What to do and where to start if your car engine won't start? Sometimes this philosophical question comes up to car owners.
First you need to determine the reason for the refusal. Typically, starting an engine requires fuel, air, and a spark that will ignite the air / fuel mixture in the engine's cylinders. If the air filter is in order and the mixture of fuel and air enters the intake manifold, it's time to check the ignition system. It is possible and necessary to check the spark on your own, without putting this process on the back burner, or rather before a visit to the service station.
The check is as follows: using a spark plug wrench, it is necessary to unscrew the spark plugs from the cylinder head and inspect them carefully. The first thing to look for is the gap between the center and side electrodes of the spark plug. It should correspond to values from 0.7 to 0.9mm. If the gap is larger, it is necessary to bend the side electrode; if it is smaller, bend it. We also pay attention to the condition of the candles: carbon deposits can also tell about the engine operating mode. To check for a spark, carbon deposits must be removed with fine sandpaper.
To check it yourself, you can tie all the candles with a wire in a row and ground the free end of the wire to the "ground" of the car, put the tips of the high-voltage wires on the candles. After that, with the help of the starter, we begin to turn the engine and observe the formation of a spark between the spark plug electrodes. Its appearance and color can also tell a lot. If the spark is weak on all candles or is absent altogether, then, most likely, the electronic switch has failed. If there is a spark, but it is different for everyone or for a single candle, the problem may be as follows:
- breakdown of the high-voltage wire from the distributor to the candle;
- the distributor (distributor) slider is defective or worn out;
- the candle is faulty;
- unstable contact in the tip of the wire.
If succeeded on the ignition coils. To do this, set a gap of 2-4 mm on one spark plug and turn the engine with a starter. If there is no spark on this plug either, then the ignition coil is faulty. In cars with a carburetor engine, it is enough to replace it, while in cars with an injection injection system, it is necessary to check the electronic switch, which may fail.
