So after 167,000 miles I'm planning on selling my 94 but just a few days ago is where things start to go bad.

For the past year I've been have issues with cranking the engine. When i insert the key it would not start the car and all it did was click, now naturally I thought it was the starter motor but this started happening after i replaced it. Well after a few times switching it on and off it would finally turn on. After this point i didn't think much of it so almost every time i wanted to turn on the car it would take 3 to 4 switching on and off to get it on. I honestly think its the starter motor but theirs more.

This past year its gotten worse, now it takes 10 to 14 times switching to turn it on. A few weeks ago something else happens. Business as usual but when i got the car turned on a few seconds later the car turned off. When we gave the car a jump from another battery after a few clicks it would "magically" turn on. Here's where it gets weird, as i start to press on the gas the car turned off. It felt like it didn't have compression but I'm not %100 sure.

This past week as i was driving it completely turned off while i was driving. At this point it doesn't want to turn on. It still clicks but once it starts to crank it immediately shuts off.

What I've done: Replaced the battery - The battery i had before was pretty dead but i replaced it. Strangely when i went to autozone with the car it would not start. When i got the jump there and be hold. So with a ok battery i slowly drove back home , cause if i start to press hard on the gas, shut off.

Theories: Spark plugs - maybe, electrical problems - maybe, compression issue - hhhmmm. Hoes leak - maybe.

Question: My dad tried turning the crank shaft and told me it was hard to turn it. he told me that maybe just maybe the piston rings are bad or the wilder theory the piston shaft is blown.

Guys, I've been on this website for many years and i thank the many awesome people that have helped me along the way and i really don't want to end this legendary car like this so but its not looking good . I'll be uploading a video soon so you all can have an idea.

 

Your story makes me suspect an electrical problem either with the ignition switch or perhaps a bad battery cable or connection, +, -, or both. These cars use side terminal battery, and if the bolt holding the cable to the terminal bottoms out, it will result in a loose cable to battery terminal connection regardless on how tight the bolt is made. This could result in random loss of electrical power to the engine.

 

When your father tried turning over the engine himself, did he take the spark plugs out? If not, that's why it was hard to turn. He was battling the build up of compression in the cylinders on the compression stroke.

I'm with Pete on this one. It sounds electrical. You mentioned that you replaced the starter, but the battery you had was pretty much shot, correct? Using a worn out battery to crank the starter could have ruined the new one as well. If any of your cables are corroded or worn, they are building up extra resistance the battery has to fight to get the car started. The possibility of the ignition switch is there too, especially on a 20 year old car that has had many key chains with various weights to them dangling from it.

 

Damn I forgot to mention, we replaced the ignition switch yesterday. Made a new key for it and had a little problem with the security light but we paid someone to take it out. Yes, the ignition switch has been changed and still the same.

 

the link for the video.

 

I think there is a least two different things going on. Here is the order I would do thing if this was in my driveway.

Fuel pressure test.
Spark test.

See if you can figure out what it is shutting back off. If they are both good. Scan the computer and see the RPM. You want to see if the go to zero then the motor shuts down or if they seem like the PCM is reporting the RPM right.

If you do not have access to a scan tool I would take the ignition module to get tested. That acts just like a bad ignition module. I think most parts stores can test them. Call ahead to make sure.

Starter issue. For every 30 seconds of cranking the starter needs to cool down 2 minutes. Don't over heat it. You can ruin a brand new starter in 5-10 minutes.

The starter issue should be easy to figure out. The click I am hear sounds like the starter trying to engage. The solenoid if pretty simple. A volt meter hooked to the battery when you hear the click will tell you a lot.

Example
Battery voltage with key off. 12.8 volts
Battery voltage with engine trying to start 11.2 volts

Battery voltage when the starter just click 10.5 volts, or anything under the normal crank voltage would indicate the solenoid is working and there is a bad spot in the starter.

Battery voltage when the starter just click 12.2 volts would indicate the solenoid is not making its full stroke and the gears are binding. This can be caused by the starter being too tight or defective over running clutch in the starter or just a bad solenoid.

This does not strike me in anyway as a engine problem. FYI rings do not cause tight motors, as rings wear and even break they reduce compression and fiction on the cylinder walls. A motor with failing rings will spin faster and easier then a new motor. 99% of the time a tight motor is caused by failing or spun bearing. I have seen motors that would "sound" locked up but after a few tries they would start. The big difference in your car is that when it does start it sounds ok. With a spun bearing the motor would sound like you had a dwarf with a pick axe inside trying to get out.

 

Another thing i forgot we also checked the fuel pump, it was replaced a few months ago and we tested it. Its pushing the gas into the engine fine.

 

I would bet its the ignition module. Do you have a U-pull-it yard around you. I think the 3.4 uses the same ignition module as the 3400. Yards should be full of them. I think the yard I go too charges $6 as is.

 

okay have an update.the car was able to turn on but I have to leave my hand on the ignition switch to leave the car on. with my hand on the ignition switch turned on the car stays on but the RPM's are very low. what could be causing the RPM's to stay low and on top of which my hand has to be on the on switch? is there a sensor that controls the RPM's on the car?

 

your ignition switch is bad. had the same thing happen to mine. switch is down low by your feet on the steering column.