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1985 240 (LH 2.2 / M46) died while driving

240keith

Floats your Boat
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Location
S.B. CA
Hey All,

My 1985 244 (the Tan Catamaran) died on me while i was driving last weekend, I was on a back-road and I didn't hear it stutter, it just didn't respond to throttle input, and I noticed the tachometer was not showing any RPM.

I wasn't able to get anything to change roadside, so when I got it towed home, I tried the following :
I checked and spun all the fuses
I jumped fuse 4&6 and I can hear the relay whirr,
I tried to start both with / and without the relay (and the fuses jumped)
I checked, cleaned contacts, and repluged the relay
I checked the fuse in the engine bay, and cleaned the contacts
I checked the timing belt (ready for a change, but intact)
I unplugged the MAF sensor

I still can't get it to run, it will crank but no joy

I finally sprayed some ether / starting fluid in the throttle body, and I got the car to run for just a moment - it seems like its not getting fuel

What are the odds that the fuel pump finally died out of a sudden?'
Is there a way to test that fuel is at the rail?
Is there a (good) way to test / verify the fuel pump is functioning?

I need to get the car moving before it gets towed, and I would appreciate any / all help.

Thanks, glad to see the forum is back up and running!

Dang it, wrong section ... super mods, can I get a push to maintenance?
 
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if an electric fuel pump dies it's instant, no warning. It really is all or nothing.
sometimes the fuel rail has a schrader valve (like tires have). If you take a screwdriver or a key and push it in there should be fuel spraying out under pressure.
If it's only dribbling the pump is not pumping. That leaves 3 options.
Either the pump is dead or
the fuel pump relay is broken or
there is a broken wire in the circuit.
If it IS the relay you could try jumping it with a piece of wire between 87 terminal and 30 terminal.

If that doesn't work it's a broken fuel pump or a broken wire connection.
 
Ignition power stage?
I had a similar situation and it went away after I took the heat sink off the power stage and re-applied some thermal paste.

Does the car start after it has cooled off?
 
You have 2 pumps, so it could be one or the other. If you had someone to help you, you can easily check if fuel pumps are operating.
 
Have you checked for faulty FPR?

is this the pull the vacuum line, and see if it smells like fuel test, or is there another way to test?

if an electric fuel pump dies it's instant, no warning. It really is all or nothing.
sometimes the fuel rail has a schrader valve (like tires have). If you take a screwdriver or a key and push it in there should be fuel spraying out under pressure.
If it's only dribbling the pump is not pumping. That leaves 3 options.
Either the pump is dead or
the fuel pump relay is broken or
there is a broken wire in the circuit.
If it IS the relay you could try jumping it with a piece of wire between 87 terminal and 30 terminal.

If that doesn't work it's a broken fuel pump or a broken wire connection.

I will check to see if this rail has a valve or not
Can I test the pump with a 12v jump box?


Could the fuel filter get so plugged up that this would occur?

I was thinking about this, the car didn't get driven during the pandemic, but I did add some fresh gas every time I did take it out.


Ignition power stage?
I had a similar situation and it went away after I took the heat sink off the power stage and re-applied some thermal paste.

Does the car start after it has cooled off?

It took like 2 hours to get it towed home, and didn't start that day or the next - I had to work today, but I am hoping to get on it tomorrow

Its lh 2.2. No power stage.

I was wondering if the car had a power stage ...

You have 2 pumps, so it could be one or the other. If you had someone to help you, you can easily check if fuel pumps are operating.

Is that just an audio test to see if each is working, or can I check voltage?

Damn, you wrote your question like a pro.

Thanks, I figured i know most of the common things, but I have kind of been ignoring the car so I didn't want to leave anything out.


I also remembered that when I was trying to get it started last week, with the dist cap off, I could see the rotor moving when I cranked the car over, so I think the hall sensor is still working?

Also, for the record, I have replaced the ECU at some point ( had one of the "bad" ones, that was recommended replacement at some point, and we were eliminating possibilities)

oh, and the car is NA if that changes anything ...
 
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Is that just an audio test to see if each is working, or can I check voltage?
listen at open fuel filler neck while starting.

unplug the intank wires in the trunk,(follow the wires from the pump access door)

listen at open fuel filler neck while starting again, use the audio to see if both make noise.

Beware, testing intank from the harness weirdly black is 12v+ and brown is ground?(others confirm?)
 
So it runs on ether & has spark it seems?

Stuck injectors? Rapidly dying fuel pump? ‘Hole in the straw’ rotten tank pump hose (get below a certain fuel level & no-go?) (tho it should sputter or hiccup first instead of die without warning).

Jump the fi relay plug & feel the IAC humming & check for injector power? Noid light for injectors? Coolant temp sensor signal all the way lean? (Ohm test or voltage test at ecu pin 2 & ground?).

Turpentine fuel stick the injectors shut or fuel pump or stick the valves open in their guides in some cases (no compression/sounds off while cranking in that case & would backfire or not fire at all on some of the hits on ether in there case tho).
 
Formerly owned a 1993 245 which would occasionally have a no-start condition. While trying to diagnose the issue, this is some of things I did which would apply to your 1985 240.

1) Is the FI relay getting power? You state you heard it "whirr" but it should be more of a click. The simple test is to turn the key to the #2 position and holding the relay, can you hear and feel it click/energize? You mention checking the 25amp fuse in the engine compartment, have you made sure power is actually reaching the FI relay from the fuse? I have had those white 25amp fuse holder go bad in a car or two.

2) I also tried the jumping the fuses but that didn't seem to help for me. What I ended up doing it hooking up a direct line from the battery to the fuel pumps. The easier way to do this is remove the rear seat and under the carpet will be a connector for the wires headed to the fuel pump. Unplug and apply power directly through that connection to see if the fuel pump runs. (I used a second battery sitting in the footwell to be the power source for the fuel pumps, rather than stringing wires into the engine compartment.) If it is running, then crank the car and see if if its able to start.

3) Set up a timing light and see if the ignition is firing when you are cranking the engine. You mention it catching when using starting fluid, this will help confirm the ignition system is fully functioning. While working on the 93 245 and chasing down why the fuel pumps were not operating, I hooked up a timing light to make sure the ignition side of the equation was happening. What was a head-scratcher is for a while when trying to start the engine the timing light would give a strobe or two when first turning the key, stay dark and when turning the key back to the zero position, a single strobe would be seen. I ziptied the trigger on the light so I could watch it while sitting in the drivers seat, turning the ignition key.

Since its a 1985 model year, has the engine wiring harness been changed out or is it still an original type with the flaking insulation?
 
listen at open fuel filler neck while starting.

unplug the intank wires in the trunk,(follow the wires from the pump access door)

listen at open fuel filler neck while starting again, use the audio to see if both make noise.

Beware, testing intank from the harness weirdly black is 12v+ and brown is ground?(others confirm?)

OK, let me play with the ignition and see if i can hear anything through the filler neck




ok, first on the list along with a check valve inspection

So it runs on ether & has spark it seems?

Stuck injectors? Rapidly dying fuel pump? ?Hole in the straw? rotten tank pump hose (get below a certain fuel level & no-go?) (tho it should sputter or hiccup first instead of die without warning).

Jump the fi relay plug & feel the IAC humming & check for injector power? Noid light for injectors? Coolant temp sensor signal all the way lean? (Ohm test or voltage test at ecu pin 2 & ground?).

Turpentine fuel stick the injectors shut or fuel pump or stick the valves open in their guides in some cases (no compression/sounds off while cranking in that case & would backfire or not fire at all on some of the hits on ether in there case tho).


I feel like it has spark, I didn't see anything physically different with the coil.
I had bypassed the IAC a while ago, and it froze stuck (sorry for not mentioning this earlier)
I don't have a NOID light, but let me try and locate one.

I will try and take some video of what I am seeing and hearing when I attempt all this...

Formerly owned a 1993 245 which would occasionally have a no-start condition. While trying to diagnose the issue, this is some of things I did which would apply to your 1985 240.

1) Is the FI relay getting power? You state you heard it "whirr" but it should be more of a click. The simple test is to turn the key to the #2 position and holding the relay, can you hear and feel it click/energize? You mention checking the 25amp fuse in the engine compartment, have you made sure power is actually reaching the FI relay from the fuse? I have had those white 25amp fuse holder go bad in a car or two.

It was more of a rapid fire clicking, I will try and video this a well.

I haven't checked to see if there is power to the fuse holder itself - I believe this is still original- its definitely a bit fragile.


2) I also tried the jumping the fuses but that didn't seem to help for me. What I ended up doing it hooking up a direct line from the battery to the fuel pumps. The easier way to do this is remove the rear seat and under the carpet will be a connector for the wires headed to the fuel pump. Unplug and apply power directly through that connection to see if the fuel pump runs. (I used a second battery sitting in the footwell to be the power source for the fuel pumps, rather than stringing wires into the engine compartment.) If it is running, then crank the car and see if if its able to start.

I have a jump-box, I will try this as well.


3) Set up a timing light and see if the ignition is firing when you are cranking the engine. You mention it catching when using starting fluid, this will help confirm the ignition system is fully functioning. While working on the 93 245 and chasing down why the fuel pumps were not operating, I hooked up a timing light to make sure the ignition side of the equation was happening. What was a head-scratcher is for a while when trying to start the engine the timing light would give a strobe or two when first turning the key, stay dark and when turning the key back to the zero position, a single strobe would be seen. I ziptied the trigger on the light so I could watch it while sitting in the drivers seat, turning the ignition key.

Ive got a timing light, I will give this a shot, I am guessing I may have to charge the battery inbetween some of these tests, so this may be a bit delayed.

Since its a 1985 model year, has the engine wiring harness been changed out or is it still an original type with the flaking insulation?

Another great question, this has a newer (from Dave Barton) harness, where I think the only thing may be the fuse holder.

Thank you all for your insight so far, and I appreciate you all reading and answering this.
 
Rapid clicking of the fi relay is often a poor connection at the main fuse, it’s wire or battery terminal or fuse box or relay socket from water dripping along the hood or condensation in the cabin or a lesky windshield.

Seen that a few times.

Bypassed iac lol…why?
They don’t go bad *that* often…working iac is nice?
But it shouldn’t prevent it from starting, fair enough.

I’ve also seen the fuel pressure regulator stick shut/fuel pump run against its 5-bar/80psi bypass.

The fuel pump sounds sickly/very strained with cavitation running it with the fuses jumped, tho startup wasn’t really a big problem when I had this happen on a car that sat for a couple years. More just loud fuel pump, stinky exhaust/02 pegged rich idling, but would cycle slightly above idle…subtle.

Jumping the fuses can run the pumps, but won’t power up the rest of the FI system. The intensely humming iac test (2.0/2.2 models w/3-wire IAC) with jumped relay is my redneck test for determining if sufficient current is passing thru the connections & that half of the FI relay.
It’s crude…a load & scope test would be more...uh…scientific, but the IAC is the thing that draws the most current in the engine bay.
Verify there's power at the power pin to the AMM (that’s the cleanflametrap smarter less redneck/cave man way w/a 5-20w test light that draws some actual real current & lights up brightly/as brightly as it does when connected directly to the battery).
Make sense?

Does fuel pass from the fpr outlet w/fi relay socket jumpered or while cranking with a short length of hose into a bottle or the like?

Varnished fuel/corroded steel components in the fuel system is often More an issue in the higher inland desert, actually; the dry exterior air & dew point (air can’t hold what little water there is in it in the fuel tank that then gets absorbed by the alcohol/ethanol fuel) makes fuel system issues way worse as well as the heat/uv speeding the chemical breakdown into turpentine/varnish + corrosion of metal parts from the ethanol gas that absorbs so much water…

I’ve had injectors stick with the varnish/goop & had to give them a couple quick alternating zaps back & forth with 18-24v off the drill battery with some penetrating oil. Again…totally redneck…not some electronics lab w/proper very momentary power pulses/jolts after some therapy in an untrasonic bath or pulsed steam jet (although I do have a version of that & use it for various automotive things I probably shouldn’t…), but works most times to free up a sticky injector…don’t fry them or apply excess voltage for long/continuously…

Here, it’s overcast & 55F ocean temp climate +or- 10-20 degrees…the car will grow moss/mold like crazy & might rust from the inside out thu floors & body drains, but the fuel doesn’t go bad nearly as quickly as the hi desert unless the metal parts are in the salt air at the coast & it’s an open carburetor…then you’re boned, but FI cars w/closed charcoal can & gas cap…no big deal usually…
Counter intuitive until you think about it a little more…
 
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No schrader valve on the fuel rail

No gas pouring out or strong smell from the FPR

I tried starting with the gas cap on and off (just for chuckles) and no difference.

I have some videos, working on uploading them...

52097482751_309f1a6aa4_w.jpg


52097482711_957a0125ab_w.jpg



not sure the best way to do this, but here are some videos ...

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1spa_lARspInRofI0apMbHaA4wgw_U3gc/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MAxurcczi51hZsd-E1v3uP6U0divd6Va/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mq1V2lmD1-E-yMmC92bScGx-iZWJ2fDl/view?usp=sharing

Rapid clicking of the fi relay is often a poor connection at the main fuse, it?s wire or battery terminal or fuse box or relay socket from water dripping along the hood or condensation in the cabin or a lesky windshield.

This car has some odd water ingress, but it rarely rains here (fire season started yesterday) so I wouldn't put it past it - I am willing to replace parts, I just hate firing the parts cannon just yet.


Bypassed iac lol?why?
They don?t go bad *that* often?working iac is nice?
But it shouldn?t prevent it from starting, fair enough.

It stuck open and I couldn't get it idle or pass smog, couldn't find a spare / replacement, and the china knockoff I bought was DOA , so I disconnected the wiring and capped inlets on the air intake

I?ve also seen the fuel pressure regulator stick shut/fuel pump run against its 5-bar/80psi bypass.

The fuel pump sounds sickly/very strained with cavitation running it with the fuses jumped, tho startup wasn?t really a big problem when I had this happen on a car that sat for a couple years. More just loud fuel pump, stinky exhaust/02 pegged rich idling, but would cycle slightly above idle?subtle.

I haven't heard any weird sounds, but I won't write it off.

Verify there's power at the power pin to the AMM (that?s the cleanflametrap smarter less redneck/cave man way w/a 5-20w test light that draws some actual real current & lights up brightly/as brightly as it does when connected directly to the battery).
Make sense?

I understand the idea, I don't have a test light, but Ive got a volt meter, and im not afraid to start poking.

Does fuel pass from the fpr outlet w/fi relay socket jumpered or while cranking with a short length of hose into a bottle or the like?

I will try this test next time I get to the car.


Varnished fuel/corroded steel components in the fuel system is often More an issue in the higher inland desert, actually; the dry exterior air & dew point (air can?t hold what little water there is in it in the fuel tank that then gets absorbed by the alcohol/ethanol fuel) makes fuel system issues way worse as well as the heat/uv speeding the chemical breakdown into turpentine/varnish + corrosion of metal parts from the ethanol gas that absorbs so much water?

I?ve had injectors stick with the varnish/goop & had to give them a couple quick alternating zaps back & forth with 18-24v off the drill battery with some penetrating oil. Again?totally redneck?not some electronics lab w/proper very momentary power pulses/jolts after some therapy in an untrasonic bath or pulsed steam jet (although I do have a version of that & use it for various automotive things I probably shouldn?t?), but works most times to free up a sticky injector?don?t fry them or apply excess voltage for long/continuously?

Here, it?s overcast & 55F ocean temp climate +or- 10-20 degrees?the car will grow moss/mold like crazy & might rust from the inside out thu floors & body drains, but the fuel doesn?t go bad nearly as quickly as the hi desert unless the metal parts are in the salt air at the coast & it?s an open carburetor?then you?re boned, but FI cars w/closed charcoal can & gas cap?no big deal usually?
Counter intuitive until you think about it a little more?

We are lucky here in Santa Barbara - coastal temps, not to high, and never gets too cold with only about 20 degree range of temps.


So - I replaced the inline fuse as the plastic was getting brittle, and I figured that it wouldn't hurt to have a known variable...

Now I can't get any noise or change when I jump the fuses, so I think you guys may be onto something electrical wise - can anybody illustrate what circuit energizes the fuel pump?
 
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You can do almost all the diag you need to with a TEST LAMP. I would get a TEST LAMP and do some diag at the EFI/Fuel Pump relay. You can confirm POWER to the relay via the engine bay fuse, EFI power, and fuel pump power (while cranking). I recommend the $15 Lisle Heavy Duty test lamp.

1. Sprak: With same test lamp, connect between coil negative and ground. Crank. Blink=ignition pulse

2. Injector Pulse: Test lamp between a POWER source and an injector NEGATIVE/Control side of the injector. Crank. BLINK? = injector pulse.

CLick my NO START link in my sig. DOes it STAY RUNNING on pulses of brake cleaner?


Here is a 2.4 diagram, but the fuel pump relay is the same. Wiring colors may vary. Get out your test lamp and do some diag at item 217.
lh24.jpg
 
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Dead in tank is not going to keep it from starting. There is gas in the tank right? I would jump the pumps on at the fuse box and then listen for the fuel flowing. I can hear it going through the rail. You could also take off the return line at the back of the fpr and put a length of hose there into a bucket, jump the pumps and see if a good amount of fuel is pumping out. The way it just died all of the sudden sounds like main fuel pump death to me especially if it fires on starting fluid and still wont run with the pumps jumped.
 
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