A non-starting engine is consistently frustrating, but even added so if you're ambiguous about the cause. There are endless factors that can anticipate the accumulation from starting. A bad ammunition pump, befuddled atom plugs, declining alternator, and adulterated amateur can anniversary could could cause a problem, abrogation you stranded. How can you analyze the adulterated component?
Below, we'll call a analytical action for accomplishing absolutely that. Keep in mind, your engine requires three elements in adjustment to operate: spark, fuel, and compression. It aswell needs acceptable amperage to crank over in the aboriginal place. If any of these are missing, your car will debris to start. With this in mind, we'll alpha troubleshooting from the moment you about-face your key, and advance through these factors to bare the problem.
Immediately After Turning The Key In The Ignition
You sit in the driver's seat, abode the key in the ignition, and about-face it. What happens? If you don't apprehend any babble advancing from beneath the hood, there's a acceptable adventitious your array is drained or dead. Because it is the easiest basic to analysis at this stage, alpha there. Keep in mind, however, a low allegation is not necessarily the agency preventing your engine from starting. Recharge the battery, and analysis it.
If your car still refuses to start, the next abode to attending is in the charging system. It should be breeding abundant voltage to about-face the starter. If it is not, accept the alternator tested. If it is, analysis the amateur itself (you'll charge admission to a voltmeter). If the amateur is fine, analysis the solenoid; a bad solenoid will anticipate voltage from extensive the starter.
If every basic in your vehicle's charging arrangement tests fine, your engine should crank over. However, this doesn't beggarly it will start. The next footfall in troubleshooting the botheration is to accomplish abiding there's acceptable spark.
Checking For Acceptable Spark
A atom is bare to burn the air-fuel admixture in the agitation chambers. The all-important voltage begins in the agitation system. You'll charge to analysis the agitation coil, ascendancy module, distributor, and atom plugs, to analyze whether the voltage if traveling appropriately through the system.
First, analysis for a atom from the atom plugs. If there is no spark, yet the bung is in acceptable action (i.e. not fouled), analysis the bung affairs to accomplish abiding voltage is traveling through them. Backtrack through the arrangement by testing the agitation braid and distributor, as able-bodied as the cap and rotor.
If these apparatus are alive properly, you should be able to see a atom in anniversary cylinder. The next footfall is to accomplish abiding ammunition is extensive the engine.
Is Ammunition Extensive The Engine?
Fuel is sprayed into anniversary butt by your car's ammunition injectors. In adjustment for it to ability the injectors, there have to be acceptable burden in the ammunition line. You can analysis this with a simple barometer that connects to the ammunition rail. If there is able pressure, analysis the ammunition clarify and pump (usually amid in the gas tank).
Assuming the clarify and pump are alive properly, and there is acceptable burden in the line, your engine should be accepting abundant fuel. This agency the non-starting botheration is accompanying to a abridgement of compression in the cylinders.
Looking For Compression Leaks
It's accustomed for an engine to lose a baby bulk of compression over time. While this affects its achievement and ammunition efficiency, it rarely causes aloft problems. However, a massive accident of compression can anticipate the accumulation from starting.
The botheration may axis from a slipped timing belt. It could aswell be accompanying to beat or torn valves and rings. Use a compression barometer to analysis the akin of compression in anniversary cylinder.
Notice that the action declared aloft is methodical. This is all-important if troubleshooting a non-starting engine back there are so abounding locations that can access its operation.