Our youth center has been given a 1987 740 GLE Wagon.
The interior is rough. The Headliner is goners. But it is a great Gold Wagon that will haul tons of food from the Foodbank and Backpacks to our youth center when the weather is bad.

The problem is starting it. Sometimes it starts right up. Other times it will crank and crank and crank but not start. Or it will barely start or it will start and then just die.

Can you folks help us get him back on the road? We have a 240 at home and know that this car will be around forever if we can just take care fo what is ailing him.

When it starts and runs it runs just great. I did change the relay first thing. I also replaced any fuses which looked dirty or questionable.

Of course we have little or no money and this is why this Mom is on here today seeking advice so I can get this fixed.

Thank you Everyone!


Barb D.
Eureka Kids Inc.
www.eurekakids.org

It very well could be a wiring harness problem - but I will relate what is / has been going on with my 89 760.

I had to have the distributor replaced along with timing belt, seals and some other spurious parts. When I got it back it ran pretty good but twice over a few days it did not want to crank, but did eventually. Yesteday morning it would not go at all. I pulled the coil wire from the bottom of the distributor to make sure I was getting spark (with the wife turning the key) and at first I was getting no spark. I started twising a few wires, removed and replugged the leads to the distributor, and wha-la - I have spark and she cranks.

I got some contact cleaner and dielectric grease from NAPA and cleaned and greased all the connectors / leads in the area of the distributor - including the ground lead from the firewall to the motor that is right there. So far now she cranks on a dime.

Now I have to replace the in tank pump.

Be blessed.
--
'Be blessed in your quest'' 89 764 (110K), '94 940T (180K)

The '87's are the last year that had the infamous engine wire harness insulation deterioration problem. Sounds like you may have some crumbling insulation inside an engine wire harness. This is tough to find and you may need the whole harness replaced.

Hello

A bit more info would be needed,
when the car goes from non starting to starting how long does that take and anything else happens?

Is it worst in cold or hot conditions?

When the car does not start while crancking does the tach meter move? < very common problem.

do all the lights go on in the instrument panel?

does it run ok?

Does it ever die after it gets going?

Get back with some info and we can help you.

Hooray I have helpers!

It has no rhyme or reason hot or cold weather or engine hot or cold. It just does not matter.
Sometimes it doesnt matter how many times you try it just will not start. Other times it runs right away or takes a couple tries.
All the instrument lights are working
It runs and idles pretty well once it is going. Sometimes it gets hestiant while idling but not often.

Yes it has died when going. When I picked it up from the donor it died when I was at a stop sign. It took a bit but I got it going again.

Tach meter does move a bit.

I unplugged the Air Mass Meter that did not make a difference at all.
Thank you!

Hello

When it does not start,
Check to see if the tach moves if it does not then i´d suspect the hall sensor below the distribuitor in the back of the head. very common.

when it does not run also check to listen to the fuel pumps running a sec. or so after it stops cranking. Also very common is the relay that powers these pumps it is a white one second back far left driver side.

I¨m not sure if a 87 non turbo has them but check to see if you have radio supression relays driver side around the power steering reservoir. you may have either one or two identical looking relays. A bad radio supression relay would lead to the injector not firing, thus cranking but no dice.

check all the ingintion wires for good connection etc.. try and discount the obvious.

You should also check out the FAQ great great resource for these cars.

ps a bad AMM would not make this brick not run, it would just run bad.

question, should you hear the pump running after ignition is stopped? I noticed that with mine while trying to T/S a no start problem.