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    Thread: Don't know where to trouble shoot next. Car won't start

    1. #1
      What's wrong with my car?
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      Don't know where to trouble shoot next. Car won't start

      I bought this car a month ago to use a "beater" while I live in HI. I know it was parked for a year because the guy got it up and running to sell.

      It has been fine as a commuter for the past month and it even started to drive smoother then when i bought it. Yesterday I took it on the highway on a hilly section at 60mph which I had not done before. It started to shutter and the check engine light came started flashing. I pulled over, shut it off ans then restarted it. It drove a few more miles and then was running rough again and the check engine light was still on flashing and then went solid. I pulled over again. This time it would not start. There were no tow trucks availbale so I waited and then tried again. It started and I drove about 10 miles at 30mph with very little power or acceleration and the rpm would rev. I slowed down to let others pass and it stalled. It took an incredibly long time to turn over but it started and I drove another 8 miles then had to slow on a corner and it stalled. I had it towed back to town.

      I thought it might be the fuel pump so I pulled the back seat but that is running fine. When you turn the key it cranks but does not turn over. It sort of wants to catch but will not. I ran the battery dead and then had a mechanic bring a new battery. That did not work. He pulled a cylinder one misfire code. He pulled the spark plugs and 1 and 2 were very charred with lots of carbon. He replaced all the spark plugs and tried to get it start with starting fluid . It sounds like it wants to turn over and then even more when he squirted the starting fluid but will not. He suggested maybe a head gasket but based on what i am reading I do not have the milky oil or smoking exhausted. I have smelt exhaust a few times since I have owned the car but I do not think there was any smoke.
      Any suggested further testing?


      Last edited by tanya; 02-12-2018 at 02:29 AM. Reason: spelling

    2. #2
      Almost time to do my timing belt
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      Quote Originally Posted by tanya View Post
      .... Any suggested further testing? ...
      No way to answer that until you describe what testing this mechanic already did. What did he do to diagnose a head gasket? Or was that just a wild guess? Did he check for spark? Did he check to see if the timing belt was ok? Did he do a compression or leak down test? Any codes other than the misfire?

    3. #3
      What do you mean there's no turbo?
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      Bring it down to basics. You need fuel, spark, air, and compression to create combustion. Check fuel pressure at the rail, check for spark, and do a compression test.

      I went through a similar scenario last year with my 2005 Aveo. Turns out I had either a bad head gasket or a few bad valve seals that allowed oil into the cylinders and fouled the plugs.
      2004 Aveo beater car
      2005 Aveo LT. 5-speed beater car (DOA)

    4. #4
      Almost time to do my timing belt xintersecty's Avatar
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      Quote Originally Posted by slayerized6 View Post
      I went through a similar scenario last year with my 2005 Aveo. Turns out I had either a bad head gasket or a few bad valve seals that allowed oil into the cylinders and fouled the plugs.
      Pull the valve cover you can check this easily and it happens a lot.
      Please do not power off, firmware update pending.....

    5. #5
      What do you mean there's no turbo?
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      I ended up donating it and getting a 2004 Aveo to replace it. It had a lot more problems than just that too.




      2004 Aveo beater car
      2005 Aveo LT. 5-speed beater car (DOA)

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