Your headed out the door Monday morning, the car won't start, you don't have but five minutes to determine whether to abandon all hope and run for that last bus or make an effort to get it going.

A few quick preliminary observations will help you make that decision. Is it totally dead, you turn the key to start and get nothing at all, or at best a click, click, click. Turn on the headlights, are they dead as well? If so the battery is probably dead, were the headlights left on? Check to see if the dome light was left on. If you can confirm either of those issues a quick jump from another car may get you on your way to work. If it does start make sure the battery light is out or the amp gauge is showing a charge, if the alternator isn't working you'll be dead along the road real quick.

Ok, different direction, headlights work ok, still nothing at the starter. Take the transmission out of park then put it back in park, nothing, put it in neutral and try again. If you haven't got it to start by this point you might as well lock the door and run after that bus.

When you get home that evening you can take a closer look and maybe determine at least what system is causing the problem. Here are some further hints to help you.

Key to start causes a grinding noise, and the engine won't turn over. Probable starter gear or ring (engine) gear problem.

The engine turns over ok, but no attempt to fire at all. Possible ignition problem, remove a wire from a sparkplug, insert a screwdriver into it and hold it about a quarter inch from the block. Turn the engine over, if you have spark, move onto the next step.

Ok, now you have air, motion, and spark, what you must be missing is fuel. Are you sure there is gas in the tank? Beyond that it gets a little tricky, you don't want to pump raw gas all over the engine compartment as a fire would ruin your whole day. If you chose to proceed use extreme care. With two people, one to turn the engine over and you to watch for fuel, loosen or remove the fuel line as close to the engine as possible. If you remove the end aim it into a can to catch any fuel. Making sure you have your hands out of the way of belts and fans have the other person turn the motor over for no more then 10 seconds. If no fuel comes out you may have a plugged fuel filter, or a failed in tank fuel pump, or on an older car a failed mechanical fuel pump.

Any further testing should be left to the professionals, but at least these hints will give you some guidance and give the repair man a better idea of what direction to go in making repairs for you.

Learn more about this author, Curtis Carper.
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