Can starting car w/out exhaust connected cause a problem?

[jefe]

My exhaust was disconncected from the manifold and car stalled immediately after starting, now won't start.

Details: 91 3sfe/automatic/US assembled. My exhaust pipe was loose where it comes off the exhaust manifold. I disconncected the pipe and realized the gasket was missing. I left the exhaust disconnected overnight. This morning I tried to start the car to move it and it stalled, then it won't start. It started at least twice yesterday while the exhaust was disconncected. After a few tries to turn over, the battery must have gotten too weak because it stopped trying to turn over. I jumped it and it would turn over, but not start.

Something similar happened to my wife's 98 Accord when the exhaust was disconnected. According to the shop, it ended up needing a new distributor.

It seems like too much of a coincidence for the exact same thing to happen for both cars after disconnecting the exhaust.

I followed the trouble shooting from the factory manual. The resistance on the dist cap and high tension wires is OK. So is the resistance across the + and - leads in the distributer. The gap/clearance is OK in the distributer and the resistance across the terminals of the plug (the last part of the troubleshooting where you disconnect a plug that is at about 1 o'clock as you are looking at the distributor (from the drivers side)).

The only thing I could not check was for sparks on each plug because the battery was low.

Help...

[jefe]

Anyone...?

[dem2757]

well if it isnt starting try jumping it. you could have a bad battery or alternator. im not sure if the exhaust gives ground to any electronics in the engine bay though

[jefe]

Originally Posted by dem2757

well if it isnt starting try jumping it. you could have a bad battery or alternator. im not sure if the exhaust gives ground to any electronics in the engine bay though

I already tried to jump it and it wouldn't start - battery is a red herring. The problem is the engine won't start & aside from checking the plugs, I (think I have) trouble shot the distributor and ignition coil...

['88 All-Trac]

I hardly see how disconnecting the exhaust will kill the distributor. The biggest issue is that the exhaust system forms a "column," if you will, of hot air. Unless engine speed never changes, you run the risk of sucking cold air back up against the exhaust valves which can bend them something fierce... This is why bush planes need an engine R&R every ~100 hours of run time.

[nopain00]

Yeah, disconnecting the exhaust will not cause the problem you've described. There are no electrical connections for the ignition running through the exhaust system.

I wasn't sure whether you've checked for a spark on all 4 cylinders yet. That's definitely the next step. If that's good, then you need to check for fuel. Check to make sure the fuel pump energizes before you start the car. This runs off the battery, so make sure you've charged it first. You can also try jumpering the fuel pump directly to make sure you're getting fuel pressure.

[Jimnist]

Do you have an 02 sensor? Maybe that got a little confused with the exhaust off?

I've had my exhaust off after the (for lack of a better word) headers and it ran fine. Very loud though haha.