My 348 won't start, cranks forever

Well, you want to narrow down *why* it won't start.

You've got to have 3 things working right to get the combustion required to start:
1. spark
2. fuel/air
3. timing/compression


The *easy* way to first test for a fuel/air issue is to spray starter fluid into your air intake box (be liberal about it!).

Does the car start now with that starter fluid?

Does the car start but then die after the starter fluid is burned off?

Answers to the above will identify a fuel/air problem, or point elsewhere (i.e. to the other two areas...a spark or timing/compression issue).


Also, is this non-start problem occuring when your engine is hot...or when it is cold?

Likewise, is the starter turning but the engine not catching, or is the starter not even turning? EDIT: OK, I see in the title that the starter is cranking/turning.

 

Well, obviously the first thing to check is to make sure you have gas in the tank. But presumably your car isn't sitting on the side of the road, it didn't stall out, it just won't restart, right?

It would help if we know some more symptoms. Did this come "out of the blue", or has it been getting progressively more difficult to start? Is the car running well when it does start? Does it make any difference whether the engine is hot or cold? How long has it been since it had a service?

It's entirely possible that what you are experiencing is a flywheel problem, very common on 348's. Hard to believe, but an otherwise perfectly OK 348 will not start if the flywheel is out of balance due to diluted or depleted grease in the flywheel. Have you ever noticed a "rattling" sound coming from the back of the car when you shut off the engine? Can you see oil/grease leaking from the perforated plate on the bottom of the flywheel housing? If so, then you probably have a flywheel problem. It's usually more common (at least at first) when the engine is warm and the viscosity of the grease puts it at its thinnest.

The flywheel can be repacked at home. It isn't the easiest job, but there are many 348'ers here who have done it, myself included. In my case, it totally cured my issue with difficult starting. There are several threads here describing the job.

Good Luck!

Edit: PLEASE tell me that your engine does NOT seem to be cranking over really fast! That would mean a problem with the timing belt, and you don't want to go there!

 

Hey Miltonian! I'm not familiar with that issue/symptom. Would you please elaborate? Might be good to have something like that written up online for the Brotherhood...

 

It's the same thing as cranking over the engine when the spark plugs have been removed.

If the engine is cranking over really fast, and not starting, then there is no compression. As in valves are open. As in the camshafts are not turning. As in the timing belt has broken/slipped/stripped its teeth.

And yes, it's possible for the belt to go while starting. We used to see it all the time when I was working for Fiat. The car would be running perfectly when it was parked, and suddenly it had a handful of bent valves.

If the engine is cranking over at normal speed (hopefully) then this isn't the case.

 

That makes sense. Thanks for the explanation!

 

A HA!!!!!

NOW I know what s wrong with you. LOL!

 

Don't worry sometimes I can't even keep it straight. Get this one.

Today I swapped out both engine wiring harnesses in my car. Thanks Plugz. Plugz was kind enough to let me use the spare set he had at his house. Anyway, I finish putting everything back together go to fire it up and only the 5/8 bank will run and I have a check engine light for the 1/4. "Oh great" I think, "now what". So I go have a look and what do I find, I forgot to screw in the multi pin connector for the injectors on the 1/4 bank. D'Oh!

 

Too funny!

So what code(s) was/were triggered by that?

 

Okay now for you problem. Try what ND suggested with the starter spray. Then have a GOOD look at your ground wires. Last year I had that same problem and it turned out that I didn't have the ground from the frame to the gear box hooked up. Hooked up the ground wire and voila, fired right up. Plugzit was the one that figured that one out.

Another thing, have you gotten any check engine lights???? If so you will want to try pulling the codes. Run a search of the archives on how to pull them.

 

I didn't even bother pulling the codes. I went straight to the 1/4 bank and double checked the connections, found my goof, fixed it, cleared the codes caveman style then fired it right up.

Next on the list is to get ahold of my brotha from anotha motha Jotec and ship my old loom to him. The wiring in these cars is such crap, I'm gonna do it over kill style. Gonna have it rewired with bigger gage Mil-spec wiring.

 

No sound, no nothing??? Is there any life at all?
The reason for asking is.......if it fires on a few cylinders but wont start you might have the same problem as I had. One of the sensors at the alternator / A/C compressor belts. If one of those or both are not working the fuel pump(s) wont run.

//B//