My coworker's 1970 Monte Carlo won't start, we're in the parking lot. Any ideas?

Is it making a clicking noise when he turns the key?

Nope. No clicky!

Buy a Honda

Call AAA or your credit card provider might have a mobile service, or call the nearest mobile service you find in the phone book.

There is no sound at all when he turns the key? Do the lights turn on?

fuel pump? in which case, you’ll be needed a tow truck.

We’re changing the spark plugs now. Towing is not an option as Dustin (my coworker) lives about forty minutes away. We’re right next to a Pep Boys so if we can get this fixed he’s good otherwise I’&l be giving him a ride home. :)

There is sound the engine is turning but it won’t start. The lights work, Dustin is fairly comfortable fixing this car and is fairly certain it is not the fuel pump.

The engine cranks, right? The problem is either spark or fuel. Can you smell fuel? Take the air cleaner off and open the throttle quickly. Do you see a squirt of fuel in the carb? If yes, then look at spark. That car has a distributor, coil and points. See if you have spark at the distributor cap. Pull the plug at the cap and stick a screwdriver in the connector. Move the screwdriver close to the engine block and crank. You should see a spark. If not then set the points. But you probably don’t have a tester. I’ll lend you mine.

NOOOIOOOOO STOP!!! it’s the starter solenoid, isn’t it? If its not clicking?

Make out.

It is probably cause it is almost 40 years old…

We’ll, update: I eventually took him home and picked up his fiance along the way, she had been waiting the whole time at her job for him. Bad day for hem. We got off work at 5:30 and we didn’t get to our respective homes until nine-ish :/

He replaced all but one spark plug – he couldn’t reach it. Still didn’t work. I believe the gas thing was fine. His father (?) said it might be the distributor and he agreed it was the next logical step. So thanks for that mention guys. I’ll be forwarding this thread to him in case it might help. I’ll update when I know more just for the community to have the answer.

If you think of anything else let us know, if he doesn’t see it I’ll pass it along to him. :D

Thanks!

I have my Auto Repair for Dummies (Yes, do you have a problem with that?) open to the troubleshooting chapter, and it states the following in the “Won’s-Start Symptoms” section:

The car is silent when you turn the key in the ignition. Check the battery terminal cable connections. If they look really corroded, you need to clean the battery posts and cable connectors or replace the cables. Now try again to start the engine.

However, the engine is cranking over. In which case:

The engine cranks over but won’t start. You may be out of fuel, or the fuel isnt getting to your engine. If it’s not a fuel problem, the electrical spark isn’t getting through to the spark plugs.