No start. Not even trying. Code 11, CAS, didn't stall.

[soobscript]

My RX got to move under it's own power for the first time in 4 months, and last night we got the first accumulation of snow - about 4". But now it won't start.

 

Warmed it up, running fine, took 2 laps around the house, parked it. Go to start it 5 hours later and nothing. Battery is fine. Does not even attempt to crank.

 

Gives a code 11, crank angle sensor, which is in the disty. Check my connections: battery, starter, disty harness, coil harnesses, coil and plug wires, fuses - all seem good. Coil primary resistance is good, both terminals get 12v.

 

The car was running normal in idle when I turned it off. Seems that everybody with CAS issues has the engine die.

 

On inspection I did find that my disty bolts were not tightened from timing it last night. It was completely free to adjust from ~0 to 26 deg. So it could have been advancing/retarding while I was driving.

 

What can I check right now that I am screwing up?

 

I will run thru the FSM flowchart tomorrow when I have light and hopefully less wind. I can also swap in the disty from a 91 SPFI.

[hooziewhatsit]

so the engine doesn't turn over at all when you turn the key? First thing I'd check is to make sure the battery terminals are CLEAN, both at the battery and the starter. I know you said you checked them, but... A friend had her car do this same thing last week. Turn the key and she got nothing; no lights, nothing. Cleaned the terminals and it started right up.

 

After that, I'd check to see if 12v is getting to the solenoid on the starter. It's the single small wire that clips onto the starter. If you don't have voltage there, there's a problem in the key ignition circuit somewhere.

 

Also, it will throw code 11 if it didn't start. That's normal.

[soobscript]

I have lights and everything. All terminals under the hood are spotless. I spent 4 months on a "reseal" job...

 

I'll be checking voltage to the starter.

 

I'm just hoping I didn't break the insides of my disty by letting it move while driving. But I would think it would die on me if that happened.

[WoodsWagon]

It will crank regardless of whether it has a disty or not. Your starter either bit the dust or the wiring went somewhere along the way. Put it in Nuetral with the parking break on, pop the hood, and see if using a small bit of wire between the small spade conector on the starter and the big cable from the battery will crank it. If it will, put the key in the run position and crank it with the jumper wire. It should start.

[Skip]

you do mean it will not turn over

 

then follow 91Loyal's

advise

 

if it cranks then

 

these ignition switches are notorious for doing this

 

the contacts fail to pass enough current to properly

engage the stater solenoid

 

the addition of a relay in the following configuration will solve your problem permanently

 

hope this helps

[MilesFox]

let it sit till tomorrow and it will start

 

random occurrence usually with cold temp 15 deg -

otherwise was fine, this happened twice withthe 88 sedan.

 

swapped the motor into a loyale and it would cut out for a while and not start till it cooled off

 

turned out was the distributor one from an spfi or mpfi would work. the pigtail is swappable if the plug is different ('87)

 

check out them c-bus jukyards. spfi has a round shaft for the rotor and turbos have the d shaped shaft and the rotor is taller. spfi rotors fit on turbo distys but not the other way around

[soobscript]

It seems to be fixed.

 

Started it with jumper cable from battery + to starter soleoid contact. Getting the boot off the big starter power wire was a lot tougher in the 10*F windchill than removing solenoid harness.

 

Re-cleaned the starter solenoid harness, re-greased, and clipped it back on. Not sure now if it was fully inserted the first time. Maybe jiggled loose.