pitmanr200

It has got colder at night the past couple of nights and when my wife tried to start my car yesterday morning. It was hard to start and died. Then it started back up and all was fine. She said it seemed like the battery was weak. this morning the same thing but when she got back home from taking son to school i went to look at it and it would crank over. Very sluggish. I did something real stupid hoping to get it started. I tried to give it some gas. everytime i would crank it it would go around ok but interior lights would dim bad. I decided to put it on the charger and go on and buy a new battery being the one on it was from 2004. I got back home after about 2hours and it turned over well, but no bang. I took a plug out and tested it for fire and it shot a very good spark out. I couldnt find where to check for fuel pressure, but i did hear pump come on. I looked in cylinder while cracking and could see fuel going in there. I decide that i had flooded it out buy trying to force it to start when battery was low. So i removed 2 plugs from each side and im going to let it sit till tomorrow and try it then. I havent had any CEL either. Let me know what else you all think it could be and what more I should check if the flooding fix doesnt work.

pitmanr200

Also i beleive I need new plugs being the car has 187000 miles on it and im not aware of them ever being changed. What do you all suggest. I want to stick with iridium but the denso's are 2 dollars more than ngk's. I have always had great luck with ngk's. what do you all suggest and what part number being there are different temps.

toy4life86

iTrader: (4)

i would say change out your plugs for sure and change that battery

TLcoats

iTrader: (11)

+1 Most likely a weak battery but you need to change out the plugs if they haven't been changed in that long. When you took out the plugs to check for spark how did they look?

pitmanr200

I changed battery already. The were real white colored. Didn't look real burnt up.

pitmanr200

Looking at some pics of what they should look like. The electrode I guess that's what it s called in center is basically gone. Only the round white insulator left that surrounds it

tinman

Well then the plugs are a problem, but they might not be THE problem. Seems odd that it would start with those plugs then not start with the same plugs after the battery went dead. The battery certainly sounded like an issue, glad you replaced it. Probably lost a cell or two. My GS300 did the same thing last week. Sigh. But even with the new one you are having an issue?

So let me get this straight, all you have really done is change the battery so far? That one simple thing, and now it's not starting? It's certainly not flooded 2 hours, or a day later. If it's still not starting, then it's not a flooding problem.

pitmanr200

Haven't tried a day later. Will try in the mourning. I have only changed battery. What else could it be then. Getting fuel and fire

pitmanr200

ok tried to start today after having 4 plugs out over night. Still same thing. it turns over but doesnt hit a lick. I pulled a plug out right after trying to start it over and over again. and the plug was dry and I couldnt smell gas on it. I leaning towards fuel pump, but im going to change the plugs first. I just cant see all plugs going bad at one time. for the life of me I cant figure out how to find a pressure regulator like on american cars that has a valve you can push and fuel will squirt out. If I could do that i could see if im getting fuel to the injectors.

flexspeed

make sure you check your connection and that its not corroded..and change out all the plugs and gap them correctly.....good luck...

FrankT

Pressure regulator is part of the fuel pump assembly in the tank.
Fuel pump ECU is in the trunk.

Verify the ECU's have voltage going to them, a quick check to see, is make sure the "check engine light" is on when the key is in the on position.

If not check your fuses.

Good luck...

pitmanr200

Ok I turned key to on position and check engine light is on. How do I get to fuel pump and ecu

tinman

Do you have the valet key? Can you try and start it with that key or at least a different key? Maybe one without the transponder? (this is a bit of wild idea, but it's easy to test. )

Have you checked the fuses? There are many locations for fuses on your car, have a flashlight ready and look in the top view windows of the fuses for problems. do this with the car off. If you cannot see one or have doubt, take it out and look.

Do you have a compression tester? I doubt that it's the compression, but that tool makes it easier to do a fuel injector test (i know, it sounds crazy). If you don't have one you can still do this. If you hook up a compression tester with it's long rubber tube to a spark plug hole, then take off the top of the tester (the thing with the gauge) so it's just a rubber tube in the cylinder, then turn the engine over, you should start to see a fine mist come out the end after a short time of cracking it over. That's fuel. (Note: put out your cigarette before you do this.) You can do this without a rubber tube too, but you gotta get your face down next to the plug hole and that can be a problem on some engines. I've done this several times to verify fuel delivery. There are other ways to verify injector serviceability, but this works for the garage mechanic.

The fuel pump is under the back seat. You take out the rear seat cushion and it's there, it looks like a triangle thingie with 3 bolts in the corners. You should be able to hear the pump turn on if you put the key in and have your head in the trunk or under the car in the back. It will be a soft thump sound as it primes then an even softer hummmmmmm noise.

pitmanr200

ok really need some help. I have the rear seat off and can see the access to fuel pump. how can I tell if it is working or not. should it make a noise when key is turned to on position. there must be somewhere you can check fuel pressure.

pitmanr200

I listened to it with access cover off in back seat with my ear right on it. Heard nothing. Unplugged it and did same thing just to make sure I didn't hear something and not notice it. Do I have to be under car or truck to hear it