97 manual 4 door red 210,000

classic "it wont (expletive) start"

basics,
it has

spark
air
fuel

new parts
all new plugs, wires, 62mm tb, injectors, iac, (mopar) cps.


heres i know the above is correct (maybe i did it wrong)
spark: used a old plug in cly 3 plug wire, grounded it to vc bolt and watched for spark.
air: new air filter and tried with strait tb
fuel: tried starting fluid (still nothing)

now all that is over heres the story.
i bought this 97 about a month ago to be my new build (replacing the 96 i have) and drove it back, 2 hour trip, no problem.
been driving it and it shuts off when the clutch is in from time to time, or just wont start so i did a tune up and a few upgrades and drove it for a few days, now tonight it wont start anymore (after it shutting off in traffic twice) wouldn't start when i got home so i changed the cps tonight with a NEW mopar cps, still nothing?

ideas?

 

how can u say it has fuel if it wont start on starting fluid check pressure in the rail

 

because if fuel was the problem it would start on starting fluid*, and no one sells the gauge at 1am to check it

unless im wrong in?*

 

Have you checked the switch to the clutch that keeps it from starting, unless the clutch is in?

 

it cranks

 

switch could be acting up like a NSS on an automatic.

 

okay, fair, explain please. (im a 5 speed noob)

 

Automatics have a switch that won't allow them to start in any gears other than park or neutral. The five speeds have a similar switch that won't let them start unless the clutch is depressed. If that switch is going out or acting up it could cause this problem. That's as much as I know on the switch though, mine was bypassed when I bought mine so I don't know where it's at.
Other thing you might check is the MAP sensor. Sudden RPM drop engaging the clutch with the loss of vac, if the sensors going out this can happen.

 

If it cranks and you have spark and fuel it might be flooded. Might be holding it floorboarded will cut fuel and provide max air. MAP?

If your MAP is still on the firewall I'd check it's little tube from the inside of the TB, back to it.

If it's on the TB, there might be a little "L" tube under it...Idk.

 

i got yea (i know my auto like the back of my hand but five speeds...), and jump starting it seems like it would, "bypass" that safety feature (why it starts when i drop the clutch).
yet i feel like it wouldn't turn over, and it doesn't explain the random shutoffs...
but one at a time...

 

okay, ill grab a map in the morning too, (if nothing else it'll be a spare)

also it is a 242 i6, just saying

 

its on the tb

 

Well....I don't know! I'm not a big fan of just buying parts..is your light on? Maybe reading the codes will help.....Of course if it's flooded the plugs will be wet. Maybe pull one and check it after it won't start. For spark I just hold a wire, coil or plug. real close to any ground, (like the valve cover), and look for a crisp, blue snapping spark. Or you could use a plug that is grounded.

 

there's no codes in it, no cel, and no stored history of it, and ill go check plugs now...

 

plugs are soaked! prob from trying to start? and what to do?