Questions and Answers

Acura SLX Crank, No Start Q. I own a 1998 Acura SLX, which is practically identical to the Isuzu Trooper. I believe it was even manufactured by Isuzu. For the third time in the past five months, I have had a starting problem. The battery and starter work fine; the engine cranks, it just won't turn over. The first time this happened, in February, I took the car to my mechanic and he replaced a valve, not sure which one.

For two months afterwards, it started fine, but then around the end of April, the problem surfaced again. I had the car towed to an Acura dealer, but when the technician tried to start the car, the engine turned over! Since the car started, the dealer could not recreate the problem and found nothing wrong.

Now, two months later, I'm having the same problem, and the engine cranks, but won't turn over. Do you have any idea what the problem is and how to fix it? When it was starting, it would turn over right away, no problem.

I have been using the car every day. The car always has at least a half tank of gas in it. There is a half tank of gas in it now.

Robert
Roslindale, MA

A. It sounds like you have a Crank, No Start problem. What we need to do first is find out what is missing when it won't start, fuel or spark.

The next time it dies, check for spark. If there is no spark then we will know for sure it is, indeed, an ignition problem.

To check for fuel, what you can do is carry a can of carburetor cleaner with you and the next time it dies on you, remove a vacuum line from the intake manifold and shoot a good, healthy squirt of carburetor cleaner into he intake manifold.

Now try to start it. If it starts and runs as long as the carburetor cleaner lasts, then you can be pretty certain you have a fuel system problem.