to us!
-Brian C.

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StreetTech S13
KA24DET, .70A/R T04E, FMIC, VLSD, SAFC-II, 550cc's, Q45 MAF.

DaCheat

Yeah, that sounds like a pretty accurate set of first steps to check...
Definitely replace the Fuel Filter, and Fuel Filter housing.
I think My car has the stock fuel filter, so that is the next thing I am going to replace, as well as a Catalytic Converter.
Anyway, listen to Brian he knows and answer or knows someone who does!
Good luck

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alex0047

i went back to the station a few hours later and my car started right up like normal. this crap only happens when i really need to be somewhere! i probaly need to change the fuel filter anyway ill do that asap. a few months ago my car was runnin real ruff and lost about half its power, i thought it was the distributer, but it went away and hasnt been a problem since, but it could be coming back to huant me. ill probaly replace that to and see what happens. thanks for the help, alex

Nismo14-180

Your starter may be going out. They tend to do that around 175000 miles. I had just replaced the starter in my S13 a week before her demise.

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1991 RMS13-- DD; Slushbox, bad paint, and dents
1992 CS13-- Getting overhauled for WMD status.

 

Prelude Guy

If it happens again, pull the fuel pump fuse and crank the starter.

bridrive55

To burn off fuel that has flooded in the eingine, that is. This also depressurizes fuel lines, however, so make sure you hold the key in the ON position for 1-2 seconds before cranking it to start after any pressure is lost from the fuel lines.

__________________
StreetTech S13
KA24DET, .70A/R T04E, FMIC, VLSD, SAFC-II, 550cc's, Q45 MAF.