Cranks won't start
02-10-2017, 08:47 PM
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1999 E430
Cranks won't start
1999 (production 12/98) e430 sport 175kish miles.
Short version.
Changed the oil then the car would only crank and not start. No CEL. With the key in start position I can run the shifter through all the gears but the letters and numbers down by the shifter do not illuminate as I run through them. Replace battery (turned over and cranked fine but tested bad). Still cranks but won't fire.
Long version.
Car is occasionally driven by my wife and driven more regularly in summer by my parents. So I only learned any history of trouble after I told my wife it wouldn't start.
Wife said it had not been shifting out of first very well. That sometimes it would shift fine and sometimes she would have to manually shift it from 1 to 2 to 3 etc. She did say she got it up to 3 (above limp mode?). At one point she couldn't get it to be in gear at an intersection. Said she turned the car off then on again and she could manually shift it through the gears.
My dad always has a travel mug of coffee is known to splash/spill often.
Crank Position Sensor was replaced about 9 years and 90k ago. It did display the classic CPS failure symptoms of stalling and poor starting when warm back then. I did not hear of that happening from wife or parents this time. When I pulled the car in the garage to change the oil it did seem to clunk into both reverse and drive pretty hard but didn't think anything of it with how cold the car was and how cold it was that day (12 degrees).
I am currently fixing a leak in family van but want to get some input on purchases and diagnosis so I can have most everything on hand when I push the thing back in the garage.
CPS- Didn't present classic symptoms but is relatively inexpensive, easy to get to and is about as old as the last one when it went out.
Cam sensor- No CEL and didn't seem to have any idle/drive issue that anyone told me about but again is relatively inexpensive and easy to get to.
MAF- Not sure how to test it and again no real engine issues prior, but open to ideas.
13 pin transmission plug to the TCU?- Probably leaking as I bet it's never been replaced but not sure if this causes a crank but no start condition?
Shift module (or TCU? still a little confused if they're the same thing)- I am suspicious of this after reading through a lot of threads. My dad likes to spill coffee and the shifting issues might be some sign of limp mode but does this lead to a no start condition eventually? Seems like other threads only speak of limp mode but the car will start (people do seem to tell them not to drive it in that condition though). I have seen threads on taking it out and apart but not a lot of people seem to have had success unless they replace it? Which also seems to require some reprogramming that the dealer may have to do?
OBDII scanner- Should I look at purchasing icarsoft (I think that's what I've seen touted) to pull any codes that didn't trigger the CEL?
Fuel pressure gauge- Don't think I have a gauge with the right attachment yet but can order one to test the fuel rail. Although my money is on an electrical problem more than fuel delivery as I can hear the fuel pump turn on, but you never know.
Any thoughts, ideas, or questions on the issue are appreciated and I am happy to throw CPS and CAM sensors at it. Especially given the age and mileage of the sensors but I would prefer to diagnose the problem as well as I can, rather than shotgun parts at it. It is due for a lot of regular servicing I was just starting but I don't think any of the deferred services would lead to this issue?
Short version.
Changed the oil then the car would only crank and not start. No CEL. With the key in start position I can run the shifter through all the gears but the letters and numbers down by the shifter do not illuminate as I run through them. Replace battery (turned over and cranked fine but tested bad). Still cranks but won't fire.
Long version.
Car is occasionally driven by my wife and driven more regularly in summer by my parents. So I only learned any history of trouble after I told my wife it wouldn't start.
Wife said it had not been shifting out of first very well. That sometimes it would shift fine and sometimes she would have to manually shift it from 1 to 2 to 3 etc. She did say she got it up to 3 (above limp mode?). At one point she couldn't get it to be in gear at an intersection. Said she turned the car off then on again and she could manually shift it through the gears.
My dad always has a travel mug of coffee is known to splash/spill often.
Crank Position Sensor was replaced about 9 years and 90k ago. It did display the classic CPS failure symptoms of stalling and poor starting when warm back then. I did not hear of that happening from wife or parents this time. When I pulled the car in the garage to change the oil it did seem to clunk into both reverse and drive pretty hard but didn't think anything of it with how cold the car was and how cold it was that day (12 degrees).
I am currently fixing a leak in family van but want to get some input on purchases and diagnosis so I can have most everything on hand when I push the thing back in the garage.
CPS- Didn't present classic symptoms but is relatively inexpensive, easy to get to and is about as old as the last one when it went out.
Cam sensor- No CEL and didn't seem to have any idle/drive issue that anyone told me about but again is relatively inexpensive and easy to get to.
MAF- Not sure how to test it and again no real engine issues prior, but open to ideas.
13 pin transmission plug to the TCU?- Probably leaking as I bet it's never been replaced but not sure if this causes a crank but no start condition?
Shift module (or TCU? still a little confused if they're the same thing)- I am suspicious of this after reading through a lot of threads. My dad likes to spill coffee and the shifting issues might be some sign of limp mode but does this lead to a no start condition eventually? Seems like other threads only speak of limp mode but the car will start (people do seem to tell them not to drive it in that condition though). I have seen threads on taking it out and apart but not a lot of people seem to have had success unless they replace it? Which also seems to require some reprogramming that the dealer may have to do?
OBDII scanner- Should I look at purchasing icarsoft (I think that's what I've seen touted) to pull any codes that didn't trigger the CEL?
Fuel pressure gauge- Don't think I have a gauge with the right attachment yet but can order one to test the fuel rail. Although my money is on an electrical problem more than fuel delivery as I can hear the fuel pump turn on, but you never know.
Any thoughts, ideas, or questions on the issue are appreciated and I am happy to throw CPS and CAM sensors at it. Especially given the age and mileage of the sensors but I would prefer to diagnose the problem as well as I can, rather than shotgun parts at it. It is due for a lot of regular servicing I was just starting but I don't think any of the deferred services would lead to this issue?
02-11-2017, 08:48 PM
#2
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Bellingham, WA
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
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1999 E430
Update. I did get it running. It started pretty rough but settled into a normal idle within a couple seconds. The BAS ESP and ABS warnings popped up. Turned the car off and tried to start again and it fired right up with no warning lights. Took it for a test drive and it drove fine and started up fine when warm. I'm happy it starts but am worried that it may have this problem again. I could see how the battery having low voltage might affect the transmission or trip something with the BAS ESP ABS system but am still confused why it would only crank and not fire. At this point I plan on driving it and see if any other symptoms develop. If anyone has any ideas I'd be happy to hear them. Now I just have to get to the dealership for the radio code.
