QuestionI have a 1986 944 that has been sitting without being started for over a year. Went to start it and it just cranks and cranks. Before attempting I put in a new battery, spark plugs, wires, distributor cap, changed oil and filter, added fresh gas with some octane booster. I checked the coil and it is sparking. I'm thinking its something with fuel maybe, but not sure how to troubleshoot. I've heard the injectors can go bad. Please help! I want to drive it again!
AnswerHi Rob.
It does sound very much like a lack of fuel, especially that you know the coil is working. And fuel is where I'd start if you were telling me the car was running fine yesterday, but now it won't start. But that's not the case. You either have a "neglect" problem (the car feels neglected and some electrical part now has crud or corrosion where it shouldn't be) or you have a needle-in-the-haystack-problem. Either way, I'd suggest the best way to trouble-shoot this is to start at the top and work through the list...then you'll know what's working well and eventually you'll stumble across what's bad.
Good mechanics seem to stumble upon the bad things faster than bad mechanics, but it really is stumbling...or more elegantly put: the process of elimination.
1. Recheck the Battery condition: it should be near 12.8 volts at rest... or recharge it.
2. Ensure the battery terminal connections are tight.
3. Verify there is spark at the plug. Remove the easiest one to get to, re-connect it to it's wire, place it on the engine so the electrode is very close to metal (a ground)...and while your friend turns the starter on and cranks the engine a couple times, keep your arms folded in front of you ( if you hold or grab the plug while the test is in process, you will be knocked on your butt) and watch to see if the plug is actually sparking.
4. The next step will be fuel.
Let's see what happens with 1-3 first. Write back to me with what you find.
Dave
