Cranks but will not start?

1995 DODGE NEON
100 MILES • 2.0L • 4 CYL • 2WD • AUTOMATIC
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MYREDNEON
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
I have been working on my car for a while now and everything seems to work. It's got fuel, air and it has got spark, but it has a really hard time starting and when it finally does start it idles really high and then it idles down and shuts off.
Apr 3, 2023 at 3:27 AM
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STRAILER
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 55,256 POSTS
It sounds like the timing belt can be worn and off a tooth or two I can tell if you upload a short video of the engine cranking so I can see it. That way I can tell for sure what's going on. You can upload it here with your response. Also, I would put your hand (with a gardening glove) over the exhaust pipe at the rear of the car when it is cranking only to see if you feel the pulses of the engine or if it barely comes out? You could have a clogged catalytic converter.

These guides can help us see what's going on:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/engine-cranks-excessively-before-starting

and

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-test-a-catalytic-converter

Let us know what happens and please upload pictures or videos of the problem so we can see what's going on.
Apr 3, 2023 at 8:36 AM
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