94 2.3L 4cyl won't start

[jaxman]

i tried to clean the engine with Gunk the other day and then washed it out with a normal house water hose. it was giving me a little trouble from there (running rough) and then just got worse. i ran it about 30-60 miles in hopes that i can burn the water that may have gotten in bad places out. didn't work. so right now it won't start. but it did last night after i finished changing out the brakes on all four wheels ans bleeding the brakes. it even started better than before. but now i can't get it to start at all. it turns but won't fire. PLEASE HELP ME

 

[Mark_88]

Hmmmm...well, if you ran water into the engine via the oil filler hole that could lead to some problems...but it doesn't sound like you hydro-locked the engine...

Some things to check would be to have someone crank the engine and check to see if the engine is actually turning over...if not it could be your timing belt is broken...

If that checks out OK (meaning the engine is actually turning over) the next thing would be to check that you have both spark and fuel...

pull one of the plugs and smell it for gas after you've cranked it over a few times...if not...then you need to check the fuel system...

with the plug still out, connect the wire to the plug and crank the engine with the plug touching the body of the truck or the motor...you should see the spark...if not...check out the ignition components.

If fuel...check the fuel pressure regulator...pull the vacuum line off of it and smell it...if you smell gas then the FPR is pooched and you need to replace that...otherwise...check that the fuel pump(s) are actually activating when you turn the key on...apparently you can hear them running when you turn the key on.

that should keep you busy for a few hours and either allow you to correct the problem or until someone on here gives you a better answer...

Make sure to post the results if any...especially the part about whether you are getting fuel and/or spark...and whether the engine is actually turning over...

 

[jaxman]

thanks for the info! i didn't get this reply until just now but this morning i got it started by pushing the gas pedal and clutch to the floor and trying to start it that way. well it worked. i still have to change out the fuel filter. could that filter very well be my main problem? if not, does the other information help to answer it better?

 

[Mark_88]

Plugged fuel filters can certainly be an issue...swapping it out will tell the tale and fairly inexpensively...

Holding down the gas pedal is what you should do on some engines when they won't start...worked on my Tempo when I had problems starting (rarely, actually)...as did opening the throttle body and spraying in starter fluid...

Mine turned out to be moisture in the distributor (which you don't have) but getting the wires wet or any of several other components can make things not work properly...

 

[jaxman]

thank you. i will let you guys know how it ends up tomorrow.

 

[jaxman]

ok so the fuel filter definitely needed to be changed but i still don't think that solved my problem. i see that i forgot a part of my problem too. the running rough meant that it would (and still does) rev up when i hit the clutch or put it in neutral. the higher the rpm i shift from the worse the rev gets. but when i am downshifting to 1st and sometimes 2nd it won't rev much. anyone know what is causing this problem?

also, i still have to start the engine with the clutch and gas pushed too the floor.

 

[LIMA BEAN]

ok so the fuel filter definitely needed to be changed but i still don't think that solved my problem. i see that i forgot a part of my problem too. the running rough meant that it would (and still does) rev up when i hit the clutch or put it in neutral. the higher the rpm i shift from the worse the rev gets. but when i am downshifting to 1st and sometimes 2nd it won't rev much. anyone know what is causing this problem?

also, i still have to start the engine with the clutch and gas pushed too the floor.

You should always have to push the clutch to the floor, it has a safety switch.

 

[Mark_88]

Maybe a vacuum hose came off something...somewhere...usually results in higher rpms...

You probably only have a few of them so check for cracks and breaks or obvious "sucking" noises under the hood...spray a bit of brake cleaner around the manifold when it is idling...if the revs go up...you have a vacuum leak...the pcv comes to mind...make sure that it is plugged into the lower crankcase properly and it leads into the intake securely...and check the hose for breaks, splits or disconnections...

 

[jaxman]

well yeah but the gas pedal too? i've never had to do that in any car i've ever been in.

 

[scotts90ranger]

well yeah but the gas pedal too? i've never had to do that in any car i've ever been in.

putting the pedal to the floor when starting on a fuel injected engine basically turns off the fuel injectors, if it starts that means it's flooded for one reason or another, the two main reasons would be an injector that's stuck open or a failed fuel pressure regulator pushing fuel through the vacuum reference line.

 

[LIMA BEAN]

putting the pedal to the floor when starting on a fuel injected engine basically turns off the fuel injectors, if it starts that means it's flooded for one reason or another, the two main reasons would be an injector that's stuck open or a failed fuel pressure regulator pushing fuel through the vacuum reference line.

Yep what he said about WOT. Also Jaxman the vacuum reference line goes to a vacuum tree on the intake, so if the regulator fails the intake vacuum sucks fuel directly into the intake then into the cylinders to fire.