Probe not starting

[A790]

Hey guys;

The car is a 97 Probe GT with 189K.

Ran fine yesterday, no problems. Parked car for about 14 hours. Went out today to try to start it annnd.... nothing.

It cranks and turns over. Injectors are dispensing fuel into the cylinders.

I suspect the spark plugs or distributor, but I don't have any tools to actually check that.

Any ideas?

[ca18det240sx]

pull a plug, put it in the wire like normal, put teh threaded part of the plug to a ground source aka any metal part of the motor, and have a friend crank, if it sparks, dismiss that...as long as it sparks in time, if its not sparking in a specific pulse....suspect distributor/the pickups inside. Also, get your ignition module checked out if you dont have spark

edit: correct me if im wrong, but isnt your motor coilpack ignition?

shouldnt have a dist

[A790]

Originally posted by ca18det240sx
pull a plug, put it in the wire like normal, put teh threaded part of the plug to a ground source aka any metal part of the motor, and have a friend crank, if it sparks, dismiss that...as long as it sparks in time, if its not sparking in a specific pulse....suspect distributor/the pickups inside. Also, get your ignition module checked out if you dont have spark

edit: correct me if im wrong, but isnt your motor coilpack ignition?

shouldnt have a dist

To be honest, I don't know enough about this motor to know if it's coilpacks or not. I tried pulling the plugs and I'm getting a spark... so now I'm just getting frustrated.

I'll probably have it towned to my uncle who's a mechanic and let him deal with it.

[ca18det240sx]

is it a blue spark or a orange spark. can you hear your fuel pump turn on for 3 seconds after you turn on the key (not start, just full on)

[Millsie]

You have a distributor, the KL engine never made the move to coil packs. The distributors have been known to go on those engines, though I thought the 96-97 were supposed to be better. When mine went down (95 Mx-6), I used the shock tower bolt as a ground, wasn't getting any spark, so new disty went in.

If you are getting fuel, thats probably the culprit, as if the wires themselves go, it tends to be one or two, and the engine will still run, if yours cranks but no fire, its probably the disty.

[A790]

Roughly mhow much does a new distributor cost?

[AdamSarkozi]

junk yard like 5-10 bucks, brand new probably 80-200

[SinisterProbeGt]

Originally posted by A790
Roughly mhow much does a new distributor cost?

Check out www.probetalk.com for parts and tips on this pictular problem,
Seriously a disty can cost up to $600 bucks and a Mass Air flow can cost up to 900$.
If i was you I would check out your timming belt make sure its not broken.
Pm me if you like I have been in and out of the KL series and as long as your not in bears paw I might be able to help.

[A790]

Originally posted by SinisterProbeGt


Check out www.probetalk.com for parts and tips on this pictular problem,
Seriously a disty can cost up to $600 bucks and a Mass Air flow can cost up to 900$.
If i was you I would check out your timming belt make sure its not broken.
Pm me if you like I have been in and out of the KL series and as long as your not in bears paw I might be able to help.

$600 for a distributor!?!?!

I'm in London, ON... and I don't think the timing belt went (i'm not near the car to check).

The last time I used the car I turned it off and everything was normal and now the SOB won't start.

[SinisterProbeGt]

somtimes thats the way it works.
It warms up to running temp breaks but does not seperate the connection untill it cools down.
then is breaks the connection when cold. then you try on restart; it can burn it out completly
was it wet where you drove it?
do you have oil? any other preceeding mechanical problems?
you need to go into detail about the last time you drive it. things normally just dont break on there own. they wear out but dont break.

[A790]

Got it back from the shop the other day.. it was the camshaft position sensor... how random is that?