As you all know I bought a salvaged Evo X. When I first brought it home the engine would turn freely but wouldn't start so I just thought it was the battery (Panasonic). About a month later I bought a new one and tried to start it and it turns only about 1/4 of a turn. Since I am repairing it, the intake is off and so is the intercooler and radiator. I noticed the throttle plate hardly opens when I try to start my car. Could this be a solenoid? Or does it not let the engine start because the MAF sensor isn't on? I know the engine isn't seized because it turned freely before just never started. There is spark.

 

so you cannont turn the engine from the crank freely? If you can and you try to start it without a MAF sensor that would prolly be one the reasons it will not start.

 

I haven't tried turning it from the crankshaft, I meant when I try to start the car.

 

so when you try to start the car , it only rotates a 1/4 of a turn? It doesnt just turn over freely and not start?

 

When I try to start it it turns 1/4 and then the starter just keeps clicking

 

well make sure the starter is making good contact with the flywheel. And then if it is and you have a good battery the car should crank. If you did all that and the car still wont crank then there is something seriously wrong internally that is not allowing the engine to even crank. Like most likely catastrophic failure.

 

The thing is last month it cranked freely when I tried to start it before I took the intake and intercooler off.

 

well get under the car and put a big socket on the crank and spin that bad boy make sure it still spins!

 

Okay thank you! Will be trying that

 

It still doesn't make sense to me though, if the engine were to be seized wouldn't it only turn 1/4 one time and that's it? It turns 1/4 every single time. Is there an explanation lol

 

o ok i guess i mis understood. So your saying its like skipping? So when you turn the key it turn the engine just one quarter turn then makes the clicking noise? Could be a bad starter and how sure are you about this battery? And i know in order for our cars to start it for sure needs the intercooler piping hooked up since it uses a maf sensor. So maybe its getting a wierd reading and stopping it.

 

Yes it turns 1/4 or maybe 1/2 im not sure and then the starter starts to skip, I bought a brand new battery, before the new battery it wouldn't even turn. But I think it's because of the MAF. I think this is the last time I buy a salvaged car, my hair is going to go grey by the age 20. I also did test the starter, it sounded fine I put it back in and that's when the engine started to turn a quarter. Before the new battery and testing the starter it wouldn't turn, the starter would just keep clicking.

 

Yea i would connect the MAF and all the piping and stuff likes its supposed to and go from there.

 

Okay I'm more calm now, thank you so much dude, I was freaking out. I have a feeling itll be okay

 

I had a problem similar to this recently and it ended up being a seized up alternator. Check all of your pulleys and make sure one of them isn't seized.