I know this is a reoccuring theme on this site. It actually appears to be the most popular topic in this forum. My situation is similar to the one posted just a few days ago. Here it is ...

I have a 2002 Hyundai Accent GSI with the 1.6L. It won't start. Over the last month or so I noticed that I had to"double" start the car to get it running. By double start, I mean I would crank the engine a few times, stop it and then crank it again. It always fired to lifewith the second turn of the key. To me this sympton is similar to the failing fuel pressure regulators I used to have in my Volvos ... the fuel would drain back to the tank after the car was parked and you had to crank the engine for a bit so the pump could fill the linesback up.That was the first symptom.

I went out to the car yesterday and low and beholdit didn't start. I pulled the plugs after cranking the engine. There was fuel on the tips of the plugs so I can't blame it on a pump or clogged filter. I changed the filter anyway to be safe. Then Ichecked for a spark at the plugs ... no spark. I replaced the coil packs (both), wires and plugs. I had them anyway, so I had nothing to loose. Still no spark.

My next step was www.hmaservice.com. I tested the crank position sensor. Both connector leads checked were o.k. (i.e. no short to ground). The resistance in the sensor was 0.861 k ohms. The shop manual says it should be between 0.4 and 0.6 ohms. If it is outside that range it says to replaced it. So I went out bought a new one from the dealer. I opened the packaging and tested the resistance ... 0.869 k ohms! You gotta be kidding me. So the hmaservice bulletin is wrong. I ended up installing the new one anyway (because you can't return opened electronics). No change ... still no spark.

I then tested the camshaft position sensor according to the hmaservce.com procedures. IT checked out. I checked all of the ECU fuses. They are o.k.

Any other ideas? You help is greatly appreciated. It seems that 9/10 times this problems is solved by replacing the crank position sensor. I couldn't find any posts that go beyond where I am now.

Thanks in advance!

 

[align=left]You need to do an ODB II scan first to see if you have any trouble codes stored. You are shooting in the dark without one. After you do that, we can accurately tell you the next step.

 

Sorry. I forgot to mention that I hooked by OBD II reader to it already. No codes whatsoever.

 

If there is no spark, then it's an electrical problem. You should have had a trouble code. Try reading them again. The cam sensor will produce this problem too, but not without a trouble code.

 

Check the fuses and fusible links in the box under the hood. I think one of those is the primary voltage feed to the ignition.

 

from my experience (not alot)
obd2 scanners will not work if the engine will not start. It will say something like failed to communicate or something similar...
I wish I could be of more help but I am learning myself... I would check fuses first, Make sure alternator is putting out same juice as battery ? just my .02 cents... oh yeah make sure you plug in everything you unplugged... dont ask me how I know that.

 

I found the problem! After reading the hmaservice.com crank position sensor inspection instructions again I started thinking about the clearance required between the tip of the sensorand the flywheel teeth. When I took out the old sensor (that was replaced by the Hyundai dealer a short time ago) I noticed a crack on either side of the plastic case between the sensor body and the attachment flange for the bolt. I didn't think much of it when I saw it. I just proceeded to clean the block up for the new sensor that I had just purchased. It is toughto see down there as the hole is hidden by the clutch cylinder and the exhaust shield.I ended up using a small lightand mirror to clean as best as I could. When I took out the old sensor it had the old o-ring on it. So when I had thecleaned up area, I slipped the new sensor with the new o-ring back in the block, connected the sensor to the wiring harness and tried to start the car. No luck.

After a good night sleep, I realized that the only way for the sensor to develop the cracks it had was if something was stuck in the hole in the block ... something that had a thickness equal to an o-ring. Hmmmmm. So I got the mirror, the light and a dental pickand re-investigated the hole. Low and behold, I found an old o-ring that had hardened and turned white (nicely camoflaged into the block). It was pretty much welded to the block. I spent 10 minutes carefully removing it so that nothing fell into the engine, slipped in the new sensor and started the car first try!

I mentioned that one of the symptoms was that it was getting progressively harder to start the engine. Often times Ihad to "double" start the engine. I figured that as time went on the sensor became more brittle (especially with the -12 degrees Celsius temperature) and the cracks kept getting larger and larger. As the cracks opened up, the sensor started getting further and further from the flywheel teeth until eventually it couldn't count them anymore. When I would "double" start the car the sensor may have repositioned itself enough to count the teeth again.

After decades of working on cars, this was definitely a first for me. I was just lucky it broke down in my driveway. Thanks to all those who weighed in with their ideas!

 

did you ever figure this out?? I am having a similar issue.