Bookerdog
Veteran Member
Been a while since I posted here on the forums, but need to ask a few questions. On Sunday, I drove about 8 minutes up to the local Jimmy John's to get lunch for the family. Car was running completely fine.
When I came back out, I go to take off, and find that the car cranks, but will not start. It's turning over, but it is behaving as if there is not any fuel being delivered. There is no traditional Relay 109 problem here as all the standard lights are lighting up and going out on the dash.
So I call the wife, she comes and picks me up so they can have lunch and I won't be late for my Fantasy Football draft. After getting a killer team, I did some research here, and figured I had a few potential problems. Anti Shudder Valve and Fuel Cutoff Valve being the prime contenders for a problem.
Went back with some tools, my voltmeter, and a length of patch wire in hand. Checked the ASV. Was working, was in the right position, and the valve looks pretty clean. Then I test for voltage at the Fuel Cutoff Solenoid. DING DING, no voltage, so therefore no fuel and no start. In the parking lot, I checked the resistance of the wire from the solenoid to the first wire connector near the Oil Filter. It checks out fine.
So just to test and see if this is the true problem, I ran a jumper wire from the positive terminal on the battery to the Fuel Cutoff Solenoid. I hear it click, and holding it in place, the car fires up. At least this will get me home so I can chase it down further. I wire it up and drive home without incident.
After reading the forums, everybody says this has to be a wiring issue. Well, I go back out and pull the wire connector off the ECU and check the resistance between the ECU wire and the attachment at the solenoid. I'll be damned if it didn't check out completely fine.
So still scratching my head, I snipped the jumper wire I put in place and sure enough, the car starts and runs perfectly, clearly putting voltage through the ECU to the Fuel Cutoff Solenoid as it should.
I know I should be happy that the electrical gremlin has decided to fix itself, but let's be honest, does that ever REALLY happen. For now, I've left the two ends of the jumper wire attached to their respective ends and set it up so it will be easy to reattach the wire should I have this problem again.
So now the questions.
1. Do you think that there is a problem in the wiring somewhere between the ECU and the Shut Off Solenoid, and my moving things around and testing caused it to "fix" itself by reconnecting a tenuous wire.
2. Could this be the sign of a failing relay somewhere? Potentially a 109 problem?
3. Do you think there may be a problem with the Fuel Cutoff Solenoid itself? It did click right away when power was attached from the battery directly.
4. Should I just be happy that my wife and kids were amazed that I fixed my car with a single strand of electrical wire?
When I came back out, I go to take off, and find that the car cranks, but will not start. It's turning over, but it is behaving as if there is not any fuel being delivered. There is no traditional Relay 109 problem here as all the standard lights are lighting up and going out on the dash.
So I call the wife, she comes and picks me up so they can have lunch and I won't be late for my Fantasy Football draft. After getting a killer team, I did some research here, and figured I had a few potential problems. Anti Shudder Valve and Fuel Cutoff Valve being the prime contenders for a problem.
Went back with some tools, my voltmeter, and a length of patch wire in hand. Checked the ASV. Was working, was in the right position, and the valve looks pretty clean. Then I test for voltage at the Fuel Cutoff Solenoid. DING DING, no voltage, so therefore no fuel and no start. In the parking lot, I checked the resistance of the wire from the solenoid to the first wire connector near the Oil Filter. It checks out fine.
So just to test and see if this is the true problem, I ran a jumper wire from the positive terminal on the battery to the Fuel Cutoff Solenoid. I hear it click, and holding it in place, the car fires up. At least this will get me home so I can chase it down further. I wire it up and drive home without incident.
After reading the forums, everybody says this has to be a wiring issue. Well, I go back out and pull the wire connector off the ECU and check the resistance between the ECU wire and the attachment at the solenoid. I'll be damned if it didn't check out completely fine.
So still scratching my head, I snipped the jumper wire I put in place and sure enough, the car starts and runs perfectly, clearly putting voltage through the ECU to the Fuel Cutoff Solenoid as it should.
I know I should be happy that the electrical gremlin has decided to fix itself, but let's be honest, does that ever REALLY happen. For now, I've left the two ends of the jumper wire attached to their respective ends and set it up so it will be easy to reattach the wire should I have this problem again.
So now the questions.
1. Do you think that there is a problem in the wiring somewhere between the ECU and the Shut Off Solenoid, and my moving things around and testing caused it to "fix" itself by reconnecting a tenuous wire.
2. Could this be the sign of a failing relay somewhere? Potentially a 109 problem?
3. Do you think there may be a problem with the Fuel Cutoff Solenoid itself? It did click right away when power was attached from the battery directly.
4. Should I just be happy that my wife and kids were amazed that I fixed my car with a single strand of electrical wire?