So my car has been running awesome for the last couple of days. No problems at all. This morning I jump in it, drive a few blocks and all the sudden, clank clank clank clunk clunk. It sounded like a coffie jar full of nuts and bolts while it sputtered and hesitated and then died. And now it wont start. WTF? You put the key in and it wants to start. It will turn over some and as soon as its about to fire up, it dies. I can hear the fuel pump prime so its getting fuel, its getting spark and the battery is good. Plugs and wires are good, checked, checked again, and checked for a third time all connectors and wires. I thought it might have been the starter so I tried bump starting it and no go. Its a 90' with a 1.8 out of a 95'. The motor only has around 35,000miles. I have some guesses of what it could be but I want to see what you think.

 

Isn't that how CRANKWALK sounds like on DSM's? And since Miata's use many DSM parts it might be the same thing...

 

Ive never heard of miatas having DSM parts?

 

ouch

 

shread a timing belt? jump time and smack some valves? did it happen at high rpm?

 

cant smack valves - its a non-interference motor in the MX5

sounds like something broke mebbe???

 

CAS, Ingnitors, coils...

 

Cat is the FP staying on jumper it on with a positive, and negative wire if it runs then your relay has gone bad. I wonder about Tb as well though check the fill hole to see if the tb is working? I dont think coils would make that drastic a difference. Also throw a gauge on the fuel line and see if the pump is holding good pressure.

 

If you're getting fuel and spark, sounds like time for a compression test. Clank clank clank clunk clunk is never a good sound.

 

no, no it's not. +1

 

I just got done talking to a few people today and they all seem to think I might have jumped a tooth on the old timing belt. If I have time today, I'll take the car apart and see.

 

should only have to take the valve cover and front panel off.

 

Ya I know, thats what I ment my taking the car apart.

 

wtf..

I'm with everyone else. Compression test, and valves.

 

Ic hose pulled off ??(afm with no air flow??)

 

I think it might be the timing belt as other do but didn't some miatas have crankwalk? I read about it somewhere...

 

I second the timing possibility - that happened to mine, it slipped 10 deg retard and wouldn't start, throwing a handfull of OBD2 codes that were useless in determining the real problem. Of course it also drove really well just prior to the slippage then sputtered out in an intersection. GL

 

'99 only.

 

Thank god I have an '00 engine in mine... at least that is what the dealership says it is...

 

sense when do CAS, TB , fuel pressure problems or anything of that nature make a clunk/clack noise....if there was metal to metal contact then pull the plastic timing belt cover and see if the cams move with the crank....also do a compression test