Smart won't start, totally confused

[vultureboy]

Hey all, new Smartcar owner, first time poster.  So I bought a used 2009 Smart Fortwo Passion.  They guy selling it said it simply wouldn't start one day.  So, being technically minded, I did some troubleshooting.  Now, when I turn the key, the starter is working, but the engine won't fire.  So here's what I've done:

 

Fuel - working, fuel pump is pushing out fuel.

Battery - brand new, fully charged

Spark - pulled coil and plug #2, and put it to the engine block.  Spark is weak and orange, probably being quenched by the compression into the cylinder.

Also checked continuity between engine block, and frame ground - have continuity.

So what else am I missing?  Thoughts?

Thanks in advance everyone.

[Leadwing]

Spark on a good plug with a good coil should produce a bright blue spark.

 

I am NOT a mechanic and I am unfamiliar with newer electronic technology, but in older machines, I would be checking the ground, condensers, coil, high tension wires and plugs in order to confirm that all is working as they should.  If all of these have already been checked, then I'm out of ideas.

[LooseLugNuts]

id start by listening to it ...you can easily judge compression or timing problems by just listening to how it cranks

 

then id spray some quickstart in to eliminate fuel as a problem

 

then id wonder why it has orange spark

[Willys]

Check and recheck all grounding pins as these cars seem to love to corrode and loose a solid ground for almost anything ...lol. I have had perfectly clean, non-rusted grounding pins not carry a current and when closely inspected they had slight corrosion deep between a few of the connectors attached to the pin. Once cleaned up with very fine file or sand paper and a slight smeer of dielectric grease they worked perfectly.  The car is peppered with these grounding pins everywhere so look closely for them. Your coils won't work well if they can't find a good ground resulting in a weaker spark etc etc.

Just a guess......

Just looked at where you are.....Hmmmm.......ever thought your car may have gone for a swim...?   Salt water will destroy almost anything electrical.....and feed corrosion issues 1000%.....I'd go after all electrical connections separately and clean them all and then apply  the smeer of dilectric grease......salt water is NASTY....!

Edited September 13, 2019 by Willys

[vultureboy]

Hey everyone, I know this topic is month old, but I wanted to do a follow up, in case it might benefit someone else in the future.  I ended up taking the car to my  mechanic, who diagnosed it as having little to no compression.   This obviously meant I would have to rebuild the engine or get a new one.  So I ended up buying a salvaged engine off EBay.  Thanks to Kane over at Evolution, he had instructions on how to remove the engine cradle.  Once I pulled the old engine off the gearbox,  I was able to see through intake and exhaust ports what had happened:  the previous owner had cooked the engine.  There was "chicken fat" congealed in the chambers where coolant had leaked into the combustion chambers.

Anyways, 9 months and a lot of procrastination after I bought the salvage engine, my little Smart is running perfectly! (if a bit loudly).

[Willys]

Great to hear you have it fixed and running again...yes Kane is a one of the good ones...lol   He has helped me in the past also.

Good luck.....

[LooseLugNuts]

i wonder how the coolant got in there