HELP Car won't turn. Options

[CastrolCelica]

Ok, this is an unusual situation. I started my car yesterday to go to a friends house. It started fine, but after I started it I decided to take the Prius instead to save on gas. So the car started just fine.

I tried starting it today, and it won't turn. This isn't like what was happening before. It doesn't sound like a dead battery because it's actually really close to turning over. It doesn't seem like a timing belt because the engine is going a bit as well as the starter engine. I can only assume it's spark or fuel related. The problem is, if I can't turn on the car, I can't take it to a garage. To further complicate things, the car is in my garage which would make getting it out and onto a truck extremely hard because of our steep driveway and narrow turn at the end.

ANYwho, I guess I don't understand how it could start just fine last night... had NO driving to wear it down, and now this. Any help is immensely appreciated.

Btw, when I opened up the hood I smelled a VERY faint burnt toast type of smell. Could have been from trying to start the car 3 or 4 times though...

[jimmykay]

is it not cranking the engine at all? if not, I would start checking starters and solenoids.

if it does crank and turn over, check cap and rotor, and fuel pressure like I just did a couple weeks ago.

EDIT: Here's my thread about my problems.
http://www.6gc.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=71832


This post has been edited by jimmykay: Feb 1, 2010 - 10:58 AM

[CastrolCelica]

Honestly, I'm guessing fuel pump as it's been running a bit soft recently. Fuel pumps when they're dying can work one day and not the next, so I'll try tonight. I just need it to start so I can get it to the garage. I'd hate to spend money on a truck for driving it literally an 8th of a mile down the freakin street.

[jimmykay]

If you're thinking its the fuel pump, just run to autozone and rent a fuel pressure tester for a $150 deposit. you get all of it back when you bring it back.

it's super easy to test yourself. and if you want, I can walk you through it.

[CastrolCelica]

If you're thinking its the fuel pump, just run to autozone and rent a fuel pressure tester for a $150 deposit. you get all of it back when you bring it back.

it's super easy to test yourself. and if you want, I can walk you through it.

Please. Any help would be greatly appreciated. When I go home, I'm going to turn the key only to the on position. I'm going to try to see if I can hear the pump working. If I don't hear it, chances are that's it.

[GriffGirl]

I think you're on the right path with the fuel pump, there. Keep us posted, I'm interested to know what the culprit turns out to be.

[jimmykay]

The pressure tester that i got had bolts that had a zerk fitting on one end and threaded with a hole drilled through the side of it on the other end. the pressure tester plugs into the zerk fitting side. I am assuming that the fuel pressure tester that you get will be similar.

if you get the tester, all you need to do is remove the air intake . my air box has been replaced with a short ram, making this really easy. on the inside fender wall, there's a black canister with a line coming in and one going out, you can trace the top line to your fuel rail to make sure that you've got the filter. then take the bolt off of the top of the filter I think it's around a 15-17mm socket. be careful though there are a couple of metal seals in there that can easily be dropped and lost.

match up the bolt that you removed with one of the bolts in the pressure tester box, and hook that bolt into the line. hooking it back up like normal otherwise. attach the gauge, make sure everything is tight.

I couldn't figure out the part about jumpering fuses and all of that, so I just turned my key to on and pushed the pressure release on the gauge to get the air out of the system. I turned on the key again after a few minutes to get my reading. also, check for leaks. I then started the car with this attached and got another reading. they were practically identical. about 46psi. spec is 38-44psi IIRC

I hope this helps.

This post has been edited by jimmykay: Feb 1, 2010 - 12:50 PM

[trdproven]

toyota fuel pumps are pretty rare to die on you and they are pretty quiet. I would first check on anything on the ignition side, its the free way to check or the cheapest.

[delusionz]

If everything is sweet with power to the starter motor, Then the engine should make a good cranking sound (Crank rapidly turning over)

If it sounds like the engine is cranking, then the cranking slows down until nothing happens then you have a low battery.

If its a click click click then you have a wiring/grounding problem.


If the 1st is the case (Cranking fine, but no ignition) then check your spark plugs (If they've never been changed -- Yes I found out I've got the original factory plugs now 160,000 kms old even though the previous owner said he had it serviced regularly),

Then make sure you haven't dislodged any of the distributor/spark plug cables, etc. What you can do is take a plug out, connect it back to the spark plug wire, and hold it to the block to ground it, then get someone to crank the engine and see if you're getting spark.

Once you confirm you're getting spark, then start looking at fuelling issues.

Normally if you have fuelling issues the engine should actually start, but have trouble keeping a steady idle and may even shut off....

[delusionz]

Post a video showing your tachometer while you try to start the engine, and capture the cranking sound.

PS. Do you have an alarm/immobiliser? You may possibly find the fault here.

PPS. How are your mudflaps going? Mine have cracked already around the places I've screwed them in