89 s13 cranks but does not start

[_rods13]

This is going to be a bit lengthy so I apologize

This seemed to happen after i installed a cold air intake from injen. It seemed that the injen pipe was too big for the maf so i put electrical tape around it and it snug it up so it fit. But it seemed like the car would almost stall sometimes, i don't know it it was causing a vacuum leak or what. And i don't know if that's whats causing this problem now.

But anyways moving on from that the car seemed to run fine for maybe a few days. Then while driving it would jump the rpm's a bit not a lot but like by one bar and of course it would kinda jerk and accelerate and then return to normal. Also when it did start at idle it would also idle really high for a few seconds then come back down to normal. So at this point I thought it may be a bad tps.

But a few days a go I went to a store for maybe an hour came back out and it absolutely would not start. The temp gauge said it was still a little warm. So i tried to get a jump start but again the battery is fine so that didn't do anything. So i called a tow truck and as i was sitting there waiting i tried one more time and it was trying to turnover so i pumped the gas a bit and it turned on and I drove it home real quick. And maybe an hour later i come back out to head to work and i smell gasoline. So i look under the car and sure enough a wet spot by the tank but not directly under it.
So the day after i took a look and it was a hose not a line or the tank but a hose that went from the top of the fuel pump in the trunk to an actual fuel line. So i replaced it and again it struggled a bit to start but it started and I drove it to the parts store went in for about half an hour came back out and it did not start.

So while we were there trying to figure it out we checked the coil to see if it had spark going to it and it did. I should also mention that it had a tune up recently so new spark plugs and wires all that stuff. It's also running on
10w-30 synthetic oil idk if that would make a difference since its been in the 40's (Fahrenheit)
we also tried spraying starter fluid in the throttle body but nothing.
So again the car cooled down a bit and i tried to start it and it did, it did the same thing were it seemed like it wanted to turnover and i gave it gas and it started. almost like a carborated engine.

The day after I unplugged one of the hoses that send gas out on the filter and tried turning it to the on position and it squirted gas like a fountain so it might not be the fuel pump but I haven't checked for fuel pressure or anything so im not sure. I also haven't gotten around to check the fuel pressure regulator yet so that might be something or i might be completely off

Another theory i have is the timing which again i haven't checked and i don't know if it would cause all of these issues or not.

Please help and ask me if you need more info on anything!

[robinsone]

Well if you still have the OEM rubber fuel lines on the car, replace them all. Especially if you have a visible fuel leak somewhere. 25 year old rubber isn't worth a damn. Its the first thing I do when I get a used 240. I've had fuel leak from all the lines, tank, engine bay, etc. Age and mileage are the biggest offenders.

If your idle jumps around, certainly after messing with the MAF, you may have a bad MAF or connector. Otherwise it wouldn't hurt to clean out the throttle body and the idle air control valve IACV. Again, age and mileage to these parts are certain to cause them trouble. Also check the 2 temp gauges, one goes to the cluster and the other controls the idle. I've had the idle temp gauge go out and get a weird idle.

Alternatively, if you search 240 and idle you're bound to get a ton of results, such as checking for codes at the ECM. Or making sure you have good grounds at all the body connections.

The search function is your friend.

[_rods13]

So the timing doesn't sound like an issue?

[robinsone]

I had a somewhat similar problem. So my IACV was clogged. The engine wasn't getting enough air and was idling funny, running rich and bogging down. When I ran it for awhile and then stopped it, it wouldn't start again, at least immediately. Once I let it sit for a bit, and the excess fuel dissipate it'd start right up. Not sure if this is your problem but it would be a really easy fix.

Find your IACV valve, not hard to take off. Clean it with intake cleaner or equivalent, letting it sit for awhile to dry out. Re-install and see if that helps, if it doesn't move on to something else.

I assume you are running a SOHC KA24E though.

[_rods13]

I had a somewhat similar problem. So my IACV was clogged. The engine wasn't getting enough air and was idling funny, running rich and bogging down. When I ran it for awhile and then stopped it, it wouldn't start again, at least immediately. Once I let it sit for a bit, and the excess fuel dissipate it'd start right up. Not sure if this is your problem but it would be a really easy fix.

Find your IACV valve, not hard to take off. Clean it with intake cleaner or equivalent, letting it sit for awhile to dry out. Re-install and see if that helps, if it doesn't move on to something else.

I assume you are running a SOHC KA24E though.

wow yes it also bogs and after a while itll be fine so I will try this!! and yes i forgot to include that it is the KA24E

[NISSeAN]

I see the words electrical tape..

[_rods13]

I see the words electrical tape..

Yeahhhhhh it did the job thou

[robinsone]

But regardless of if you are having problems with the IACV, you messed with your MAF in the installation of the intake. My bet is, you may have knocked something loose or jarred it, so I wouldn't eliminate it as a potential culprit.

Any similar model year Nissan, Sentra, etc should have a similar MAF, I'd find another and swap out to see if that also might be the cause. When I replaced my IACV I went ahead and got a used MAF. Idle was mint afterward.

[_rods13]

But regardless of if you are having problems with the IACV, you messed with your MAF in the installation of the intake. My bet is, you may have knocked something loose or jarred it, so I wouldn't eliminate it as a potential culprit.

Any similar model year Nissan, Sentra, etc should have a similar MAF, I'd find another and swap out to see if that also might be the cause. When I replaced my IACV I went ahead and got a used MAF. Idle was mint afterward.

Yea that sounds like a good idea thanks!!

[bataangpinoy]

have you ever run the tank out of gas or close to empty?

[_rods13]

have you ever run the tank out of gas or close to empty?

ummm yea maybe like once

[bataangpinoy]

check your fuel pump then.