Car turns over but won't start?

[NABEF9]

During this last cold snap, something's apparently gone wrong with my car...
The car won't start. I have a new battery in it, tried jump-starting it, and it turns over but won't 'catch' and start up.
The piece that connects to the negative battery terminal is a bit of a mickey-mouse job, but since the car is turning over, it couldn't be the ground, could it?

Do any of you have any ideas as to what things I might check to see why a car's engine would turn over but not fire up? Maybe there's just some magic wire I need to wiggle...? :dontknow:

[mckabe]

Check your compression, if you are getting gas in the cylinders, is the air filter clogged? Do you have spark? Any recent work done?

[NABEF9]

Thanks for the quick response!
I don't know how to check my compression; air filter is clean, not sure if I have a spark...?
And no, there hasn't been any recent work done.

[mckabe]

Go to auto zone, advanced any parts store should lone you a compression tester. It plugs into you spark plug hole and tells you the psi in the cylinder. To check spark stick a screw driver in your spark plug end keeping it plugged into the wire and put it next to something metal ie. Firewall. Have some one tuen over the motor while you look to see if a spark jumps from the screw driver to the fire wall. (google it). Another way to check if you have compression is to pull a plug and put your thumb over the whole while someone turns the motor over. Are you getting gas?

[25Horseplay]

I would suspect if this just happened all of the sudden the either the timing belt snapped or the module went bad in the dist.

[FestYboy]

what, no one thought to check the FUSES!?!?!

[NABEF9]

what, no one thought to check the FUSES!?!?!

Funny story...I actually had forgotten to check those :tard:

Half an hour ago, at Sasquatch's suggestion, I checked those...they are all fine...he is going to come by and take a look at it with me in a couple of days, since (unlike me) he actually knows what he's doing when it comes to cars.

[Safety Guy]

One more easy thing to check before Sasquatch gets there would be the inertia switch which is in the back just above the left rear strut tower. Push the button and see. It activates when a big enough bump is hit and turns off the fuel pump.

Probably not it, but worth a shot.

Karl

[NABEF9]

One more easy thing to check before Sasquatch gets there would be the inertia switch which is in the back just above the left rear strut tower. Push the button and see. It activates when a big enough bump is hit and turns off the fuel pump.

Probably not it, but worth a shot.

Karl

I'll give it a try!

Thanks everyone for your replies! This really is the most helpful forum I've ever been to.

[muscle_Car1]

I had the same thing happen last winter. Fb71 helped me pin out the issue. Turned port to be the main relay behind the riverside headlight.

[WmWatt]

I plug in the block heater on cold days. An hour does the trick. AFAIK all Festivas sold in Canada had the block heater factory installed.

[NABEF9]

Question - if I've got 2/3 of a tank of gas and my fuel line is frozen, should the gas gauge still move up to the 2/3 point? Or would a frozen fuel line make it so that the car's gas gauge wouldn't register the amount in the tank?

[25Horseplay]

Gauge will still move if fuel line is frozen.

[NABEF9]

Gauge will still move if fuel line is frozen.

Thanks

[NABEF9]

Hmm, one last question...my car is a 1992 L model. When I turn my key to the 'on' position (without starting the car), should my fuel gauge rise?
I'm new to the world of Festivas...lol