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87' GL wagon won't start...


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Initially I had a problem with the starter clicking repeatedly before engaging. At one point it took almost half an hour, combined with me hitting the starter itself with a blunt object, before it would actually start. I stripped back both wires going to the battery and replaced the ends. The negative cable was really nasty and corroded for about 2 inches back from the original connector. So, after replacing the battery connectors, I drove it for 3 or 4 days with no problems starting it.

 

Next, I decided to work on putting a new stereo in it seeing how the stock one only played the latino station as well as producing sound from only one speaker. I stripped every wire and used trial an error to try and find the switched +12v wire with no success. In the process a green wire which must supply constant voltage sparked on some metal in the area of the radio.

 

When I tried to start the car after farting around with the radio wires, the engine would only start, rev up to about 2k rpms, then die out. I tried it a few more times with the same results. Depressing the gas slightly made no difference. I noticed during this time that the fuel pump was constantly cycling on and off. I went on the forums here and figured out the green end diagnostic wire was hooked up, and thusly unplugged it. At this point the engine changed from revving up and dying out to constantly turning over with it trying like heck to start but not quite succeeding. I tried plugging the diagnostic wire back in to the same effect.

 

I've replaced all the spark plugs and wires, replaced the acc. belts and all the other normal maintenance you'd expect to be necessary. I also replaced the radiator due to the original leaking ridiculously.

 

Is it possible messing with the radio wires possibly blew some important sensor involving the fuel pump???

 

Any suggestions are appreciated. I apologize for the longevity of the post. I just wanted to cover as much as possibly initially.

 

TIA.

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i have done this myself. check the horn/hazard/clock fuse as well since it is 12v+ all the time

 

 

That was it! Thank you very much. I don't have stay for 2 hours after work now to get a ride. ;)

 

It doesn't make any sense to me how a fuse that has nothing to do with engine operation would affect the car that way, but whatever...

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It doesn't make any sense to me how a fuse that has nothing to do with engine operation would affect the car that way, but whatever...

 

Because it DOES have something to do with engine opertaion. You assumed it didn't/

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that is pretty much THE hot-all-the-time circuit, and supplies power to the ecu.

 

without it, you turn the car on and everything is live except for the ecu itself, without that fuse.

 

before i figured this out on my car i was backfeeding voltage to the green wire via the toggle switch for a fog light circuit i had installed before

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