?Startup Issues - WTF?

[BradC]

Goddamn Gremlins man, they'll getcha every time!

Any funny smells or any other symptom other than the "pop"?

Did you try the PVC like someone mentioned? You said it rattled like all is good though, right?

 

[Kooldino]

PVC was fine.

Also, on Friday, I heard the pop again when I turned the key (but BEFORE i went to turn it over).

I popped the hood to inspect...opened and closed the throttle and the VICS. Nothing weird.

Waited 3 mins...put the key in...and it fired right up.

Whiskey
Tango
Foxtrot

So I'm guessing that if I hear the pop and don't try to start it right away, everything will be fine??? I'm SO confused.

 

[Mr. Win]

i say fuel pump relay or something.

 

[peepsalot]

Your car is haunted. Have you killed anyone in it recently?

 

[BradC]

i say fuel pump relay or something.

Had a smiliar problem on my friends 'teggy, tracked it to the main relay (on a honda they have a relay w/3 relays in it, FP, ECU, and something else...).

Carry some leads with you and when the pop happens, pull the relay and apply power, see if it energizes. Does the pump come one when you turn the key?

 

[Kooldino]

Your car is haunted. Have you killed anyone in it recently?

NO.

Out, damned spot!

 

[Kooldino]

Carry some leads with you

Some leads? what do you mean?

and when the pop happens, pull the relay and apply power, see if it energizes.

Can you explain this a little better? Not sure what you mean.

Does the pump come one when you turn the key?

It should in theory...don't know if it actually does or not.

 

[BradC]

Dana,

By leads I meant test leads.

Get some wire and solder alligator clips on the end or buy premade ones (2).

Take the relay out and put power to it (12v) with the cords, read the schematic printed on the relay...it will show you Vcc and ground.
If the relay is good, when power is applied it will energize. You will hear and feel it click in your hand. If it doesn't respond, its f'ed.

Have someone stick their head around the tank and flip the key after she has been sitting. Make sure it pressurizes, it will make a nice bzzzz.

If you have questions about the relay thing I can try to explain better.

 

[Kooldino]

Ok, so I'm just testing the relay OUT of the car then. That should be doable.

 

[BradC]

Ok, so I'm just testing the relay OUT of the car then. That should be doable.

Yuppers!

I was suggesting carrying the stuff with you so you can do it the second she doesn't start.

 

[Kooldino]

Gotcha. Will do. IIRC, it's a pink 40A fuse/relaym, and it's about 3/8" squared.

 

[Kooldino]

Well, I swapped the relay with another one, and it didn't do jack.

I still get that loud POP noise when the key turns on before I start it.

Also, FWIW, before I put a springy hose clamp on it, the vac line from my intake mani to my stock MAP sensor would blow off a lot.

 

[Mr. Win]

starter...

 

[Kooldino]

But the car STARTS. It's just that it sometimes bugs out and wants to stall after it is started.

Unless for some reason the starter is putting such a load on the motor at idle that it's gheying it up.

 

[Kooldino]

So about every time I go to start my car, I first have a friend turn the key into the "on" position as I look under the hood to see if it makes the "pop" noise.

Finally, after doing it all week, I finally caught one of said "pops". It sounded like the kind of pop you hear when you blow up a brown paper bag, and smack it really hard.

Anyway, my head was over the center of the engine bay, and the pop sounded like it came from the driver's side...near where my air filter and my MBC are. But I can't be sure.

Right after the pop, I heard a "psssssssshh" from what sounded like the belt area.

It all happened so fast, it was hard to tell.

Anyone know what turns on when you turn the key to the "on" position, but doesn't turn on when you turn the ACC on?

 

[Mr. Win]

hmm...

 

[peepsalot]

You should get on cartalk.

 

[Marik123]

Could it be the fuel pump? On older cars, when u turn key to ON position, you should able to hear some noise coming from the fuel pump...

 

[BradC]

So about every time I go to start my car, I first have a friend turn the key into the "on" position as I look under the hood to see if it makes the "pop" noise.

Finally, after doing it all week, I finally caught one of said "pops". It sounded like the kind of pop you hear when you blow up a brown paper bag, and smack it really hard.

Anyway, my head was over the center of the engine bay, and the pop sounded like it came from the driver's side...near where my air filter and my MBC are. But I can't be sure.

Right after the pop, I heard a "psssssssshh" from what sounded like the belt area.

It all happened so fast, it was hard to tell.

Anyone know what turns on when you turn the key to the "on" position, but doesn't turn on when you turn the ACC on?

I assume you checked all vac lines, etc, all the dumb little s*** that will piss you off when you find it 3 weeks later?

 

[Kooldino]

You should get on cartalk.

What's the phone #?