A week ago sons car started running rough and died will driving. He has a valve cover gasket that fills #1 spark plug well with oil. He removes the spark plug and lets the oil drain into the cylinder and the car runs fine after that. He has never had it die when driving because of this. He says that this was not the same as when the spark plug well needs to be drained. He pulled the #1 spark plug and broke the thread off in the head. Wasn't happy with duing with that and did #2 also. Car was towed to my house. I removed the threads with a easy-out and replaced all four sparks plugs. Swears he didn't turn in wrong direction. There is no other way. 123,00 miles on car.

Car turns over fine. Trieds to start but can't. Turn key - wait for fuel pump to stop running -foot to floor - turn key to start - the engine fires and revs to about 1100 rpms then back to zero and then every few seconds to 800 rpm. Day of incident the temperature was 8 degrees f. Thought it was water in gas line. Turned on heater for six hours in garage. didn't help Later in week temperatue outside went to 40 degrees and above freezing at night for two day. Pushed car into sunlight on these days still acts the same. If I don't give gas it still fires but not as well.

I have done:

Arc test of coils. Before I read the forum I bought a new coil and tried it in both positions. I have spark to each plug. Arc jumps between posts.

Check firring order

New wires and spark plugs.

swapped the ects from the air filter housing. It's not installed in head just hanging from plug. the sensor is all plastic so I don't think it needs a ground for a reference point. Still comes close to starting but won't. Nothing is attached to plug at filter housing.

How do you check fuel pressure. I see no fitting on fuel rail.

Brother has code reader but lives 30 miles away. looks like I need to read the codes.

Any suggestions

 

Oil leaking into plug well, change cam cover gasket, get from dealer

ects is in the HEAD replace it along with connector, get from dealer

 

the ects from the intake is pluged into the head connector. I did this as a test to see if it made a difference. The motor doesn't know it is not actually installed in the head but just hangig from the plug. The valve cover gasket needs to be replaced but right now I'm just trying get it started. Thanks for reply. Where do you test for fuel pressure? Any ideas on my problem.

 

Fuel: should be schrader valve on fuel line near fuel rail for testing fuel pressure.

Air intake temp sensor may also be defective...get a replacement while at dealer.

check to ensure MAP sensor is not dislodged--same with EGR and connector to it and EGR solenoid.

Are you sure there are no shards of threads that ended up in the cyls, or that the threads did not get galled during the removal process, creating a compression leak?

What is firing order as connected (list coil towers L to R and corresponding cyls (#1 is pass side)

 

Found schrader valve. No gas comes out when pin is pushed. Turned key and heard pump run. tested again and still no gas. I need to borrow a gauge for final test but I will replace fuel filter tomorrow and then test. I see fuel filter just a little farther down the line. Mapp, EGR, EGR Solenoid and throtle position sensor are all connected.

Car has had a problem with overheating in summer when stuck in traffic for a long time and it starts hard some times. I believe the ECTS and connector are bad and will replace when it runs again. Read a lot of threads on this.

When I pulled the threads out everything came out with thread including the tip the electrode arcs to. Put a magnet in hole to be on the safe side when I replaced spark plugs. Spark plugs thread in by hand so the threads are ok. I can check compression

Firing order 4,1,2,3

Thanks for response. I will report back in a few days after fuel filter

 

Any results? I'm having same problems. I'm hoping that it is a fuel pump or clogged fuel filter along with replacing the ECTS

 

Changed fuel filter very little improvement. Waiting on brother to bring in his scanner this weekend. I do have fuel squirt out of schrader valve when pushed now. Another brother has compression tester -- will get that also this weekend. Interested if you cure the problem.

 

scanner only code is p0300-multiple misfires. Doesn't help much. Compression 190,190,200,190. Bought a fuel pressure tester from harbour freight will check pressure. What is the correct pressure?

 

Fuel pressure is 42psi when you turn key and hear pump. Also 42psi when turnung over. Spits and sputters but will not start. Pressure drops to zero as soon as pump turns off. Don't know if that is normal. I have spark. Bought new coil and swapped back and forth. New plugs, wires and fuel filter. Compression is 190, 190, 200, 190. Plugs are wet when you pull them. Any Thoughts?

 

Car has been in local garae for 2 days. They say fuel pump is bad. $425 plus tax. Says the fuel pressure should stay and not drop off to zero instaneously. I don't send my car in for repairs as I do most every thing myself but when I have, these mechanics are honest. I'll know more Monday afternoon after they replace fuel pump.