More Starting Woes

[EyExR]

Strange story. I'm doing a compression test on my iX and when I crank the engine the car seems to slowly die and I can smell burning coming from the distributor. Then it wouldn't get enough juice to turn it over at all. So I had to jump the car to finish the last cylinder.

I put my plugs back in, reconnect my fuel relay and it starts right up. So I take it for a spin around the neighborhood. All of a sudden I'm not getting any power at all so I pull over.

I try to fiddle with the plugs, reconnect the fuel relay but it would just crank and not start. Now I smell burning from the engine/tranny area (is this where the starter is located?) and then the car would not crank at all.

I ran home, got my other car to give it a jump but I get nothing. Dead. No cranking at all. All my dash lights are on but it won't crank.

Any suggestions on what might be going on here?

[kanada]

Sounds like starter problem.
Starter is made from 2 parts: electric motor to turn the engine and electromagnet aka solenoid to engage the starter gear to flywheel.

So listen to what is going on when you turn the key.
- you hear a loud click - that is solenoid pushing gears together.
- you hear a click but engine is not turning over
- A . your engine is hydro locked - can you turn it over with a wrench? then it is case B.
- B . burned up starter motor.
- you do not hear a clic, but hear starter motor turning - bad solenoid.
- you hear nothing at all - look for blown fuse.

assuming strong battery.

KaNaDa

[EyExR]

What would cause a burning smell at the distributor, then the starter?

Thanks kanada!

[kanada]

Burning electrical whire insulation. If starter shorted out the wires will heat up and eventualy melt if voltage is flowing.....