Okay, ill explain exactly what shape my car is in, and what ive done so far, but to sum it all very easily, it doesnt start.

Here I go:


for about a week and a half i was driving my car with a bad radiator, i had 4 gallons of water with me anytime i went anywere and would fill them up anytime i could.
ive overheated it a few times, maybe around 4 or 5.
well the car drove fine, giving no signs of nothing.

one day i was on my way to work, everything was fine

i get out of work, and i goto my car.
I try to start it, it gives me a little bit of trouble, but it does start.
(normally never gave me any trouble)
i backed up about 7 feet, the car died.
wont start.

so i push it back into the parking spot, and get a ride home.


I come back, try to start it up with some starting fluid.
nope.

my starter was a huge piece of **** and was very loud, and one of the teeth on the starters gears was broke.

I replaced the starter, figured maybe that would be it.
nope.

so i go out to autozone, pick up a spark plug wire tester, and test the wires. wires are fine.

so i finally get it home.

I try to start it, nope

tried starting it again, then afterwards i checked the shrader valve on the fuel rail. a VERY small squirt (not even an inch)

okay, i take and run a wire from the positive of my battery to the aldl connecter under the dash to manually run the fuel pump.

i get pressure.

okay, so i replace the fuel pump relay.

still doesnt start.

i can also hear the pump prime up when i turn the key to the on position.

what could it be stoping my car from starting?


please, any and all ideas are VERY welcome.

oh yeah, this car is an 86 camaro, the engine is a 305 tpi.

also, i bought the car for 600 dollars so it can be almost anything.

im stumped.

 

If you've got the fuel pump running when you turn on the key, but very little fuel pressure, check the fuel filter. Might put a guage on the shrader valve and see what you're actually getting. Luckily a filter is really cheap and fairly easy to change as a trouble shooting tool....

 

Seems you're concentrating on the fuel system, I assume you have spark? that's what you tested for with the "spark plug wire tester?" Did you get spark?
Check the distributor connectors, they can back out with vibration if the locking tabs are broken.

If you have spark (weak, or strong?, ) and you provided fuel (starting fluid,) I would have expected it to start.
Have you done a tune-up lately? what did you replace?

How did you "so i finally get it home?"

I gave my father a car, he droved it 400miles round trip, parked it, an hour later he needed to go to the grocery store, got in it, no start, the timing chain had jumped. I don't know if it jumped when he turned it off, or when he tried to starte it.

You still need to test the fuel pressure at the shrader valve - about 43psi without vacuum, use the hot wire as before to power the pump.

Check fuel injector fuses (there are 2.)
Check for codes, if the SES light doesn't flash when the ALDL is jumpered; bad bulb, or ECM is dead in which case the injectors won't fire. Buy a Noid light to test for fuel injector signal at the connectors.

Check the timing.
Check the compression it must be more than 80psi.

 

I'd check for spark then change the fuel filter. Might have a clogged filter keeping pressure from the rail as mentioned. If no fuel OR spark then there is your problem.

You need to get that radiator fixed ASAP IMO. Once you get it started that should be your first order of business...