my 240 wagon won't start for shit, this happened to me yesterday, and i tried for about half an hour and nothing. then i got a jump from a friend and after another 30 minutes, still nothing. then i called a tow truck and he hooked up some jumpers and tried it for about 20 minutes and then the engine began firing, it was really sluggish at first, just started, then stopped, then it got up and goin and ran fine for the rest of the day. This morning when i tried it, nothing, still nothing and i have no clue what it could be. please help.

matt stobbs
1992 240 wagon
241,156 miles

p.s.
i fed her plenty of dry-gas so that shouldn't be a problem

You may have some ice in your fuel system. I have seen this before in a Jeep I had. It would ice up somewhere in the line and I would have to warm it up before I could get it to run.

Just a thought.

Brian
--
86 240GL, 86 740GLE & others

!st thing I do when the 240 won,t start is twiddle the fuse in the drivers footwell. then the one in the engine compartment. When was the last time you cap and rotor? If more thatn a year, do so now. Also a quick visual that there are no loose/broken connections. Last time new plugs? Pull one and have a look. If worn replace.

Basically no sTart is one of the two prime actions forces in combustion.

Spark and fuel:
Check for spark using a timing light, or if none is available, pull the main lead from from the center of the dist cap,

"wearing rubber gloves and using rubber handled pliers!!!" IF NOT BIG SHOCK!!!

hold the end about 1/4 inch from a good source of ground, have someone turn over the engine, observe spark, there should be plenty of them at a nice quick rhythmic regular intervals. If not trouble shoot electrics. Same can be done with a spark plug lead from the dist., but the interval should be 4 X longer.

Check for fuel by adding a litlle gas to each plug hole and then turning the engine over, if it starts immediatly and then quickly dies it's a fuel problem.

WORK SAFELY. IF YOU HAVE DOUBTS ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING SEEK PROFFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE. IGNITION VOLTAGE CAN BE DEALDLY!!!! FUEL IS HIGHLY EXPLOSIVE!!!!

Was it hitting on any cylinders when you were cranking it? When it did start, did it miss bad or act like it was flooded? Was it foggy outside?

hitting: no
miss bad or flooded: flooded
foggy: sort of

If your car is getting gas but not ignition, it's time to do a basic tuneup. Replace the plugs (buy an extra set), wires, distributor cap and rotor. Then check the tachometer when you crank the car. If it's not registering anything whilst you crank the car, check wires that lead up to the distributor. If they're toast time to splice some new ones on. If they're okay but the tach still doesn't register anything your hall (effect) sender may be stuffed up and due for replacement.

Do you have a Bosch or Chrysler ignition system?

- alex

'85 244 Turbo
'84 245 Turbo

well, as you may have figured out, its getting gas no spark. I asked about the fog because it can make things short out if they are deteriorated in the ignition system. Check the fuse on the driver side fender for corrosion (maybe the repeated cranking etc dried it out before) and look for cracks etc on the plug wires, coil wire , distributor cap. I would check the fuse on the driver's fender first, its supposed to be a trouble spot.(gets a lot of water)