1986 420 SEL US model will not start

[randy]

Hello, All, if you can assist: '86 420 143,000 miles cranks smartly but will not start, not even a hint of an attempt to run .This car last ran a couple of months ago, at which time it started easily and ran well, although the idle speed at 1500 rpm indicates possible idle control failure; battery was disconnected when engine was shut down. Please advise some obvious checks your experience indicate. I plan to replace the idle control, but had rather work one problem at a time, if possible.
Regards.

 

[Francois]

Get yourself a can of WD40 or somthing like that and some tools. I am assuming that there is enough fuel in the tank and that the fuel gauge isn't stuck and showing that there is fuel in the tank when there is not.

1. Take of the distributor cap and get all the carbon off of the contacts on the rotor arm and inside the cap. Spray everything with WD40.

2. Make sure all the HT leads are sound and properly connected.

3. Take out the spark plugs and make sure there is no oil on them and that they are clean. Check this side of the HT leads.

4. Make sure you get spark from the coil.

5. It could be that the pertrol pump is stuck or not working at all.

6. The petrol filter could be blocked.

I suppose these are the most common things I would look at. There could be a host of other faults, but check these first. ( You don't have an immobiliser that doesn't properly disarm?)

 

[randy]

420

Hi, thanks for the information. I will (1) check for spark; (2) if spark, check for fuel. It certainly acts like "no spark".
Is it acceptible practice to give it a shot of fuel in the air intake below the air filter, replace the filter, to see if it hits?
I think I can hear the fuel pump come on when the key is turned to "on", then shut off if I wait a couple of seconds before engaging the starter. I am not certain there is not another sort of motor which comes on at this time and could sound like the fuel pump, though.
The car has 1/2 tank of good fuel (certain).