I've replaced all of the electrical, afterwards TEG was working fine, cut off on me in traffic...now it dosen't want to start....Any suggestions about what the problem is?

I posted a very nice, formal story about what's been up with my car....I'm new to this site and was hoping if one of you very knowledgable TEG owners had any suggestions. But no one had any suggestions.

I'm sick of pouring money into my car, and not fixing the correct problem that will KEEP it running...

 

You aren't getting any suggestions because 'replacing all the electrical' means you also replaced the wiring going to the taillights (which has no effect on whether or not your car will start).

Start off by telling us what you really replaced and try to give us more insight.

Did it stutter, then die? Do you have any aftermarket mods you recently installed? Does the car lurch forward at all? Have you recently installed any aftermarket electrical components (radio, alarm, gauges, kill switch)?

Just break it down, man. We might be able to help if you explain more in detail. Even if it takes you ten minutes to type and a half a page of reading. In that case, use your punctuation and grammar as if you were a 65 year old English teacher so you can be as clear as possible with us.

We do want to help.

 

If you replaced all the electrical - I'm guessing ignition - then check for any loose connections first of all and go over all the work that you have done. Also, like tgansert said more details would help.

 

Hello,

My car wouldn't start in January so my Dad fixed it by replacing almost all of the electrical; ignition coil, distributor - new distributor cap, coils, spark plugs, modulator, and the fuel filter. After he did that, it started running fine.

In February, I hit a small mound of ice hard snow in the middle of a street and broke my tail pipe -- my idle/pressure began running low -- my Dad patched that and it was fine.

In March I noticed when I would turn off my engine and parked for just a couple of minutes i.e.,running in/out of a convenient store) it would just crank but would not start up -- I would have to sit there for 10 minutes, and then it would start.

Over a course of the next two weeks, the start up wait would take longer and longer. One day it cut off on me as I approached a stop light in rush hour traffic. That day it took about 15 minutes to crank back up - after that i just let it sit at my apartment because I was afraid to drive it.

So right now, it will crank but not turn over at all.

Has anyone had these problems before? And if so what did you do to fix them?

What we are guessing is the fuel pump? Am I right?

 

I've re-posted what I wrote on 9.26, the posting I was referring to. I thought that maybe it had to much information -- so that's why I reposted.

My TEG isn't high tech, and I don't do any upgrading (mods) I don't even know what that is. The car "AS IS" when I bought it. So there hasn't been any performance upgrading.

 

Hi, thanks for the suggestions - Sir, I don't have any witty remarks, I don't get down like that - I seriously need to find out what the real problem is as to why my car isn't working. Any more suggestions will definitely help. I replied with my initial posting that I posted on 9.26 with all the details that you asked for -- that was the posting no one responded to. But just in case here are some more details.

Details...
Initial problems started in Octoboer - did not start
-replaced modulator, spark plugs, etc- still didn't want to start
-replaced ignition coil - started and ran fine

Problems in February; would run, but when I cut off the engine for short amounts of
time (less than 30 minutes) the car wouldn't start right away. I would have to sit for
5-15 minutes and then it would start and run fine.
- I live in Michigan and these problems began in the winter months. There were
talks in the news that the gas stations were watering down the gas so my dad had
me put some dry gas in the tank - was running better, but still did not want to
start right away.
- we looked into the choke system and noticed that when we opened it, and then
turn the key it would start, but after a while we figure that wasn't the problem.
- during all of this, i hit a ice mound in the middle of the street and it broke the
pipe that led to my muffler, made the car louder of course, patched that & ran
fine.
- So a month passes by and if I'm lucky my car would start right away if I ran into
a grocery store for just a second. If I try to leave after class (2-3 hours passing) it
would start and run. I felt confident driving it once i got it started.
- One day after parking at a commuter lot - for 8 hours on a warm + sunny day - I
tried to start my car and nothing happened. I waited for about 2 hours to come
back to my car and it still didn't start - called a tow truck, when it arrived my car
started and I still had to pay the man $40 for coming out. ugghhh!
- The last straw for me was the following week, as I'm driving it cut off on me in
traffic, the headlights, dashboard lights stayed on so it wasn't the battery. Three
nice guys pushed me and my roommate while we were still in the car out of the
street into a parking lot next to where I stopped (2 blocks away from my
apartment). I called my guy friend to push my car home with his car, and as soon
as he pulled up my car started and I was able to make it home.
THAT WAS IT FOR ME. I WAS TOO AFRAID TO DRIVE IT ANYMORE AND THREW IN MY TEG KEY! Since then I've had it towed home to my parents house and it's just been siting. Now I've graduated from college and to save money I don't want to buy/lease a new car because that means car note is going to be at least $300 because my credit is hit, insurance is going to be sky high because I'm only 23, and the gas prices now a days are ridiculous! I love my TEG and sometimes I just go out and sit in it and pray that God (or one of you guys) could tell me what's wrong with my car. My dad refuses to let me put it in the shop because of his past experiences "the automan rips you off!" - so he would rather have me deal with him replacing everything that we "think" is wrong with it. But personally I don't have the money to put it in the shop or buy replacement parts trying to guess what it is wrong with my car...Don't get me wrong about my dad, he does have mechanic skills -- my sister has a 91 'Accura and he maintains hers quite well.

My next step is replacing the fuel pump? I just wanted to get a second opinion before I did that? Do you agree with that being the problem?

 

I would guess fuel pump. I had this similar problem in two of my previous cars with the fuel pump being the culprit both times. You may also want to follow all the wiring going to said pump and scan for any problems along the way. Also, since it's cranking but not turning over, that is telling me your fuel has issues.

Alternatively, you may be getting too much air into the engine. Check your intake manifold and/or throttle body for any gaps where the gakets may have deteriorated.

 

It's easy to see if you're getting fuel though. You can either listen for the pump turning on when you turn your key to the on position, or you can disconnect your fuel line from your fuel rail and try to crank the car. Fuel should spray everywhere.

Good stuff with the details, um did your dad replace the ignitor as well as the coil? This is also known as the ICM. I've heard that if you don't replace both at the same time that it could just fry another new coil that you put in.

Check the fuel first, and if you're getting fuel, you may have toasted your new coil.

 

If the car is turning over graciously but not catching fire the modulator in the distributor may need to be replaced. This happened to me once and after I did all the shit you did for the same symptoms. (choked and began to sputter to a stop on freeway) When I finally replaced the modulator, problem solved. Try this last thing and see what happens. It might be it.