4.5 wont start (1 Viewer)

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port macquarie nsw
Hi guys , First time posting here , im new to this so forgive me if im posting in wrong place, ive had a quick search but cant find my answer

i have a 94 80 series 4.5 petrol, driving to work yesterday and it stopped no surging or anything , just lights on dash came on and now wont start at all, im not great at testing things so first thing i did was replace rotor button and dizzy cap, it Has fuel and and i cracked the banjo nut on engine side of fuel filter and when trying to start car fuel squirts out so its getting fuel , i pulled first two spark plugs out and they both have spark , ive pulled most plugs apart and sprayed them with contact cleaner , still not starting , just winds over , ive checked all fuses in fuse box under dash and in engine bay, im really lost, please help!
Thanks in advance.
 
If you are CERTAIN you have fuel and spark, then it should at least try to start from that perspective (fuel, air, spark needed to start/run). However, a failed TPS, CPS or other sensor (or even the ECU itself) could be your trouble, as these need to be working properly. I would also check the simple things like ALL grounds.

You didn't happen to 'fill up' your tank just before this happened did you? (Water in fuel).

I think it best at this juncture to put a scanner on it and see if any Trouble Codes are present. This might help give us some direction. Lots of knowledgeable folks here that can help, but we will need a little detective work on your part along the way as we work to solve your issue.

Welcome to MUD.
 
Does your cruiser have a diagnostic port? In the US your model year would have an OBD1 port which is usually tested by taking a paperclip and connecting two pins in the port, and then looking for the flashing pattern of the check engine light. Google has the procedures or it might even be on the underhood sticker.
 
MAF. My 94 died the same way. Took 10 hours of diagnostics to figure out the MAF was bad. If you have access to a known working MAF its an easy swap to test.
 
Hi guys , First time posting here , im new to this so forgive me if im posting in wrong place, ive had a quick search but cant find my answer

i have a 94 80 series 4.5 petrol, driving to work yesterday and it stopped no surging or anything , just lights on dash came on and now wont start at all, im not great at testing things so first thing i did was replace rotor button and dizzy cap, it Has fuel and and i cracked the banjo nut on engine side of fuel filter and when trying to start car fuel squirts out so its getting fuel , i pulled first two spark plugs out and they both have spark , ive pulled most plugs apart and sprayed them with contact cleaner , still not starting , just winds over , ive checked all fuses in fuse box under dash and in engine bay, im really lost, please help!
Thanks in advance.
When you turn the key to the "RUN" position, do you have a CEL? (Check Engine Light)
 
Does it try to turn over at all but just won't catch? I just had a similar problem with my 94, it appeared to have fuel when I pulled the return line, but then I found some links about cleaning the fuel pump relay contact and that got mine running. Fuel Pump Relay Cleaning

There's another thread that I can't find right now and it has to do with the pressure being supplied, I remember it talking about cranking it at WOT as that triggers the electronics differently.

Doesn't cost anything so give it a try!
 
MAF. My 94 died the same way. Took 10 hours of diagnostics to figure out the MAF was bad. If you have access to a known working MAF its an easy swap to test.

93-94 models use a VAF not a MAF. Totally different devices. Please use the correct terminology as to not confuse the OP.
 
93-94 models use a VAF not a MAF. Totally different devices. Please use the correct terminology as to not confuse the OP.


Yup. My mistake, being precise does matter. MAF is used colloquially for devices that measure air flow into the engine. But you're correct, on the 1994 it is technically a volume air flow meter.

Whatever you want to call it, it's damn hard to find a replacement.
 
Ok guys, so i have replace dizzy cap , rotor button , spark plugs , leads , coil , ive tested the fusible link ( all good ) ive checked all fuses , ive cleaned all conections , i have fuel up in the rail with pressure , i have got power at the injectors , ive done the bridge wire in the diagnosis box and no codes came up, still wont start , if i spray aero start into manifold it will fire but stop straight away.

Any ideas guy’s??

next i will drain the fuel out of tank , change fuel filter and refill and try again . After that im out of ideas.
 
You have fuel, but do you have enough fuel?

IDK how long it’s been since you did a new fuel filter, but if you don’t know, then I’d do the volume/crank test, or plain swap in a new filter if you haven’t done one ever.

Sounds like you’re starved for gas, be it fuel filter or further back / power to or faulty pump.

Do you hear the pump cycle if you wait a good while for the pressure to bleed down (overnite) - and just turn the key to the ‘on’ position & pause before you crank it over?
 
Ok guys, so i have replace dizzy cap , rotor button , spark plugs , leads , coil , ive tested the fusible link ( all good ) ive checked all fuses , ive cleaned all conections , i have fuel up in the rail with pressure , i have got power at the injectors , ive done the bridge wire in the diagnosis box and no codes came up, still wont start , if i spray aero start into manifold it will fire but stop straight away.

Any ideas guy’s??

next i will drain the fuel out of tank , change fuel filter and refill and try again . After that im out of ideas.


Instead of using the Parts Cannon and throwing parts at it, you need to PROPERLY diagnose the problem.

I'll ask again:

When you turn the key to the "RUN" position, do you have a CEL? (Check Engine Light)
 
I had similar symptoms. Look into the VAF.
 

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Instead of using the Parts Cannon and throwing parts at it, you need to PROPERLY diagnose the problem.

I'll ask again:

When you turn the key to the "RUN" position, do you have a CEL? (Check Engine Light)

yes i have the CEL when i turn key to run position
 
yes i have the CEL when i turn key to run position
OK. That tells you the ECU is in a run-ready state and all of its parameters have been met.

Unplug the VAF/AFM/MAF/ unit to see if it will start, then dies WITHOUT using starting fluid. If it starts, then dies in under a minute, then odds are the VAF/AFM/MAF is the culprit.
 
Ok guys, Still not starting, ive drained the tank and the pic below is what came out, ive taken the fuel to my local servo who tested it and was free of water but he said it looks and smells like it is contaminated with something so i flushed the tank out and replaced all the injectors and fuel filter, also replace all the injector plugs as some were a little brittle , ive replaced rotor button and dizzy cap , i also replaced the spark plugs, leads and coil, now if i spray aero start into inlet manifold it will start and idle but as soon as i stop spraying it dies! Ive checked all earths ive pulled apart all plugs and cleaned them, ive tested the fusible link on battery and its good, ive checked all fuses, the fuel pump is working and the ecu relay clicks when turning key on, ive tried the paper clip in the diagnosis box and all i get is the CEL constantly flashing, im stumped now, i need a guru who knows there way around a 1fz to help me out, please and thank you !

7984CC56-DB29-4BD0-AFFA-49B155EBC631.jpeg
 
That gas looks wrong, really wrong.

You should see some of the bottom of the pan if that’s ~10” of gas there.

So - starting fluid gives results, so you have spark.
You have air, so I’m thinking it’s a fuel delivery / quantity issue.

-I’m a OBD2 guy, but from a long rest - when you key to just the “on” position, does the fuel pump run ~2-3seconds to pressurize the system?
- (I know OBD2 does, one of you OBD1 guys can confirm what I only expect is the exact same)

If it does, I wonder what your fuel sock looks like?

I’d also do the FSM diagnostic test for volume of flow if you’re hearing that pump pressurize the system - I can only expect it should flow enough CC’s in allotted time - if not then we’re back in the fuel pump/sock now that you have a new filter & verified injectors.
 
That gas looks wrong, really wrong.

You should see some of the bottom of the pan if that’s ~10” of gas there.

So - starting fluid gives results, so you have spark.
You have air, so I’m thinking it’s a fuel delivery / quantity issue.

-I’m a OBD2 guy, but from a long rest - when you key to just the “on” position, does the fuel pump run ~2-3seconds to pressurize the system?
- (I know OBD2 does, one of you OBD1 guys can confirm what I only expect is the exact same)

If it does, I wonder what your fuel sock looks like?

I’d also do the FSM diagnostic test for volume of flow if you’re hearing that pump pressurize the system - I can only expect it should flow enough CC’s in allotted time - if not then we’re back in the fuel pump/sock now that you have a new filter & verified injectors.


the fuel sock ( in the tank? ) perfectly clean, i cant hear the fuel pump but i never have, but i cracked the banjo on the fuel rail and turned the key and theres plenty of fuel pressure there!
 
the fuel sock ( in the tank? ) perfectly clean, i cant hear the fuel pump but i never have, but i cracked the banjo on the fuel rail and turned the key and theres plenty of fuel pressure there!

-So when you crack the banjo, then re-torque — go pop the key to the ON position & listen for the fuel pump.

Unless the OBD1 guys say otherwise, you hear the OBD2 80’s pressure up every time.

If there’s any corrosion under your 80, IIRC the floor harness has a socket that is just RR of the B-pillar under the body on the L side framerail - you might check for corrosion/stuff dielectric grease in it.
 
the fuel sock ( in the tank? ) perfectly clean, i cant hear the fuel pump but i never have, but i cracked the banjo on the fuel rail and turned the key and theres plenty of fuel pressure there!

Fuel looks like a Diesel/Gas mix.....yuck. I don't believe our fuel pumps 'pre-prime' with key only at the 'on' position. I'm pretty sure they do not activate until the engine is cranking. But surely you have a fuel delivery issue as evidenced by the fact you can fog the engine with starting fluid and have it run.

While you may have fuel 'pressure' at the fuel rail it might not be enough pressure. 5-10 lbs of pressure squirting from a banjo bolt will look like a lot...but is not sufficient to run through the injectors. I think at this juncture a fuel pressure test is warranted.

Depending on where you hook in to test....you should see about 40psi 'cranking'.
 
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