Ted Mittelstaedt wrote:

Correction of a few generalizations tha need to be tweaked for this
vehicle, otherwise good info.:

> OK, this calls for going back to the basics in troubleshooting on this
> engine.
>
> Wait till it's hot and having difficulty starting. You may have to carry
> a small tool set with you if you drive it somewhere.
>
> When you go to start it and it doesen't catch on the first few
> revolutions, stop the engine, open the hood, connect a fuel pressure
> guage to the fuel pressure diagnostic port, then have an assistant
> try cranking and watch the guage. The needle should immediately snap
> to pressure and remain at pressure as long as your cranking.
> Then stop, and pull a spark plug boot, plug it into a spare plug,
> hold the plug with heavy gloves to the block, have the assistant
> crank a few times more...

This is coil-over-plug, so the coil screws and coil would have to be
removed and plugged onto another plug, but it should work - just not as
easy and quick as non-coil-over-plug.


> ...See if you got good spark. Next,
> stop trying to crank, (by now you should have been cranking it
> about a minute with all the testing your doing) turn off car,
> pull out one of the spark plugs and check to see if it's wet with
> fuel.
>
> If you don't have good pressure it's the pump, or a restriction in
> the gas line or filter or some such.
>
> If you don't have good spark it's ignition (electrical ignition parts
> are sensitive to heat)
>
> If the spark plug you pull out is wet with fuel, and you have good
> fuel pressure and good spark, then it's the timing, crank sensor or
> some such. If the plug is dry then the injectors aren't firing.
>
> Last but not least, how many miles on this car and how has it's
> oiling been handled during it's lifetime? You could be looking at
> a timing chain that has slipped. This can be checked by a
> competent mechanic.

Unless this is a 2.7L (doubtful since it's an LXi), it has a belt.
Minor technicality - belt could have slipped).

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
adddress with the letter 'x')