If your car engine cranks but does not start, this could mean that your engine has trouble creating a spark, fuel, or compression.
The most common reasons of a car engine cranks is because of the ignition (such as a bad ignition coil) or the fuel system (such as a blocked fuel filter).The cause, however, may also be a mechanical failure. For instance, a leak valve or other systems’ faulty components.Typically, what “crank-no-start” does not mean is a starter problem. You don’t have a starting problem if the engine cranks normally. If it’s not cranking right, like the engine rotates slowly or doesn’t rotate, or when you try to start the engine you hear strange noises or nothing, check out this other practical guide to troubleshoot the starting system. Whatever you do, stop frequent cranking of the motor, hoping the engine would start. In the process, you can drain your power battery and destroy the starter motor. Alternatively, try to locate the fault using the charge left in your system.
Here are the few quick diagnosis that you should know.
Fixing the Spark, Fuel, Compression.
An internal combustion engine requires a good spark, the right amount of fuel, and good compression which means a stable mechanical condition to operate efficiently. The absence of any of these three things will prevent the start of your engine. Now, how to know your car have spark or not? First you want to make sure that the cylinders are reached by a good spark.Without a spark tester, you can do this test, but it’s best to use one because both a poor spark and a missing spark will stop your engine from starting. Use an adjustable tester to test for 40KV, 30KV and 10KV spark, if necessary. Next, Choose a spark plug that is easy to reach and unplug the spark plug cable, or coil wire, or coil on plug (COP).
Set the spark tester at 40KV and plug it into the wire or coil wire at the end of the spark plug. Catch the spark tester to the ground of the engine. Use an unpainted bracket or bolt on the engine to ground the test tester. If you don’t use a spark tester, grab the wire with a pair of insular pliers and place about half an inch of ground in the tip of the wire. To crank the engine for you, you do need a helper The remaining of the experiment is the same. You can test for spark’s existence, but not its power. Have an assistant crank the engine while watching the spark tester. A bright spark in the spark tester should be seen jumping the gap.Repeat the test if you don’t see a spark. Change the spark tester this time to 30KV. Repeat the test and set the tester to 10KV if you don’t see a spark yet. If you see a spark or no spark this time, the ignition system has a problem. For further analysis, consult your vehicle repair manual for your specific model.
Is the fuel coming to the cylinders?
You need to verify that the engine gets fuel after testing for fire. There are few ways to check a Carburetor or Throttle Body Injection (TBI) System. First of all, Take the lid off the air filter box and open the carburetor’s throttle plate. Watch the fuel injector on TBI systems. Next tell an assistant to crank the engine and see whether fuel is pumped into the machine. If you don’t see fuel injected, the fuel system will be your problem. Before confirming with the fuel problem, make sure that you have the fuel pump works, the fuel filter is not clogged, the fuel pressure regulator works properly and the fuel injectors are not clogged. Second diagnosis that you have to do is, to test an unit for multiport fuel injection. First, make sure that the fuel pump works. Remove the fuel filler cap for the moment. Ask an assistant to turn the on button, but don’t start the engine. Listen carefully through the filler neck of the fuel tank as your assistant turns the key you can hear for two to three seconds the whirling sound of the fuel pump motor being energized.
If you hear the sound, you know at least that the pump is gaining power; go on with the next step. Otherwise, in the fuel pump loop, you might be dealing with a defective fuel pump or relay, a broken fuse, an electrical open or other problem. Detach from the throttle body the air cleaner unit. Open the throttle plate and spray the throttle body with some starting fluid. Next, is the engine’s crank and if the engine just never seemed like it wanted to start, fuel will likely get into the cylinders, and somewhere else the problems lie. If the engine is running momentarily and dies, however, the problem is that fuel does not reach the cylinders. The next step is to check for a fuel filter that is blocked or a bad fuel pressure regulator. If there is a control port on the incoming fuel line to the fuel injectors, use a small screwdriver to open the valve.
Car Crash and the Fuel Pump
Many cars shut down the fuel pump automatically after a crash. Many models, such as many Ford vehicles, have a fuel pump switch that, if involved in an accident, automatically cuts power to the fuel pump.Check for an inertia switch if your engine refused to start after an accident or a vehicle hit yours in a parking lot.
Conclusion
In the diagnosis of the engine, the ability to turn over or crank determines where to look for the fault when the car fails to start. Keeping a care on the engine of your car may seem a daunting thought, but it can be a worthwhile job with the right materials and planning. Hence it is important to check your engine before you drive to a place or you might be stuck in the middle of the highway while waiting outside for help to arrive.
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