Garage Storage Organization and Garage Cabinets

**86 Daytona C/S with 1600 miles... won't start... HELP**

Okay, in my garage sits a mint condition 1986 Dodge Daytona Turbo Z C/S. Now it occasionally gets ran, very rarely, as it has about 1600 miles on it. The problem is now, is that the car will turn over, it will not start. Prior to the current status we checked the intake and found a mouse nest, took care of that. The car would start, and run, but would 'spudder' and struggle and lunge going down the road, after this brief run, the car stopped running all together. We believe it has something to do with the fuel, my clever father syphoned gas from the car at a point before this occurred, could he have bent something in the fuel pump that is in the tank? He checked the fuel rails and said they were dry.

Anyone have a clue what else might be keeping the car from starting up? Is it a fuel relay. I have an OBD-II tool on the way for the sake of the cars we own, would I be able to figure out anything by monitoring the output of the OBD without having an engine capable of running? Can I run a multimeter over some places and figure a thing or two out?

I hate, HATE, to see a car this nice, a car my morbid parents were saving for some reason, go and rot because we're missing something stupid and essentially destroying this Daytona from the inside out.

And we have turned the car over since then, it will turn over (for the sake of just keeping the motor oiled), but as far as running, nada.

I've checked a chilton manual, it wasnt very helpful as its a generalized one. Any guildance? Tests? Directions I can take?

Any help is definitely apprecriated.

boltthrower · 10-16-2004, 02:11 PM

id say fuel pump maybe. they tend to go bad when they sit. you said it turns but does it have spark?

10-16-2004, 03:12 PM

Yeah, it has spark, no pressure in the rails though.

10-16-2004, 03:13 PM

I have a multimeter, is there any way I can use it to test the pump. For all I know a mouse could have chewed one of the wires off leading back to the pump. And where would I test for that matter?

SilverShelbyZ · 10-16-2004, 04:26 PM

You cannot use a multimeter to test the pump.

The easiest way to determine if it is getting power or not is to get under the back of the car near it and have some turn the key to the on position. You should hear the pump whine as it tries to prime the fuel system. If you do not, then you either have a problem with the wiring or with the pump itself.

puppet · 10-16-2004, 04:35 PM

A fuel pump and filter are cheap ... change 'em.

topdollar69 · 10-16-2004, 05:02 PM

Sounds like you need to check the output off of your power module, they have also been known to go bad from sitting. The power module is what sends power to your fuel pump.

Una · 10-16-2004, 05:16 PM

Since you have spark, it's not the HEP.. And it's also not the ASD as the ASD has to turn on to power the coil. So that kind of rules out the power module. I'd say it's pretty safe to spend $100 on a new fuel pump to get her purring again.

banger68 · 10-16-2004, 05:23 PM

1600 miles??

10-16-2004, 05:39 PM

Yeah 1600 miles... it sits since it was purchased. Still has the new car smell, I wanna step it up and tweak it out and get fancy with it... alas they're hoping it will be worth a ton of money someday.

I went out and bought the entire fuel pump/strainer/whatnot assembly... gonna drop the tank tomorrow and get her in there.

So I'm guessing a mint condition 86 C/S Turbo Z is pretty rare? Anyone want to throw some offers? I should get photos on here, the paintjob is even flawless and its all original.