Hey my name is Paul and my friend ownes a "91 RS 3.1Lv6". When he goes to start it it wont turn over. Also when he turns the car wants to stall? I am mainly a import guy and iono what to tell him. so can you DSM guys please help him out. What is wrong with this car?
Any tips are greatly appreciated.

THX, Paul

 

Have you done any diagnostic work on it at all? Check battery voltage, cables, see if the starter solenoid is kicking in (that's the clicking sound you hear when you first turn the key to start) If the solenoid is clicking on you likely have a bad motor, a bad coonection somewhere or a low battery. Eliminate the battery and connections first before replacing the starter motor. Oh, and another thing, if it's a manual, there's a wire down by the clutch pedal that needs to be connected, and they like to fall out of the connectors. It's a neutral safety switch, and the starter won't work if it's not closed.

 

THX for the tip, thats what I was thinkin two, but what do you guys think is the problem with the car when he truns and it dries to die. Im thinkin vacum leak??? like I said im a honda guys and these earlier model DSM's have got me beat.
Thx for all the help. Any suggestions are welcome. Nomatter how farfeched you think the problem is.

 

Now I'm just speculating with this, but maybe there's not enough water in the battery, or there is a little water in the distributor cap, and you're not getting proper spark as a result. Like I said, just speculating, as I've never encountered the problem before, but those both seem like reasonable causes. Someone else on here may know more about the subject than I.

 

Ok, I hate to say this, but you need to go back to the basics. Fuel, air and spark. (Water in the battery isnt an issue. Almost EVERY battery on the market today is sealed. Im sorry to throw you under the bus FlufyTiger!)

Symptom 1) Car fails to crank.
Most common causes.....

Loose battery cables.
Bad starter
Neutral safety switch

Symptom 2) "Also when he turns the car wants to stall?"

This is a tough one. Fuel, vac leak, bad ignition, clogged filters, the list is endless. Give us a better, step by step breakdown.

Im a newbie here. There are guys that will be able to fix this in a few steps. You just need to describe it in more detail. And PLEASE, use common English, not that import/street speak you have been using.
[8D]

 

it depends if it is a tuned port system a vacuum leak will raise the idle, if it is a throttle body it could be the cause but the most likley coulpret is the idle air control valve. it pretty much is a fancy choke for fuel injection. it has a movable pintle that extends a retracts depending on engine temp and throttle angle. if it is stuck closed or not functioning at all it will cause the engine to stall at idle because with the throttle plats closed it won't alow air into the engine and they only run abouth $30 bucks for that style just make sure you read the diractions on how to adjust it since it is a screw in type. hope this helps

 

Far from every battery on the market is sealed. I won't even buy a sealed battery as long as I can help it. And in any case, I did say it was just speculation. The only time I've even heard of someone stalling while turning was a cracked distributor cap that got some water in it, which would rise on one side and prevent that side of the distributor from providing spark, since there was no sudden break in the flow of current., but I've never experienced it myself. But I do agree that more detail is in order, and would certainly make the issue easier to find from a desktop diagnosis standpoint.

 

ok, I can tone down on my abbrieviations but it isnt streat speak.LOL you dsm guys are funny ones. Im a dsm guy too so dont think im all rice lol. ok the details...I asked him for more details as i created the thread becuase I knew that I would cause problems and many different opinions. He isnt very mechanically gifted so he is no help. I will just have to drive it and report the detail to you guys ASAP. srry for the details once again...

keep up the comments!! I thank you all.

 

FlufyTiger! Where in heck are you still buying wet batteries! I havn't seen one in years. (Except the ones in our military Humvee's, so I guess they are still readily available......) What are the advantages of a 'wet' battery versus a sealed one?

Paul, help an old geezer out. Whats a DSM?

Im always learning something on this site.....................

 

Autozone, Sears, PepBoys. There may not be an advantage, but I don't trust the hydrometers on sealed batteries. I've seen a dead battery with a green eye, and I've seen black on a perfectly good battery at 100% charge, that held charge for days. I'm just the sort of person who likes to have absolute controll over what's going on in the car, and I like my information on my parts readily accesable. I've never been one to go for the low maintnance crap that makes people tend to forget to keep these things maintained at all, especially since it cuts into my paycheck every time someone says "No, that can go a little longer before I do anything about it." When really, they shouldn't, and the problem that developes will make them buy a new car, instead of fixing the one they've got. Especially when people mix Extnded life antifreeze with regular, and say it lasts over 100,000 miles that way, when in reality, in 100,000 miles, their water pump impeller will be completely dissolved. Sorry for ranting, but I needed to get it out.