I have checked back 2 years in this forum and haven't seen anything on this subject. Car has run beautiful for 8 years. Backed the car off the driveway onto the street. Later I go to move it back, it cranks but not even a bump of a start. I have it towed thinking it was a computer problem. The tow driver gets in and cranks away at it and pushes the accelerator to the floor. I think he was also pumping it. Anyway, the shop says that the engine was flooded, new plugs and wires, $700! Had new plugs and wires installed 3 years ago 50k miles ago. I have looked and found a few different things about this. Some say to remove fuel pump fuse and then press gas pedal and crank, others say different things. Question: Is this a bonafide procedure? Is it documented somewhere? I don't believe that I flooded the engine because I never had to touch the accelerator to start the engine in the past. I only cranked it a few times to see if it would start. Unfortunately, I didn't think to check any fuses....

Thanks for any help.

Jim

 

Never ceases to amaze me that the dealer will charge you $700 for plugs and wires. Plugs go bad, but ususally the wires don't need replacement. Next time don't give up and surrender so easily. Why don't you take it to Autozone for free and see if you get any error codes with an ODB II scan?

 

Thanks for the reply. It wasn't a dealer. Believe me, I was-am upset. I absolutely believe the engine was flooded when they looked at it, but I know for a fact that I didn't do it. I am not an auto mechanic so I am very careful before I make any accusations. I am looking for more information about these unwritten "tricks" like pressing the accelerator to the floor to fool the computer (if it is a valid procedure). It seems like it would be something that an owner of an automobile should know. How about this? An OBD scanner is less than $100 now. If that were added to the price of a new car, who would even notice it? Why can't the manufacturer include this information on the dash where you can access it somewhere instead of idiot lights? The quick and easy answer is that the dealers and auto shops wouldn't be able to take advantage of a customer in an emergency situation. When you need your car and it doesn't start, you don't start towing it around for different opinions.

 

I doubt it was flooded. You can't flood a fuel injection engine by pumping the pedal. Fuel does not flow in a fuel injection engine that is off when you press the accelerator like it does with a carb. You can pump the pedal a million times with the engine off and no fuel will go into the engine.