I'm running out of options. My RX wont start. I suspect its a fuel problem, but not sure where else to look...

What Happened
My GF was driving it uphill when she said it starting losing power, was making a GRRRRing sound when pressing the gas. She said she also heard a "tink" noise just before this happened. When I got there there was some fluid on the ground, the consistency felt like oil. Color was yellow like new oil. The fresh air inlet hose also had a little bit of oil in it when I pulled it off

Just for reference
1. I recently cleaned the ICV because of idle problems and cut-offs (ran beautifully for 4 days until this)
2. The oil was changed just after the ICV cleaning
> I added a can of Engine Restorer, which may have caused a slight overfill condition
3. When the car cut off, the fuel was low (light was on)
> Info here was water may have got into the tank a few days earlier (the car was taken through a carwash just after fill-up, and the cap wasn't on ....)
> I've put Seafoam and 6 gals in the tank (this was after it wouldn't start)
4. I checked fuel pump operation by touching 12V to the connector leads, it works fine
> However when I turn the Key to the "On" position, I don't hear it run
> Also, I removed the banjo bolt from the front fuel rail to see if fuel would shoot out after turning the key to On, It Doesn't (not sure if its supposed to)
5. Just for added comfort, I cleaned the entire intake system again after getting it towed home (intake manifold, IAC again, throttle body, etc)
6. I also replaced all of the spark plugs since I had the intake manifold off.
7. I also checked the EFI & Ign fuses, plus swapped the fuel relay with the horn relay to check it

Also maybe the throttle position sensor? I heard the procedure for fuel pump pressurization is the ECM powers on the pump for 2Sec at ignition unless it receives a signal from the throttle position sensor
I can't get this thing to a mechanic for a few days, any suggestions\questions are greatly appreciated

 

What you describe might by chance be an ignition coil. Overfilling the oil by itself isn't so serious given there is a sump, but with pressure that oil can get into the combustion process. You didn't get any CELs?

 

Start with the basics ..
1. Spark. [it used to be so easy before the coils]
2. Fuel [Check the electrical ckt .. there is a safety mechanism to cut the pump in case of accidents .. there is a relay. If you have the manual it will tell you how to bypass it].
3. Air [very unlikely].


Salim

 

Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to check CEL codes before draining the battery.
I will check the coils (or plugs for spark), but unless the entire system is down, shouldn't I get some kind of fire from some of the cylinders? I get no ignition on turnover

 

Kind of tough to know if it won't turn over what is going on inside. If the battery is disconnected, so goes the codes. However, if the problem still exists, even if you can't get ignition, the codes will pop up.

As far as what is going on, the reason I say coils, is that with all the cleaning that you did (not that is is bad), although not immediate, but shortly thereafter (I know from experience cleaning and busting a coil) a coil can go bad.

I am not sure what you are referring to with regard to fire and the cylinders?

 

For cylinder to fire, you need all of the three basics, fuel, air and spark the hidden fourth is the timing.. [since you did not mess with the "t" belt and distributors are the things of the past ... I have not mentioned the 4th but start by eliminating the first three].

Have some one smell the exhaust when you crank to smell unburnt gas fumes .. hopefully you have already confirmed that fuel supply is ok. [The line in should be under pressure .. if you open it you should see a surge of gas]. Modern engine and exhaust can hide the rich smell of unburnt gas.

Use standard caution when dealing with gasoline.

btw: I always advice the DIY to tinker with one thing at time.

Salim

 

Ah, I thought he was talking about fire, fuego, flames. OK, silly me.

Going to the issue of timing, Salim does remind of me of something when we were talking about colenzae's thread with the timing being off. Even if the timing is off by one tooth, that is enough to cause the situation you are facing. This is why those CEL codes are quite critical, one of the advantages of OBD systems.

 

Well you guys were on the right track, but one more item ... Compression

Good news, a little fiddling, different spark plugs, and a big bucketful of cranking amps, me and another shadetree mechanic was able to get it started.

The bad, A Blown Head gasket
So not the answer I wanted to hear, but at least on the road to recovery. I appreciate all the input from you guys. Thanks

Another tidbit of information for what its worth. The guy I was working with frowned on the plugs I dropped in, They were those double tip platinums. His opinion they were low performing;a waste of money. I'm certainly no plug expert, but there may be some merit to it considering that we didn't get it started until replaced the front three with standard plugs

 

Ack on the blown head gasket.

I have heard all sorts of advice on spark plugs, but it really depends on what you are doing with your vehicle. Personally, I use 4 pronged TorqueMaster plugs given my other modifications and due to bad gas here, but I didn't see much of an effect a few years back when I had a practically stock RX300.