Probe cranks but won't start

[jitterbuginfool]

I have a 1995 Probe GT 2.5L. It has 65,000 miles on the odometer and I am the original owner. The car has been well maintained and I have never had any problems with it in the past, until now. Last summer the car began acting weird. It would start sometimes, then not start, start then not start. It would start every day all week long and then crank like crazy on Saturday, but not start. A backyard mechanic told me, after getting the car to start by spraying starting fluid in it, "The electric fuel pump in the gas tank is bad, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't." He changed the fuel pump for 500 bucks. A few days later, the same thing, the car wouldn't start. He took the car for three days and told me he couldn't find anything wrong with it. So, I have been driving the car like this since last August. Every time it doesn't start, I spray starting fluid in it and it starts right up. Last Monday it wouldn't start even with the starting fluid. It cranked like hell but it would not start. I had it towed to the Ford dealer. The Ford dealer charged me a $200.00 diagnostic fee to tell me that the car had no spark and it needs a new distributor. He wanted $1,600.00 to put in a new distributor. I had the car towed back home and decided to do the job of putting on the new distributor myself since I found I could buy one at Auto Zone for $300.00. It was a piece of cake. I had the old distributor off and the new one on in less than 2 hours. The car still won't start. New fuel pump, rebuilt distributor, new rotor and a new distributor cap and the damn thing still will not start. It will crank all day long, but won't start. Now what do I do? Will somebody here offer me a suggestion? I refuse to let that crook at the Ford dealership gouge me.

Paul

[mordie]

i had a similar problem. like it would crank but it wouldnt start. and took it to different places. and ppl told us different things. and all in all it was one of the terminals. i am not sure if it was posistive or negative. but the wire was all nasty. so nmmy dad and i cut it out and replaced it. it was fine.

[NEMESIS]

someone please help cuz im having the same problem and i'm about to get fired from my job cuz my baby wont start in th mornings...i'm going to get a diagnostic test done on monday but something tells me they might try to rip me a new one..i replaced the distributor, distributor cap, rotor, spark plugs, spark plug wires, battery, battery cables and nothing...

[Gonen2]

Try to Ground the Fuel pump in the Diagnostic port

[jitterbuginfool]

Gonen2, will you be a little more specific please.

[xtreme 2]

open up the disgnostic port on the driver side fender behind the battery, take a paper clip, bend it out, and stick one in in the GND port and the other end in the FP port... see if the Fuel Pump turns on...

also, when you first turn the key but don't start the engine (turn to accessory), can you hear the Fuel Pump spinning and creating pressure in the lines?

[xtreme 2]

Actually, do you know that you have spark? Try taking out one spark plug and then all of your boots. Stick a spark plug in the first boot, put it about 1/2" from the valve cover and have a friend try to start the car. See if it arches. Take it out and put the plug in each of the boots and repeat to see that each one is getting proper spark. If there is no spark there then undo the coil wire from the distributor, hold it against the valve cover, and crank the engine to see if it sparks...

post back if all of this happens or not and we can go from there...

[jitterbuginfool]

I will run the tests you suggested today after work and then post. Thank You.

[spydery1]

Had same problem with my 95 and i changed the distributor. Mine has been starting great since.