Q: Car not cranking.

asked by on January 12, 2016

My car will not crank. It turns over normally, but will not catch. It seems like the carburetor is flooded.

Car is not starting Inspection $94.99 - $114.99 Get a Quote

One thing that may have happened if the engine was flooded is that the cylinder walls may have been washed down by excess fuel. Once this happens the engine has a distinctly different sound when starting. Also, even spraying starting fluid in the carburetor will not have ignition as there is not ample compression to start the engine. The oil can be checked for a heavy fuel smell on the dipstick. If there is a heavy fuel smell in the oil, the oil will need to be changed prior to starting the engine. Also, the spark plugs will need to be removed and allow to excess fuel to evaporate. A couple of squirts of oil in each cylinder to re-coat the cylinder walls, this will restore compression and you should be able to start the engine assuming all other factors of fuel, air, and spark are satisfied. Now if the engine sounds normal on starting and there is no fuel smell in the oil, then basic diagnosis of the fuel supply, air management, and ignition system must be explored. You may want to enlist the help of a mechanic, like one from YourMechanic, to assist in the diagnosis and repair of this engine.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Get an instant quote for your car

Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing


Experienced Mechanic?

Earn up to $70/hr

What others are asking

Braking issues in 04 Suzuki Aerio with ABS
The first thing you want to do is check for leaks, and if you are sure there's no leaking anywhere and you are not losing any fluid, then generally that's a bad master cylinder. Just go buy a new master...
Rumbling noise when shifting into reverse
There is a technical service bulletin (TSB) that may address your concern. It is # TSB2735R and it states that the automatic transmission control cable assembly can cause a rattle noise in reverse. The fix is to secure the cable...
Overhead heat and A/C vents have no air or heat coming from them
It sounds like the issue is in the rear blower circuit. Check fuses (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/symptoms-of-a-bad-or-failing-fuse) 10 and 11 in the fuse block (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/symptoms-of-a-bad-or-failing-fuse-box) and also the rear blower relay, which supplies power to both of the fuses. The other possibilities are...
Symptoms of an AC condenser going bad.
The condenser (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/ac-condenser-replacement) if it was not cooling properly, will cause the switch to shut off the A/C, and then once it cools enough, will allow the A/C to come back on. It would be hard to know if connection...
Battery light on, temperature gauge maxed out, A/C system not working correctly
Hi, thanks for writing in. What you are describing happened to me personally a few weeks ago. It sounds like one (or both) of the accessory drive belt(s) that turn your alternator, water pump, and power steering pump is broken....
What will be the maintenance cost of Maybach exelero, the expensive car in the world .
Considering that this car is one of a kind, I can imagine that the maintenance costs of this vehicle would be very high. I would likely cost hundreds of dollars just to get an oil change. It would likely cost...
The car has a whining sound?
Hello - the whining in lower gears (https://www.yourmechanic.com/question/whine-during-acceleration-it-stops-when-leveling-speed-by-llyn-k) you hear is likely a worn bearing in the transmission. Acceleration in lower gears puts far higher pressure on transmission bearings, which wear over the miles. If the noise seems excessive, or...
Car sputters when accelerating. Not the spark plugs checked those. Now where do I go from here
Ignition coils will fail and cause a sputtering or a misfire, but there could be other issues as well. Since the car is a 96, you might be able to retrieve trouble codes that will tell you which cylinders are...
My Porsche Cayenne is losing power when i drive. The car vibrates then suddenly the Steering gets locked and I cant accelerate.
Hi Umarr. Thanks for writing in to YourMechanic.com today. From what we can gather from your information, it's apparent you have a rather serious safety issue going on with your Porsche. It's possible that the root source is a damaged...

Related articles

How Can Moisture Get Into an Ignition System?
All All ignition systems use electricity to crank and run the engine. This is true whether you have a conventional, electronic, or distributor-less ignition system. Water is the enemy of electricity and if it intrudes into the ignition system, it...
Is a Keyless Push-Button Ignition More Reliable?
Vehicle Vehicle starting systems have evolved significantly since their inception. When automobiles were initially introduced, you had to manually crank the engine over with a handle on the front of your engine compartment. The next phase involved a lock and...
The Best Used Cars to Buy for Occasional Drivers
Not Not everyone relies on their car on a daily basis. Maybe you aren’t the type that deals with a daily commute, and running from here to there constantly. If that’s the case, you may be looking for a car...