Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting 96 4 cyl cranks but no start??? Help Pls

Hey
My 96 4 cyl just took a dump...Drove it to work yesterday suddenly car lost power then stalled, Cranks but doesn't start? Checked the spark OK. Hooked up fuel pressure gauge to test port shows 40psi key, on and fluctuates 30-40psi while cranking? Is the fuel pump dead. If not what else could it be? Camshaft positioning sensor?
Thanx in advance
Paul

Does the engine sound normal while cranking? Most common failures on these vehicles are the timing belt and the fuel pump. Since you seem to have fuel pressure (although it seems a bit low) I would suspect a timing belt. Pull the oil fill cap and look inside while someone else cranks the engine. If the cams aren't turning, the timing belt has some sheared teeth. If the cams are turning, some teeth may still be sheared and the timing is way off. Pry the cover over the timing belt back a bit and have someone bump the engine over while you look for missing teeth on the belt.

I took the timing cover off and timing belt is fine. It was replaced not too long ago. What is the normal fuel pressure? Could it also be camshaft position sensor?

Fuel pressure should be adequate. Specified range is 35-45 psi with engine on or off.

Unplug the cam sensor. The computer will have a one-of-three chance of guessing the correct injector timing.

Steve