'79 244 won't start. It turns over and that's it. I could smell gas when we tried to start it, so I checked the air intake. There's gas coming out. I cleaned it up and tried to start it again - more gas coming out the air intake. I checked two of the injectors and no fuel is coming out. I'll check the Bentley and the Haynes, but any help you can give will be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Jim Hampton

Have you checked the cold start injector to see if it is stuck open? In my mind thats the only thing that would cause fuel to pool in the intake. The injectors are in the head so they would have to be putting out a lot of fuel to get it into the intake.

After reviewing the manuals last night, I began to wonder about the cold start part of the system, but wasn't sure where to start looking. Thanks for the suggestion.

Assuming the timing belt isn't broken, check for spark. I pull off the coil wire and tuck it into the hood hinge or another spot where I can see the end spark while I turn the car over. Obviously don't put it near any leaked gasoline! But you need to be certain you're getting spark, and if not, why.
If there is spark, you should probably still pull out a spark plug or two and check their condition. IF black or wet with fuel, replace. Checked the distributor cap and rotor lately?
And are there any big vacuum lines off? A '76 we had always lost the big one at the back corner of the intake, and even though it would still run, it wasn't happy when that happened. Nylon tie-wraps keep those things in place nicely.

Good luck!
--
Rob Bareiss, New London CT ::: "Roterande Fläkt Och Drivremmar!"

I neglected to say I had checked the spark and it's o.k. My philosophy is to do the easiest thing can is ratioanl. That way I don't feel stupid to have done a bunch of work for nothing. I'll check vacuum hoses and other things you suggest. Even if they aren't the problem, it's worth the small amount of time

Thanks.

My car was on the glitch recently with similar symptoms. I replaced the distributor cap and rotor cause when inspected internally I discovered they were carboned up(black)on contact surfaces. I was getting spark but it was yellow not blue at the spark plugs. The plugs would foul out due to weak spark. I cleaned up exisisting plugs gapped them again put on the cap and rotor and she has been starting like a champ since. Hope this helps. Mike