HELP - Viper won't start...

[OKViper]

HELP - Viper won\'t start...

Well, I was trying to figure out why my dyno numbers were so low - now I just want to get my Viper started!

1999 GTS with ~10K miles. Drove yesterday and today for work with many short trips (probably started 15+ times) and all was fine. Went to garage to start to take to dinner and nothing but the starter flying.

Definately not a low power issue, I could have run the starter for minutes and it was spinning fast as usual, but there was not even a hint of a start. No sputtering, no "catching", just sounded like the ignition coil was missing (it's not). Normally, the car starts by almost "bumping" the starter.

I thought it must be the fuel pump? I know it has to be spark or fuel and there is NO lack of power, so is that probably it? I had no warning (pump noise or stalling...)

I guess it needs to be flat-badded to the nearest Viper Tech?

Any guesses? And is this common at all? The car is low mileage, but 7 years old. I guess I should at least be happy it has a Maxcare warranty, but what a PITA!

 

[kcobean]

Re: HELP - Viper won\'t start...

Had similar happen to me. Check the relay fuse in the block under the dash. It's a 10 Amp, I believe it's just inboard of the turn signal fuse. My car would turn over all day long, but no spark, no fuel.

When you turn your key to the 'on' position, can you hear the fuel pump priming the line?

 

[OKViper]

Re: HELP - Viper won\'t start...

I hear it, but nothing when I start to crank. I will go and check that fuse now. I would really like to solve this. I don't think it has anything to do with the alarm, but I may check that route also.

Anyone else?

 

[kcobean]

Re: HELP - Viper won\'t start...

If you can hear the pump priming, it's probably not that fuse because when mine popped, my fuel pump was dead. Sounds like a spark issue.

 

[OKViper]

Re: HELP - Viper won\'t start...

Key fob locks and unlocks the doors and fuel pump primes when ignition is turned on. It just cranks and cranks, nothing.

Any other suggestions? I have had no problems with this car at all, and this was very unexpected.

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

Re: HELP - Viper won\'t start...

Battery dead. 15 plus starts and not enough driving time charging the battery.

 

[drviperdds]

Re: HELP - Viper won\'t start...

I hear it, but nothing when I start to crank. I will go and check that fuse now. I would really like to solve this. I don't think it has anything to do with the alarm, but I may check that route also.

Anyone else?

Are you sure the fuel pump is good, I had the same problem with my Bumble bee last year and it was a bad fuel pump and it is not hard to change out at all.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Re: HELP - Viper won\'t start...

Crank to start (expecting it not to.) Then push on the schrader valve on the intake manifold and see if fuel comes out. (Warning, if you have a good pump, it will spray out.)

A fuel pump check valve failure can allow the fuel line to empty and drain into the tank. The normal fuel pump prime of ~ 1 sec isn't enough to refill it. Furthermore, while you crank, the pump is also not necessarily running (protection against flooding.)

If you have no fuel at the intake manifold, try key-on, key-off, key-on several times to prime the pump about 5 times. Then crank to start. If it works, you have a bad check valve.

I have a fuel pump primer timer that extends the pump run time to 10 seconds continuously, whether you crank or not. It's a 15 minute, no-tools, DIY install and avoids the fuel pump module replacement.

 

[OKViper]

Re: HELP - Viper won\'t start...

Thanks for the help guys, but I finally found the problem: Part of the wiring system (passenger side) got tooo close the the headers and melted two sires together and blew one of the 20amp ****-fuses.
Glad it wasn't anything more serious than troubleshooting.