89 TC 2.2L Manual Trans will not start

[Ernie D]

Low mileage car.  Cranks fine, just wont start.  How best to diagnose this?  These dont have a manual choke, right?

THANKS!

[TerryB]

I think it’s fuel injected so the enrichment wound be done by the FI controller. You need fuel and spark, need to find which one isn’t showing up for the party.

[Rusty_OToole]

The rule is, compression gas spark. If you have those 3 things happening at the right time it will start, it has no choice.

1st question do you have compression? You can tell by the way it turns over, if it turns over normally it probably has enough compression, if it spins freely it may have stuck valves or no compression. This is almost never the reason a car won't start, still it is possible if it has sat around for years.

 

Next question do you have spark? Take out a spark plug and ground it to a metal part of the engine or take the plug wire and hold the end near the engine and turn it over.  A white or blue bolt of lightning is ideal but even a yellow spark should work.

 

Now do you have gas? If you have a carburetor this is simple, look down the throat as you work the throttle and you should see a squirt of gas. With fuel injection it is a little more complicated. In any case a shot of gas down the intake should get it to fire for a few seconds, this will tell if the engine will run, and that the problem is gas.

 

That is the outline, there are a lot more details to it.  I could be here for the next year telling you every possible thing that could be wrong. This is the problem with these lazy, open ended questions. Come back when you have checked it out and have figured out where the problem is (compression, spark, gas) and have a specific question and maybe we can help.

[Ernie D]

Thanks guys for your replies so far.  Compression is fine.  I will check spark accordingly.  But other questions specific to a 1989 2.2L TC:

1) is that an FI application normally?

2) is there a manual choke on these?

2) I think someone on another forum indicated they think on these cars, there may be some other part mounted on lower steering column that controls supply of both ignition and fuel to the engine.  Are any of you aware of this?

 

thanks

 

Ernie

[TerryB]

21 minutes ago, Ernie D said:

Thanks guys for your replies so far.  Compression is fine.  I will check spark accordingly.  But other questions specific to a 1989 2.2L TC:

1) is that an FI application normally?

2) is there a manual choke on these?

2) I think someone on another forum indicated they think on these cars, there may be some other part mounted on lower steering column that controls supply of both ignition and fuel to the engine.  Are any of you aware of this?

 

thanks

 

Ernie

From the sales brochure it’s multipoint fuel injection.

 

[TerryB]

There is also a forum for these cars farther down on this forum.  Might help to post there.

https://forums.aaca.org/forum/39-chryslers-tc-by-maserati/

 

[Frank DuVal]

Manual chokes went away in the late 50s on most cars. 

 

A common failure years ago (1970s) on Chrysler cars was the electrical connector going to the ignition lock, this connector was at the base of the steering column. I have no idea of this is a problem on a 1989 TC, however.

[31nash880]

Is this the same platform as plymoth arrow? If so had one years ago that would not start. No gas going through throttle body( looks like a carburetor).

Computer had fried.  No money, so what to do? Found that a pinto carb would go on and a vw rabbit distributor would get it back on the road. One international car.

[Rusty_OToole]

On 1/20/2024 at 2:30 PM, Ernie D said:

Thanks guys for your replies so far.  Compression is fine.  I will check spark accordingly.  But other questions specific to a 1989 2.2L TC:

1) is that an FI application normally?

2) is there a manual choke on these?

2) I think someone on another forum indicated they think on these cars, there may be some other part mounted on lower steering column that controls supply of both ignition and fuel to the engine.  Are any of you aware of this?

 

thanks

 

Ernie

I think after 1986 everything was fuel injection. I don't want to be mean but if you can't tell the difference between a carburetor and fuel injection by looking at the motor you may be better off taking it to a mechanic. Unless you want to use this as a learning experience. If you plan to work on your car, any car, the first thing you need to buy is a repair manual. Sometimes you can find them online for free or for a low price.

[Frank DuVal]

Our '87 Corolla was still carbureted, that two barrel Mikuni.

[ted sweet]

that tc is fuel injected

[Ronnie]

Manual chokes when out about the same time as wide white wall tires..

[TerryB]

3 minutes ago, Ronnie said:

Manual chokes when out about the same time as wide white wall tires..

I test drove a new (back in the day) Mazda RX7 rotary engine car car when I was car shopping.  The starting procedure was to pull the manual choke knob all the way out when starting it cold and then, as you drove, the choke would automatically disengage (retract) as the car warmed up.  Seemed strange to me in an era where virtually all cars did the choke thing automatically.  I figured if it was smart enough to know / when to disengage the choke, why didn’t it know when to apply the choke?  Didn’t buy the car and found the choke thing rather amusing.

[Rusty_OToole]

39 minutes ago, Ronnie said:

Manual chokes when out about the same time as wide white wall tires..

I had an 84 Renault with a 2 barrel Weber carburetor and hand choke.