Spot

try unplugging the air flow meter and see if it starts any easier then. if so, then the air flow meter is the problem. with it unplugged, the car will run but will not rev over about 2k rpm's.

ZenArcher

Try <a href=http://z31.com/oboard/archives/view.pl?151 target="_blank">this</a>.

ZenArcher

Spot

to simplify it all, your car needs 3 things to start. air, spark and fuel.

Unless you've got your intake blocked off, you've got air. Now remove the coil wire from the distributor and set it on the upper intake plenum and crank the car. If it arcs to the plenum, then you've got spark from the coil. Now whether the spark is getting to the plugs and/or coming at the right time in relation to fuel spray is something else. (How old are your plugs and wires???). Before diving into that though, make sure you've got fuel. If you have a dying fuel pump, then it may start, but probably won't stay running, or it may run like it's starving for fuel. Attach a fuel pressure gauge after your fuel filter and see what sort of pressure you have. If you have no or little pressure there, then place it before the filter and see if that makes a difference. If it does, then your filter may be clogged. Back to the spark issue though, make sure your timing is set right. Rotate the engine til the #1 piston is at TDC, and the tiiiing marks on the lower crank pulley should line up with the timing indicator (should be 3rd line from the right as you face it i think - should be a sticker under your hood telling your where it should be.) the rotor should be pointing to the contact for the #1 spark plug on the inside of the distributor. If that's all good, then perhaps try removing the upper timing belt cover and see if the dimples on the cam's line up with the dots on the timing cover backplate. There should be 40 teeth on the belt between the dimples on each cam sprocket. If your belt jumped, that may also cause difficult or no start.

Sometimes a bad air regulator will make a car difficult to start, but often will eventually start. Ohms between the terminals on it should read 75. A bad CHTS may also make it hard to start (i don't remember the check for that offhand).

Have a look at those things, then post the results.

good luck

ZenArcher

You might have found the problem there in Code 24, it's the code for the neutral/park switch which I believe would prevent the car from starting. 13 is the cyl head temp sensor. If it's bad it can cause slight problems with the way the car runs but I don't think it will keep it from starting. My car will run with it unplugged. 31 is the a/c load, so you can disregard that. Turning on the a/c during the test would remove that code. 23 is the throttle position sensor aka throttle valve switch. It may need to be adjusted or replaced but the code would also come up if you didn't press the gas pedal during the test. Anyways, I think the 24 code is the real problem here.

ZenArcher

Spudz

Try starting it using starting fluid sprayed into the intake box.
If it kicks over on starting fluid its proabably a fuel problem.

If the car is turning over I doubt it is your ignition switch. If you have spark and fuel to the cylinder it should start unless you have some kind of timing issue.