Help!! Cannot Start 85 500sel

[downsmith]

I would really appreciate someone's help....I did something really stupid!

I was trying to diganose a rough running problem when I pulled the fuel pump relay out of the socket while the engine was running. It ran for about two seconds and stopped. I expected that. What I did not expect was that when I plugged it back in, the car would not start.

I opened the relay and sure enough, the thing was really hot and a solder connection was broken. I repaired the break and expected that to be the problem.....you guessed it; it was not.

I loosened the main fuel line to see if the pump was working and it was (The garage still smells of gasoline). So I hooked up my timing light to check for the presence of a spark and got no strobe.

Now I am at my wits end. Is their any suggestions?

I know one - STAY OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD!

Don't know the right answer but using common sense - if all you took out was the relay - and it was running hot after you took it out and was running cool before you took it out - you probably blew a component or two on the pc board of the relay. A good starting point would be to get a new relay and put it in WITHOUT THE IGNITION SWITCH ON. If it then starts - NEVER pull a relay with the car running - voltage spikes can cause all sorts of problems. If you are lucky - it might work.

[downsmith]

If it was the relay, does that control the spark as well as the fuel pump? The fuel pump works!

Don't know - but if it ran cool before - and runs hot now - it is a good starting point - won't hurt

[downsmith]

Good suggestion. The fuse that supplies power to the OVP you speak of...is that the one on top?

If it is, yes I did. I checked all of the fuses for that matter. Maybe there is one somewhere else other than in the fuse block I am not aware of.

moedip: I do not get this running hot thing...it is not running at all. It was hot when I pulled it out the first time. Electricity running through stuff makes them heat up.

Sorry - misunderstood - I thought the relay only ran hot AFTER you removed it. If you are not getting spark - check voltages in ignition circuit. Check if you are getting 12 volts to the coil - if it is missing - back track it to find out where it disappears from. I have had fuses that were corroded on the end which caused no power while looking good. Maybe the jolt of taking the relay out caused a corroded fuse end to break connection while looking good. Check which fuse supplies power to your ignition system and see if you have 12 v at the output of the fuse and go from there. A circuit diagram will make this extremely a lot easier.

[joe p]

I'm thinking that if you have power to the ign coil and no signal, you might have killed the EZL. I think yours is silver mounted on the l/h fenderwell, however, TEST it. It's not inexpensive.



Joe