Turns over, no spark (1 Viewer)

[tarbe]

This is kinda weird....

Son drove home from school in the '95 in my sig a couple weeks ago.

He reported that the turn signals quit working sometime between driving to school and coming home.

Parked the truck in front of the house like normal, with 3/4 tank of fuel. It sat for two weeks while we were in Idaho backpacking and fishing.

We come home and he jumps in the Cruiser to go to work, and it spins, but won't fire.

We check the coil wire...everything attached and in order.

Check engine light comes on when the ignition is "on".

Battery is new, engine spins fine.

Took both pos and neg cables off and cleaned them anyway.

Hoping I am overlooking the obvious. Did a search and did not find anything else to trouble-shoot this situation.

Any ideas?

tia,


Tim

 

[gsi18867]

turn signals working now?

 

[tarbe]

turn signals working now?

Nope.

 

[gsi18867]

fuses?

 

[pengfinn]

Try switching youre EFI relay with one from the driver's side kick panel

 

[LFD2037]

Fusible links?

 

[tarbe]

Checked fuses and link. Will try switching out the EFI relay...but seeing as I am getting a CEL with ignition on, wouldn't this indicate the relay is ok?

 

[tarbe]

My first thought was some rodent must have chewed something while it was sitting two weeks.

Funny, my '93 sits for up to two months on the property in MO...always fires right up...and sometimes I have to deconstruct packrat nests off the engine first!

 

[pengfinn]

My first thought was some rodent must have chewed something while it was sitting two weeks.

Funny, my '93 sits for up to two months on the property in MO...always fires right up...and sometimes I have to deconstruct packrat nests off the engine first!

You're right about the EFI relay if you're seeing a CEL, IIRC the EFI relay has a lead to the ECU. And yeah, they'll nest up on them quick. Mine was stored in a building with pallets of bagged corn. The first two weeks I had it the engine smelled like popcorn when it got up to temp

 

[tarbe]

Mine was stored in a building with pallets of bagged corn. The first two weeks I had it the engine smelled like popcorn when it got up to temp

I would always watch my buddy start his truck at the deer lease in South Texas. Corn invariably flew out the exhaust!

 

[lazy]

The EFI relay can also be checked by testing for voltage in the diagnostic port. +B, pin 12. Not sure if it is the same pin in all models.

 

[jonheld]

If your CEL is on with the key in the ON position, then your EFI relay/fuse is good.

Is your 95 OBD I or OBD II?
Have you checked for spark???
Is the fuel pump running when you crank the starter?

Turn signals/hazards are a separate circuit from most everything else on the vehicle. If that's the ONLY thing that doesn't work, then it's not related to spark in any way.

Hazards and turn signals are fed from the same fusible link as the starter circuit along with the ECU, so we know that's good.
HINT: If your dome lights work, then the fusible link that feeds the EFI circuit is good.
Turn signals are on the same leg as the CIG LIGHTER, WIPERS, GAUGES. If those work, then it's just the TURN circuit.

If everything checks out and she still doesn't give spark, then it's something more sinister. Possibly coil, igniter, distributor related.
But if rodents/critters are an issue where you live, then check for signs of wire harness issues.

 

[tarbe]

Thans Jon! In Phoenix picking up a 100, but will run through the flow diagram above when I get back to Houston!


Tim

 

[tarbe]

Finally had a chance to go out and run this issue to ground.

Good news, cruiser is running!

Bad news...still not 100% certain of the cause.

Secondary cause....no fuel in tank!! Question is...why no fuel in tank?

First question I asked my son, when he said the cruiser wouldn't start, was "do you have fuel"?

He said yes...filled up 78 miles ago (he always resets the trip odo when he fills up).

So this morning I am running through everything and coming up blank. Getting spark (so my title is incorrect!) and all fuses/relays are good...so that told me there is a fuel issue.

I look at the boy and ask if he is SURE the cruiser has fuel....while I am going to the gas cap to remove and do the slosh test.

Guess what? I hear no fuel. I empty my one gallon lawn mower fuel tank into the cruiser and 15 seconds later it is running.

One thing I noticed when I removed the fuel cap was the little metal flapper door on the fuel filler restrictor was jammed in the open position. Son says that was abnormal.

So, assuming he is not nuts and really did fill the tank days (and 78 miles) before leaving for Idaho, we either had a massive evap leak (can't imagine losing 20 gallons in two weeks) or someone found a way into the tank and siphoned?

We are watching and sniffing to see if we can detect any leaks...

Thanks to all who offered advice!!


Tim

 

[LFD2037]

A) someone stole the fuel
B) it leaked out
C) odometer broke & it's not really 78 miles

 

[tarbe]

A) someone stole the fuel
B) it leaked out
C) odometer broke & it's not really 78 miles

A and B are still possibilities. C has been ruled out.

 

[LS1FJ40]

Fill it with a few gallons of gas. Check back in a few hours. If it leaked 20+ gallons in 2 weeks it should be leaking noticeably within a few hours.

Of course, then you have to worry about the gas that is leaking out but you at least know!

My suspicion is that your son started fueling it up. Ran inside to grab a soda. Can out and it was stopped. Assumed it was full. But the pump had shut off for one of many reasons. He put the cap on and took off thinking it was full.

Does your low fuel light work?

 

[tarbe]

Update:

I put 5 gallons in from a can at the house, to watch for leaks...nothing.

We got the blinkers working (son removed the airbag and steering wheel and found a bad connection to the blinker control module).

He took it to the gas station and topped it up. Got 2 gallons in...that's it!

So he really did fill it up...between the gas from the lawnmower can, the 5 gal I put in and his 2 gallons...the tank was about 7.75 gallons short after 78 miles of in-town driving. Just right for an old cruiser on 315s.

So now I am wondering if the pump is struggling against a vacuum and pulling the gas cap off made a difference? Very odd that with 18 gallons in the tank it was getting no fuel...I remove the cap, put in 3/4 gallon and it starts right up.

 

[LFD2037]

Check charcoal canister?

 

[drowssap]

Check charcoal canister?

DING DING DING!