'98 ProDX won't start

[nezwick]

Hey everyone, I picked up a 1998 ProDX 1.5 DOHC for my winter beater this year... drove it home last night, then started to clean it and remove all the hack-job stereo and fog light wiring.

Here's some info:

- removed all amp/sub wiring junk from the interior and engine bay
- removed "aftermarket" fog light wiring circuit
- washed down the engine bay with degreaser and power washer
- removed a curious splice from a wire leading into the fuse box in the kick panel (*see below)
- cleaned some interior
- power washed the exterior

* The wire I was talking about was spliced into a black wire with silver stripe which ran into the lower part of the fuse box. It was a 16ga black wire which I traced to the engine bay. It was spliced into one of the O2 sensors (wtf?). I did not reconnect this splice yet because it really should have no effect on the engine starting, right?

My concern now is that I cannot hear the fuel pump "priming" when I turn the key on. Is this car supposed to do that?

The engine does crank, I get spark (it will sputter when I spray starting fluid in the intake), but I do not get fuel. I cannot smell fuel after cranking the engine a lot, and the plugs are dry.

I checked all the fuses in both fuse panels and found no blown ones. I don't have a legend for the fuse panel in the interior, so I don't know which one affects the fuel pump circuit anyway. There is no visible inline fuse in the fuel pump harness underneath the rear seat.



ANY SUGGESTIONS? Thanks!

[nezwick]

Alright guys, so I reconnected that curious wire to switched 12v and lo and behold, the car starts.

I hooked it straight to the batterie with the engine off and I can hear the fuel pump/injectors running.

What in the world could this wire be connected to? I'm not familiar with the fuel system on the Z5 like I am on my SPI so that doesn't really make sense.

I'll have pictures of the circuit tonight. I can get the car to run when it's hooked up like it was when I bought it, but I really don't want to drive it with rigged wiring.

[3ni_tricksta]

where's the other end of the wire going too;
and what fuse is it run too

[nezwick]

Thanks for your reply. I'll post pics today. The wire was spliced into a black wire with silver stripe that goes into the bottom of the fuse box.

From there, it was connected to what I thought was one of the O2 sensors. It runs from the firewall underneath the disty and around the front of the engine and is hidden from view by the exhaust mani heat shield.

It surely can't actually be connected to an O2 sensor though, because that should have no bearing on whether the engine can start or not.

Either way, I know pics will be the only real way to settle this. I'll get them up this afternoon.

[DeanSweetP5]

I don't know but you have to respect the shade-tree genius of the previous owner figuring out how to get the car to run?!

[nezwick]

This is true. But what I'd respect more is if he/she would have done a proper permanent fix lol