960 1993, wont start

[shisamo]

Hi everyone.

My father bought this car a while before. And no problem at all. But suddenly few days ago the car cant start. When I crank the engine it look like almost start up and then died right away. After that the engine never can start anymore. So i double check many thing. The engine can crank, the starter is working. The #1 cylinder spark plug have spark. The fuel pump and relay is working, even i jumper the FPR at pin 30 and 87/2, the engine still cant start up.

Can anyone give me some idea what is going on?

Thank you very much everyone

[DanR]

Before the no start condition began, was the car started and run for only a few seconds? Like to move it out of the driveway to make room for another car, or out of the garage to get the lawn mower out?

There is a syndrome that can develope when the engine is run for just a few seconds and then shut off, the very next start, even one a couple of days later can and most often will be a challenge. From what I read, the hydraulic lifters can overpump and cause valves to not fully close which reduce or eliminates compression. This causes a rich fuel mixture and it floods the engine.

The only way to start it, is to crank the heck out of it while holding down the gas pedal to the floor. Holding down the gas pedal shuts off the injectors, then crank, it could take 2 minutes, and then it will start to catch one cylinder at a time, when it gets to 3-4 cylinders firing, then it will run on it's own. Rev it up a little to get the lifters back in balance.

Look up on a search for "lawn mower syndrome". That will give you some info.

DanR '94 964 345,000 (109,000 on the new engine)

[shisamo]

Thanks alot DanR

Did a serach of "lawn mower syndrome", pulled the spark plug cleaned it with break cleaner, pour little engine oil in each cylineder and then followed what you said. Step the gas pedal to floor and the car started right away.

Thank you again DanR

[billofdurham]

Thank you for the update.

Bill.