AE88 GTS Will not crank

CloudStrife
Club4AG Pro
Posts: 644
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2016 2:23 pm
Location: Middle of Hell, Florida

AE88 GTS Will not crank

Postby CloudStrife » Mon Jan 02, 2017 7:42 am

Hey guys,

Recently I've been tearing down the suspension on my 86' hatch, and she's been sitting for awhile.

A month or so ago I decided to pressure wash the bay to help try and identify leaks.

I covered and plastic wrapped everything but the alternator and starter.

It initially ran for awhile, but stopped running and wouldn't want to start again.

I took off the middle valve cover and found some standing water in the plugs (one of the valve screws was missing). I took compressed air and cleaned it out and made sure to order new plugs and wires.

I'm trying to figure out why she won't start. The battery has 12v DC, all the dash lights come on, fuel pump whines, and I don't hear clicking, but when I try to turn her over she won't even try to catch.

So even though there was standing water and interference in the spark, wouldn't it still try to crank?

Thanks guys, and happy new year.

Ian
Success guardian... Successsssssss..

notnilc20
Club4AG Pro
Posts: 575
Joined: Sun Dec 27, 2015 7:56 pm
Location: Memphis

Re: AE88 GTS Will not crank

Postby notnilc20 » Mon Jan 02, 2017 11:17 am

What's an ae88? J/k....take one of your plugs out and leave it connected....crank it and see if it makes a spark....don't hold it in your hands while doing this. If no spark.....you may have damaged your coil or ignitor box that's mounted on the coil.....also before any of this...check your fuses particularly ones that have to do with ignition.
Last edited by notnilc20 on Sat Jan 07, 2017 7:00 am, edited 1 time in total.

CloudStrife
Club4AG Pro
Posts: 644
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2016 2:23 pm
Location: Middle of Hell, Florida

Re: AE88 GTS Will not crank

Postby CloudStrife » Mon Jan 02, 2017 12:34 pm

LOL, thanks notnilc20, I only go by chassis vin no matter how cool people try to sound :P

So I think I'm familiar with what you're getting at; you're saying go down all 4 sparks one at a time and see who isn't happy?

If that's the case, I've already cleaned out everything and put new NGK Iridiums in there.. wires coming soon..

What I was gonna do to check the coil/ignitor, was to remove the wire on the disty side and have someone hold it to a ground and crank it.. I think if I see spark then I know that the ignitor is good?
Success guardian... Successsssssss..

CloudStrife
Club4AG Pro
Posts: 644
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2016 2:23 pm
Location: Middle of Hell, Florida

Re: AE88 GTS Will not crank

Postby CloudStrife » Mon Jan 02, 2017 12:35 pm

I'll check the fuses, are these all in the engine bay? I don't have fuse box decal :(
Success guardian... Successsssssss..

notnilc20
Club4AG Pro
Posts: 575
Joined: Sun Dec 27, 2015 7:56 pm
Location: Memphis

Re: AE88 GTS Will not crank

Postby notnilc20 » Mon Jan 02, 2017 5:05 pm

No, there is a fuse box on the driver side kick panel. You'll want to check the top row 3rd over, it's a 7.5amp for ignition. From there go 2 down and you'll see two 30 amp fuses side by side...check those too.

CloudStrife
Club4AG Pro
Posts: 644
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2016 2:23 pm
Location: Middle of Hell, Florida

Re: AE88 GTS Will not crank

Postby CloudStrife » Mon Jan 02, 2017 5:42 pm

Nah, those are all good. Guess I'll have to start at the coil and break out the FSM. I've had to trouble shoot one on a 94 OBD1 Protege So I'm sure it's similar.

Anyone got the FSM page handy?
Success guardian... Successsssssss..

notnilc20
Club4AG Pro
Posts: 575
Joined: Sun Dec 27, 2015 7:56 pm
Location: Memphis

Re: AE88 GTS Will not crank

Postby notnilc20 » Mon Jan 02, 2017 10:13 pm

Did you check to see if you were getting spark to your plugs?

CloudStrife
Club4AG Pro
Posts: 644
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2016 2:23 pm
Location: Middle of Hell, Florida

Re: AE88 GTS Will not crank

Postby CloudStrife » Mon Jan 02, 2017 10:21 pm

No, was too busy with other stuff..

I'll probably do it tomorrow but it'll be a rough day.
Success guardian... Successsssssss..

totta crolla
Club4AG Pro
Posts: 651
Joined: Tue Mar 26, 2013 5:21 am
Location: Oxford U.K

Re: AE88 GTS Will not crank

Postby totta crolla » Tue Jan 03, 2017 2:22 am

This feels like one of those
'I already think I know the answer, you waste hours of your time trying to second guess it and when you work it out I'll ignore you' types of threads.....

CloudStrife
Club4AG Pro
Posts: 644
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2016 2:23 pm
Location: Middle of Hell, Florida

Re: AE88 GTS Will not crank

Postby CloudStrife » Tue Jan 03, 2017 6:15 pm

Lol no I'm open to opinions, you guys are a smart bunch..

And I always give closure in these types of threads. I hate when the OP just doesn't reply and the solution is up in the air :roll:
Last edited by CloudStrife on Wed Jan 04, 2017 10:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
Success guardian... Successsssssss..

CloudStrife
Club4AG Pro
Posts: 644
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2016 2:23 pm
Location: Middle of Hell, Florida

Re: AE88 GTS Will not crank

Postby CloudStrife » Wed Jan 04, 2017 10:24 am

Valve covers are getting powder coated so It'll be a bit :P

NGK wires should be coming today. They come with a new ignitor wire. Anyone have the FSM page for using a multimeter and reading current/resistance across the ignitor? I can't find it in mine.
Success guardian... Successsssssss..

notnilc20
Club4AG Pro
Posts: 575
Joined: Sun Dec 27, 2015 7:56 pm
Location: Memphis

Re: AE88 GTS Will not crank

Postby notnilc20 » Wed Jan 04, 2017 3:25 pm

Go here to download the manuals.....big help.

http://www.aeu86.org/technical/ae86-manuals/

SgtRauksauff
Club4AG Enthusiast
Posts: 113
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2013 9:43 pm

Re: AE88 GTS Will not crank

Postby SgtRauksauff » Fri Jan 06, 2017 1:22 pm

so I was expecting a thread about it not turning over, but it DOES crank, just not fire.

I didn't see yet where you verified if you were getting spark at a plug or not. You verified the fuel pump turns on; have you verified that the injectors are spraying fuel? both fuel and spark are needed to create fire.

Pressure washers are strong, they can push things around, and un-hook wire connectors., maybe un-hook a vacuum hose to a fuel pressure regulator, push a ground connector for the injectors off... double-check all of your fuel system and ignition system connectors to make sure they're tight, make sure everything's plugged in where it's supposed to be.

Until that part is done, it's nothing but guessing.

Oh, and I recognize your name from CP, welcome.


--sarge

CloudStrife
Club4AG Pro
Posts: 644
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2016 2:23 pm
Location: Middle of Hell, Florida

Re: AE88 GTS Will not crank

Postby CloudStrife » Fri Jan 06, 2017 5:16 pm

Hey Sarge, nice to see you again.

It's not cranking at all, not even attempting to crank; I don't hear the "wir wir wir" before catching fire and turning over.

I think I might have either shorted out the starter, or something along the path of spark (spark plug to igniter).

I haven't been updating the thread because I've been doing other things in the engine bay, and everything isn't hooked up.

I'll pick back up once I get the valve covers, rocker, and intake together again.

I have the FSM, I just can't find when you test the igniter itself..

Thanks guys.
Success guardian... Successsssssss..

totta crolla
Club4AG Pro
Posts: 651
Joined: Tue Mar 26, 2013 5:21 am
Location: Oxford U.K

Re: AE88 GTS Will not crank

Postby totta crolla » Sat Jan 07, 2017 12:33 am

Ignore the ignitor until you have got the starter to work. Might just be that the ignition wire has come off of the starter motor.

notnilc20
Club4AG Pro
Posts: 575
Joined: Sun Dec 27, 2015 7:56 pm
Location: Memphis

Re: AE88 GTS Will not crank

Postby notnilc20 » Sat Jan 07, 2017 6:59 am

Oh i thought (assumed) it was turning over. Yes...gotta get that thing cranking first.

CloudStrife
Club4AG Pro
Posts: 644
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2016 2:23 pm
Location: Middle of Hell, Florida

Re: AE88 GTS Will not crank

Postby CloudStrife » Sat Jan 07, 2017 8:36 am

it's all good notnilc, and yeah totta, I'm gonna check the starter first.
Success guardian... Successsssssss..

CloudStrife
Club4AG Pro
Posts: 644
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2016 2:23 pm
Location: Middle of Hell, Florida

Re: AE88 GTS Will not crank

Postby CloudStrife » Sat Jan 07, 2017 8:37 am

totta whatcha mean by the ignition wire might have to come off?
Success guardian... Successsssssss..

totta crolla
Club4AG Pro
Posts: 651
Joined: Tue Mar 26, 2013 5:21 am
Location: Oxford U.K

Re: AE88 GTS Will not crank

Postby totta crolla » Sat Jan 07, 2017 8:52 am

On the back of the starter motor is a big wire that is connected to the battery there is also a smaller wire with a push on connector that goes to the ignition switch.
Have a good look around to see if the smaller wire is actually connected.

CloudStrife
Club4AG Pro
Posts: 644
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2016 2:23 pm
Location: Middle of Hell, Florida

Re: AE88 GTS Will not crank

Postby CloudStrife » Sun Jan 08, 2017 3:34 pm

Ok will do, Too cold right now :/
Success guardian... Successsssssss..