You can't flood a fuel injected car.

K, well I'm hoping it will magically start in the morning....

The damn fuse boxes are in the engine compartment somewhere (way down behind something probably) and one under the seat in which you have to take the seat out (isn't that handy?). So whatever it is, it's going to have to be looked at, because I can't fix anything that has been mentioned by anyone here or by friends. Except put the cleaner stuff in the gas.

I need to win the lottery big time!..

G'night all and thanks.

take the cover off the air cleaner and pour a little gas in the carburator.

fuel filter or other fuel line problem most likely.

you could change the fuel filter yourself and try the fuel additive/dry gas as tanyaan suggested.

just for funsies, here is a chart for you. don't be intimidated,
just read it and you will get some ideas.

the good news is, it should be a relatively inexpensive fix
for a good mechanic if you can't figure it out yourself!

see:
http://www.ifitjams.com/starting.htm

Oh thank you, that chart was very helpful.

The mechanic is going to pull the van over one block to their shop and take a look at it this morning. It did the same thing this morning as last night.

Thanks for all the input.

you never said if it is fuel injected or carborated

sometimes if you run out of gas with fuel injection you have to prime the fuel filter and the injectors to get it running again

That's what I thought when I read her first post. Should be easy enough for a mechanic and relatively inexpensive.

if its carborated

just wait for the fizz to die out and it'll be fine

fuel filter clogged. I hope the mechanic won't over charge you.

Yep well we'll have to see. The van is still sitting where I left it even though he had said they would go get it in "just a little bit". I guess their little bit means 5 hours.
That's not a good way to start out this little interaction, and me telling the guy his son was cocky and rude to me on the phone probably didn't go over well either.

I absolutely hate having to deal with auto mechanics. I almost always get screwed over in the process, because they know I have to have that van back (it's got a wheelchair lift in it to transport my kiddo) and I have no choice but to pay the money to get it back. I'm just hoping this time the charges are fair.

Yes, it's a fuel injected. Sorry to ramble.

Heather, I am sorry that you had to deal with someone that was rude.

Thank you Tanya. Didn't mean to turn this thread into a ***** session.....just feeling a little defeated.

I don't know what is in your town, but sometimes it's better to deal with a chain place, just because they are more likely not to screw you over... eventhough they might be a little more expensive.

The repair guy says he thinks the van needs new ignition coil, cap, rotor, wires and spark plugs. For a grand total of 498.00. Basically because they are original parts, not necessarily because they don't work. He also can't tell me for sure the van will start after he does all this.

I told him put in the new plugs and wires and call me if it starts.

Pure and utter bullcrap, as always. I now have to borrow a car because they took all day and can't put plugs in until they order them. Which will maybe be tomorrow.

I see I missed some questions....sorry.

The van cut out only the one time.....when it was almost E.

The alternator is fine.

The battery is new. The tires are new. The oil is always changed on time.....

Thanks..I'm going to ask them if they did that.

I called them.........it's got fuel pressure he says, but "lack of spark".

Anyhow......we'll see what tomorrow brings.

How old is the van?

It could be a bad coil.

Or it could be a module in the distributor.

Usually when plugs and cap and rotor go they don't go all at once like that. But if you haven't replaced them in years it's probably about time. Five hundred for all that sounds pretty steep. Parts should cost less than a hundred and I can't believe he's putting four hours of work in it at one hundred an hour.

Heather, sweets, before they replace the part... have them show you what exactly is wrong... in most cases you can see if a part is bad!

The van is a 2000 and has just gone over the 100,000 mile mark recently. I think 500 dollars sounds steep too. I will get the written estimate tomorrow and see what he is projecting each part to cost. I'm still hoping that replacing the wires and plugs will get her going for now.