89 LXi Won't Start

[Blackbird_]

Greetings 3geezers,

Thanks in advance for all the help! here's the problem - my car won't start.

It has gas and battery power (lights, door chime, clock, radio, etc all come on). As per searching, I've checked the in car and underhood fuses (the ones related to ignition and fuel injection and they all seem to be fine as well as the main relays. When I get home I'll check the voltage/amps with my multimeter of the battery. Most likely I'm thinking starter or ignition switch. I tried jumping the starter (There are two leads going to the front of it located behind the radiator near the headers, it this thing actually is the starter, and I put an insulated screwdriver across it and tried to start it but no go) to no avail. Battery connections are good although I will disconnect and reconnect those when I get home, and if it was a bad ground, would this problem just suddenly pop up one day?

Would you believe I was about to do a tune up and then I got sick? v-powers and coolant are still in the trunk

[stat1K]

the starter is on the transmission... does it just not crank or anything?

[Blackbird_]

Define crank...It's like the engine isn't even trying to start, just the electricals

[Demon1024]

Define crank...It's like the engine isn't even trying to start, just the electricals

turns over? rotates? tries to spin? lol
do the lights dim when you try to start it? go out completely?
if it's not turning/rotating/spining the engine

use a hot wire from the battery + to check the starter. just hit the small plug on the starter not the big one.just pull of the wire and touch it for a second. if it turns that not you problem. if it still doesn't turn check the big wire connection to the battery and the ground connections. you can temporarily use a jumper cable hooked from the neg. on the battery to the block to check the ground connection.
also check the main fuse in the under hood box again they crack very small sometimes use a light or tester or something

if it turns with the hot wire and not the key it's your ignition switch/wiring.

if it is turning over when you turn the key check/resolder the main relay
check your timing belt! that might have popped on ya!
check the connections to the dizzy/coil wires

[Oldblueaccord]

Well if all the other stuff checks out like batery voltage etc I would look at your key and key switch. If your key is way worn out your switch prolly is too.

Our cars will start with 11.1 volts at the battery lest mine will.


wp

[Blackbird_]

Sorry guys, I misspoke. It IS cranking, just won't turn over. Fuel gauge reads 3/4 full. My mom was driving it when it shut off on her (I was out of town) she says it just went down from 50-0, shut off and then wouldn't start back up.

[Oldblueaccord]

Well thats differant... I would look at the timing belt and make sure it is not broken. The rotor under the distributor cap should be turning.


wp

[Blackbird_]

Had someone take a look at it from down the street, said the camshaft isn't turning so seems to point to timing belt. I don't have the time to try fixing this: midterms and finals coming up in school so about how much is reasonable for a timing belt job?

[Oldblueaccord]

200$ would be cheap 400$ could be the norm depending on location etc. Its all labor I don't think the belts more the 40$ and anymore.

The big thing is there is some chance that the valves hit the pistons and has ruined the motor. We have a yearly debate on this and it goes either way. I would not crank the motor over any more until the belt is put back on and the cam timing is set back up correctly.


wp

[1987AccordLx-i]

Had someone take a look at it from down the street, said the camshaft isn't turning so seems to point to timing belt. I don't have the time to try fixing this: midterms and finals coming up in school so about how much is reasonable for a timing belt job?

to check if timing belt is broken without taking off timing gear cover just take off the oil cap and have someone crank it... if you see the valves jumping around then its not your t-belt

[Rendon LX-i]

kinda reminds me when i was in my dodge shadow i was just cruzing and BAM thing just turns off...so it has to be the timming belt

[Blackbird_]

Yes that seems to be what it is pointing to. I found someone who will do the timing belt for $200 so I just need to get it over to him. I'm a little surprised there aren't that many people from TX on the forums - I've seen a 3g hatch in an apt complex near campus and a few sedans around town. There's even a guy on CL selling a carb'd. In any case, we'll see what happens after the belt is changed and timing reset (hopefully by some miracle the valves are alright - don't even start the interference vs non interference thing). If they aren't I feel like pulling the motor and taking it apart and rebuilding it, lol unfortunately I don't have the time or the experience, engine disassembly is way out of my league