Justinandcecil

Hello all and thanks so much in advance for reading and offering any advice/suggestions . And please bare with me as I give you the run down about my problem so you can understand where I'm coming from with the problem. Ok so I just recently bought a used 02 lancer es from a private owner. I bought it knowing it will need to be towed straight to the local Goodyear shop and the problem turned out to be the timing belt was i stalled backwards and the timing itself needed setting. That was the problem along with the starter needing replacement. That's done and fixed and paid as of 2 days ago and there has been no problem until yesterday. Ok please read on. When I first got the car from the owner I also already knew the exhaust was messed up pretty bad. There's no muffler, no intermediate piping, the stock resignator is gone and the converter is gone. All that's left is the headers and part of the downpipe and a aftermarket resignator/muffler wielded on. Yep, messed up. And as you can imagine it sounds loud and irritating and unprofessional all of which I already expected. I've down my research and I plan to get a highflow header and downpipe combo from Ebay for $80 and start building the exhaust back asap as the money comes. Ok now here's the problem that occured yesterday. Now remember, I drove it home no problem 2 days ago. Now yesterday I was cleaning it inside and out and cranked it up and moved again to a different position in my driveway to get a better look under it to check out the exhaust situation. So once again the car is running fine up to that point yesterday. Now I don't mind driving the car until I can get it fixed gradually, and here in SC, USA you'll be fine driving without the converter for a while. But anyway I wanted to make silencer from some steel mesh and install it there at the end of the resignator pipe. I made it and installed it successfully, but I was wondering if I put too much and if there was too much back pressure. So after it was installed I cracked up the car and it started fine and normal and ran fine and normal for the 3 minutes or so that I was testing it. I even reved it a little. After I was satisfied with the reduced noise I figured ok I can drive this without a headache now. I cleaned up and went inside to rest and pounder. An hour later I tried to start it again and it turned over and cranked as normal with normal sounds but it would not start. It wanted to but it didn't. So immediately I'm thinking ok yep I put too much steel mesh on my silencer device. I had to go to work at that time and so I used my parents car to get to work yesterday and I work until late night so I already was thinking ok I can't remove the silencer and some of the mesh until tomorrow morning. So this morning I up early to start the task I thought was the problem. I took the screw out the side of the pipe, slid the silencer out, removed half of the steel mesh I had used, and installed it back. Same acting before wanting to start as normal and everythings sounds like a normal start up but it can't start. So now I'm thinking ok maybe my silencer still is causing too much back pressure. So this time I removed the silencer completely (which is how it was before when I got it from the shop and drove it home) and tried to start the car. Same doing and same sounding, it's cranking but not starting. It sounds like and acting like it's about to start but it never happens. I try giving it gas but it doesn't make it start. The battery is not low yet and so I've tried a few more times to start but no. Any suggestions? Thanks so much
This is the silencer I made and installed and now it's removed. But anyway yes the car is not running and I don't know why.

Justinandcecil

If the car really did not start because of too much back pressure, what can be done to get it to start again? Or does anyone think it's a different issue not related to my installing the silencer and not related to back pressure?

CrAnSwIcK

iTrader: (5)

scan it for trouble codes...and check compression

kaj

iTrader: (60)

1. If this a troll thread, it's one of the greatest.
2. You can't block the exhaust to quiet it down. That's not how mufflers work.
3. Even a clogged cat will start, just not run a bit. I can't imagine a pipe full of steel wool would block so much it wouldn't even start. But I could be wrong.
4. If you can, have a mechanic check the car out. That will save you a ton of time and headache.

Good Luck!

Justinandcecil

Thank you so much for replying!!! I'm new here and I'm just thrilled to you guys chiming in to help . Well it's been 2 days since I first posted and I been really busy with work and church so I having gotten anything accomplished in referrence to the lancer other than starting this thread. I agree with KAJ I wouldn't think the steel mesh would block enough to stop it from starting. But all the same I'm not sure. And even if it did, again my question is why it does not start back now with it removed. If it's stalling right now, what to do to cheer it up and get it going again. I'm sure I will end up taking it to the shop near by that I trust. But again just been really busy and doing so reseach when I can. I will be sure to keep you guys updated!!! Thanks again, cheers

kaj

iTrader: (60)

Hopefully the timing belt was installed correctly.

Justinandcecil

Well I feel pretty confident the timing belt is installed correctly because it was already installed backwards as I was told by Goodyear, and they said they needed to remove it and install it right and then set the timing. It was a $822 job including the new starter. I think that was on the high end for that job. But I don't think Goodyear is exactly cheap when it comes to auto repairs. But the place that I trust was just too far from the owner I bought it from so I figured I give that local Goodyear a try at fixing it. They said the timing belt and setting the timing was the "IT" problem as to why the car wouldn't work, but of course they knew and I knew the car has several other issues like the messed up exhaust.

Justinandcecil

Yes the $822 included the towing, timing belt correction, timing set, new starter and of course labor for that. Ok now that I just made that check list $822 sounds to be a fair price I guess. That was a lot of work to get the car going

CrAnSwIcK

iTrader: (5)

$800 is a rip off if they didn't replace anything...also what do you mean the timing belt was installed backwards? the belt can go on either way, it doesn't matter...it's actually more important that if you re-install an old belt, that it's installed in the same direction it was before...

so, after they reinstalled the belt, it ran just fine, correct?

Justinandcecil

Hey there Cranswick thanks for the information. Well yes that's exactly the words the Goodyear guy used. After the diagnostics was done he called me and said the timing belt was put on backwards by whoever had tried to install it. He said that and the timing itself needed to be set before the car would get running again. I don't know if they actually fixed the timing or if they got the help from a seperate Mitsubishi mechanic. That happened to me before with a different car I remember years ago. It was a VW Jetta and the auto shop mechanics where not really the ones to fix it. They had contacted a real VW mechanic and hired him to actually make the repairs, so I was woundering if that was the case here. Well anyway to answer your question yes the timing was the reason the car would not start and run and had to be towed from the owner's yard yep and the car started and ran and drove fine after the Goodyear said it was ready for pick up.

Justinandcecil

Ok guys here's an update for today on my off day now. As was mentioned more than once there are several issues with the car cosmetically and mechanically and I guess technically too Lol that was funny saying that . So anyway here is something else I've noticed. The gas gauge has been reading past full since I drove home from the Goodyear. It hasn't move a bit. When I turn the key to on the gas gauge goes straight up to pass full mark. At first when I was driving the car home I was like wow the tank is full I got a bargan! But maybe not so. My house is about 20 plus miles from that Goodyear shop and the gas hasn't moved a bit. So it's possible it might not be anywhere near the full mark. More specifically it might be dead on empty now but still reading full. Been Googeling that today checking what some people are saying. So today I check to see if the fuel pump is working and also if there's any gas in the tank. Thankfully the pump is easy access under the back seat. Ok here we go and I'll keep you posted. Yep so basically since my gut feeling is telling me that steel mesh wasn't enough to stop the car from starting, I'm gonna be checking a few other things now that's not related to the exhaust system. Just want to make sure the problem is not an easy fix before I have it towed again to the repair shop. Ok cheers guys I'll catch up later with updates.

Justinandcecil

Ok guys here's quick update but still in the process. I'm really thinking it's a different problem and has nothing to do with the silencer I installed. But again not positive yet. Here's what I got so far. I just removed the back seat and removed the cover of the fuel pump assembly. I turned the key to the on position and went there to the pump to listen closely. The pump I could not hear the pump working. So I removed the pump and used some wire to connect it directly to the battery. The pump worked. So I have now re installed the pump and am looking for a possible wire/fuse problem. I just took a break to gather my thoughts and oh yeah to wait for the rain to stop lol. You know guys, I just love these Lancers, they are so fun to work on and most stuff I've had to fix I was able to do myself. I'm speaking of owning an 03 Lancer OZ Rally for about 2 years back in 2009. And that is the reason I bought this Lancer ES even with all it's issues because I know it will be a great car with some TLC. Not expecting to one of the fastest on the street but I love sleepers and I plan to make this look completely stock and simple but a ready to race ninja nobody sees coming lol. Anyway back to work guys I'll let you know if I conclude that the pump issue is the current "IT" problem, cheers!

Justinandcecil

A little hard on the eyes for now




Yep, original color was white as you can tell




Yep like I was saying the car has cosmetic mechanical and technical issues inside and outside and even under the hood. The intakes half missing, paint and oil going everywhere etc...lots of work to do.




Checking the pump




Checking the pump

CJBarker2

Check for fire. When I got mine last year, the balancer was wobbling and blew the fuse for power on the coils. It was a pain, but it was the only problem I had. I'm also out in SC and wouldn't mind helping if I can. PM me (I think you can do that) if you want to see about that. Nonetheless, that's what my problem was. A 20A fuse under the hood kept blowing. The sensor I had trouble with was made into the lower timing cover and the wire is routed down over the back of the timing cover. It's the Crank Position Sensor. Give that a shot and get back to us. Good luck, brother!

Justinandcecil

Thanks so much Cjbarker2 awesome that you're near by. Well guys, I think I've found the problem. Not 100% sure but I'm like 95% this is it. Well I re installed the pump and checked again if I could hear the pump...no go. So knowing the pump is working, the next obvious question is why isn't power getting to it? Unfortunately the car has no manual so I'm using Google for any questions related to the fuses etc. So first thing I Googled was 02 Lancer ES fuel pump fuse. After some reading and further search entries I came up with the following infornation about relays and fuses related to the fuel pump. There's 2 relays there in the fuse block under the dash related to the fuel pump. Also there's at least one 10 or 15 fuse under the hood related to the fuel pump, and lastly there's a 7.5 fuse there under the dash also related to the fuel pump. So you know while I was at it I checked All the fuses lol. I don't have the tools I need to test the relays so I thought I was stuck and needed help with that. But not once I descovered a 7.5 fuse blown. So, now the question is, is the 7.5 fuse that's blown is it the one for the fuel pump? Lol this is getting exciting now. Well unfortunately it's getting late here now. But more specifically I don't have access to my parents car right now so this seemingly quick fix will have to wait until tomorrow I think. Hmm I don't know if I'll get to Walmart late tonight...I doubt it. So anyway here's the fuse in the pic