Getting aggravated with this thing! It's a cargo van in excellent shape. 78K on it. Got it on the cheap because it won't start. Everything is good: we get spark and fuel. The "brain" tests good. Fuses are all good and the starter turns the engine over.

Someone said there is a reset switch under the dash on the passenger side but I can't find it. Hoping to get it running before the weather breaks. Any ideas? TIA!

 

Are you asking about the Electric Fuel Pump Inertia Switch, located on the passenger side, behind the kick panel. It can be accessed from the top of the kick panel.

The 3 items that make an engine run are, Fuel, Ignition, and Compression.

You said that you have the first 2 items, have you checked for the Compression??

Also, there are a dozen of sensors that feed info to the ECM, if one is off, you'll have a no start.

Here's a LINK to testing the dozen or so sensors.

 

Thank you, Wildman 25! Never occurred to me about the compression! If it's getting fuel (which it is) and I can hear the pump (which I can) I probably don't need to find the reset button?

I don't have a tester; it grew legs. Looks like I'm going to have to tow it in to the shop and let Dave do the sensor tests.

 

Might be worth unplugging the mass airflow sensor. That's one that's notorious for killing the engine dead for no obvious reason. Unplugging it causes the computer to just apply default values for airflow - typically richer than your actual environment. Driving it with the sensor unplugged will trash your catalytic converter over time, but it's a good way to test it and just get the thing running if that's the problem. The sensors get messed up by excessive moisture and I think also by insects getting sucked into the intake and getting past the air filter somehow. And of course time - just worn out.

Caveat, all this is 2006 and later information. I don't know if the 99 had the same issues. But we've got them from 06 to 14.