87 turbo
 

Hey guys. I'm new to the whole forums deal, so be kind. I just bought a 1987 supra turbo and am having some problems. When I got the car it ran fine, but after driving it, it started to cut out. The only way I fixed it was to jump off the fuel pump before I started the car. Now it won't start at all. I tried switching out relays and that didn't work, priming the pump didnt work either. I know it's getting spark because when it did run, it was a smooth run. I don't know what else to do. Any suggestions?:dunno:

87 turbo
 

Hi! You have not said how much fuel there is in the tank ,always best to make sure there are at LEAST 3 gallons in there , Never try and restart with only a gallon .These engines only do about 19 / 20 miles to the gallon around town , so you may be empty . ( one suggestion! ) .

when you say not starting, is the motor at least cranking? how long was the car sitting before you purchased it?

No idea how long it's been sitting. I bought it in Florida and I live in louisiana. There is a little over a quarter of a tank of gas. It will turn over and and over but it won't crank.

Is the gas fresh? If it's been sitting for an extended period of time don't trust the fuel gauge. I suggest you actually test the fuel pressure.

87 turbo
 

Hi! Cranking means the crankshaft will turn when the starter is operated , you mean it cranks but will not start ? , Questions ? : Did you drive it all the way back from where you bought it ? , did it start first time ? did it overheat ?? please give some running info -- did it misfire ? ,how long between starting and shutting down ? , is this a manual or automatic ?.
Near the bottom of this page is a " Forum Jump " , click " Go " , this will open up the Mk111 Supra page , there are many pages ( see bottom of page = 1 -101 / Last ) , this seems to be a common problem -you might find your answer there . Click on the heading you want to read and that will open the thread .

That's what I've been wanting to do but don't know anyone who can test is and don't know how to do it myself

Yes that's what I mean. No I didn't drive it, but it started and I drove it the quarter mile back to my house and it drove just fine. it didn't overheat, but when it got to normal operating temperature, it would steam from a small hole in the radiator. I would run it about 5-10 minutes before it would shut down. It's a 5-spd manual

hmm... i would definitely do a compression check in the cylinders.
chances are the gasket may have warped due to the overheat... maybe.
since you don't know the history of the car, it'll be a little hard to tell.
with what you posted about the radiator hose leak, it may very well be an issue of overheating. damage over time could have warped the head gasket, but doesn't explain how you were able to run it for 5-10 minutes before... unless perhaps those last minutes was when it happened.

in the meantime, i would highly suggest you contact the seller to see if you can get some type of history of it. most sellers would see this as threatening, but make sure you reassure them that the deal's complete, and you understand the car is yours, and that you are merely calling to assist on a current problem you have with the car. maybe say you're desperate or something. ;)

what cre says is very important... which is why i asked if the car has been sitting for awhile. gas sitting in any vehicle have a tendency to "gunk" up. clogging everything. and will also project the symptom you are having.
Edit: btw, they make these starter fluids that you can use to spray into the air filter or spark plugs to help with the ignition.
this might tell you whether or not it is fuel related? honestly, i've never used it on a car, but used it on an old motorcycle i had... helped me distinguish a problem (needed carbs to be cleaned). but then again, maybe you shouldn't use it to avoid harming the car further before you're able to take it somewhere for a more thorough testing.