Backfire Now No Start

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Just tried it without the chip still nothing. I'm getting a lot of rumbling out the exhaust like it wants to start along with a gas smell from the exhaust but it just won't turn over.

Is it possible when the previous owner was driving the car with one of the plug wires on the headers maybe shorting out something in the distributor or coil?
 
You are all over the field and out of order on this one. It is unlikely sparking to ground would hurt the coil or computer. But no spark will cause a no start condition. (Are you pranking us?).
1. Did you check to see if there is spark like someone asked? 2. Have you inspected the wires for melted spots, cracks or other defects?
One at a time, so they do not get mixed up, remove and visually inspect each wire. While it is off, touch the leads of your multimeter set to resistance/ ohms to the brass contacts of the spark plug wire. Make sure it has continuity. An old spec was 5k ohms per foot for resistor wires. Make sure no wire is horribly out of spec to the set. Use dielectric grease on the boots to help waterproof and make sure they come apart easier next time. Coat the inside of each boot with the special grease with a Q tip.

After they are all checked and any bad ones are replaced, check for spark. If you are not brave enough to use insulated pliers to hold a wire near the terminal, there are cheap spark visualizers at the parts store.
 
You are all over the field and out of order on this one. It is unlikely sparking to ground would hurt the coil or computer. But no spark will cause a no start condition. (Are you pranking us?).
1. Did you check to see if there is spark like someone asked? 2. Have you inspected the wires for melted spots, cracks or other defects?
One at a time, so they do not get mixed up, remove and visually inspect each wire. While it is off, touch the leads of your multimeter set to resistance/ ohms to the brass contacts of the spark plug wire. Make sure it has continuity. An old spec was 5k ohms per foot for resistor wires. Make sure no wire is horribly out of spec to the set. Use dielectric grease on the boots to help waterproof and make sure they come apart easier next time. Coat the inside of each boot with the special grease with a Q tip.

After they are all checked and any bad ones are replaced, check for spark. If you are not brave enough to use insulated pliers to hold a wire near the terminal, there are cheap spark visualizers at the parts store.

I know I'm all over the place and I really don't mean to be. I do have spark I'm just unsure if it's enough spark sorry for not clarifying that.
 
I am officially lost here. Throw me a map or something

Do you have spark
  • from the coill wire to the cap
  • from the cap to the spark plug
Did you use a noid light to see if your injectors are firing
What is your plug gap
Are all of your wires working and in the proper firing order
Is the distributor phased properly
 
Trying to pull codes now but it seems that someone might have unplugged the light for the check engine light. I'm trying to figure that out now


???
OK don't see how that happened.

You don't need to use the dash CEL. 87-88's didnt have a CEL. Follow Jrichker's instructions on how to check codes with the test light,

@jrichker how to pull codes
 
I am officially lost here. Throw me a map or something

Do you have spark
  • from the coill wire to the cap
  • from the cap to the spark plug
Did you use a noid light to see if your injectors are firing
What is your plug gap
Are all of your wires working and in the proper firing order
Is the distributor phased properly

Yes I have spark from the coil wire to the cap. I also have spark from the cap to the plug. The noid light indicated that my injectors are firing. Plugs are gapped at 33.
 
You can run KOEO- key on engine off and KOER- key on engine running codes. The KOEO can be run without the engine running. This will give you "stored" codes.

Ok. I'll give that a try. I was speaking to the previous owner a few moments ago just asking about what happened again. He said he was cruising at around 50 mph and all of a sudden the car backfired and turned off.

Idk if that means anything or leads to anything I just want to try and share as much information as I can
 
Ok. I'll give that a try. I was speaking to the previous owner a few moments ago just asking about what happened again. He said he was cruising at around 50 mph and all of a sudden the car backfired and turned off.

Idk if that means anything or leads to anything

And you left that out until post #54 because?

:doh:


If you really believe that he was just "cruising along" at 50mph in a blown car and all of sudden the car backfired for no reason, I've got some swamp land down here in the Everglades I'll sell you dirt cheap.

What did the prior owner due to get it fixed and running or is this now YOUR problem?
 
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And you left that out until post #54 because?

:doh:


If you really believe that he was just "cruising along" at 50mph in a blown car and all of sudden the car backfired for no reason, I've got some swamp land down here in the Everglades I'll sell you dirt cheap.

What did the prior owner due to get it fixed and running or is this now YOUR problem?

Well it's someone I've been knowing for a long time not just some joe blow off the street. I got the car for a really good deal because he didn't want to deal with it after all the money he spent on it.
 
So to answer my question- this is now your problem Backfire = lean condition or timing is off. Both not good with a blown motor. The motor not running after a backfire could be a mechanical failure glown intake/head gasket, fried EEC, bad distributor, and about a dozen other things Welcome to the Easter Egg hunt..

I would start with running the codes.

Then I would check the oil and coolant for signs of cross contamination, pull the spark plugs and run a compression test. Experienced guys right reading this know where this may be heading.
 
So to answer my question- this is now your problem Backfire = lean condition or timing is off. Both not good with a blown motor. The motor not running after a backfire could be a mechanical failure glown intake/head gasket, fried EEC, bad distributor, and about a dozen other things Welcome to the Easter Egg hunt..

I would start with running the codes.

Then I would check the oil and coolant for signs of cross contamination, pull the spark plugs and run a compression test. Experienced guys right reading this know where this may be heading.

I was hoping you wouldn't have said that but hey it happens.
I already checked the oil when I first got the car and no signs off coolant.
What makes the distributor more of a suspect now?
Eec is working fine.
New spark plugs and wires.

I agree with he timing being off at the time of the incident because when I got the car the clamp was loose on the distributor.

I'm going to gets a compression tester tomorrow and a new test light.
 
On the back on the engine the "salt and pepper connectors". The white plug has a orange wire that's connected to it but not connected at the other end. Any idea where that wire goes or what it's for?
 
On the back on the engine the "salt and pepper connectors". The white plug has a orange wire that's connected to it but not connected at the other end. Any idea where that wire goes or what it's for?


That is the ground wire for your O2 sensors which needs to be attached to the firewall or cylinder head.

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Might as well check these grounds too

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