86 cabrio 1.8 won't start

I'm replacing the spark plugs today to see if the car will start. My issue is the car will not catch and stay on, ive spayed starting fluid in it and the longest it stayed on was 12secs. Any idea what issues could cause it, like clogged injectors maybe? 

Vacuum leaks, and wonky fuel pumps come to mind.

You have CIS?  you mentioned injectors.

Start with the Basics, that the car is in time.
The Finger on the tranny is at 0tdc,
The Distributor rotor is in the middle of the Hash stamped in the frame of the diz.
The Dimple on the back of the cam is even with the Valve cover tin, (Not the rebar).

Then are your fuel pumps whinning?
If the car will run on ether (which isn't a good thing).
Then you usually have a fueling issue or Vacuum leaks from hades.

Here is a good how to do a R&R for the injectors and clean them for a good spray pattern.
CIS Injector Cleaning, Seal and Holder Replacement

What is the Duty-cycle on the thing.

Timing, Fuel delivery, and Air….

On the back side of the throttle body is a brass 7mm screw, if you can turn that with your fingers, then you have a bad o-ring.  Count the number of Turns that it takes to remove it, write that value down. Run to a good hardware store and get a replacement o-ring.  Wrap the threads and threads only with about 3 wraps of teflon tape, then return the screw to the count, you will usually need a wrench… That is one vacuum leak everyone misses.

Check your fuel pressures, as the 86 CIS has an in-tank pump, as well as an external and if it was whinning, then the main pump was working harder than it was supposed to, because of an interruption of fuel to the external swirlpot.  You have to have 3/4 to 1/2 tank to inspect it…. I have seen the interconnect hose or (vibration dampner) dissolve and hole, so the in-tank pump isn't feeding the swirl pot.

Don't go changing a lot of stuff, test it first.  In the Bentley and or Haynes there are a lot of things you can test to eliminate them as a cause, which saves you a lot of time and monies.

There is the aux air regulator that is attached to the back side of the tank, there is a screw that you can remove, if fuel weeps out it is bad.

I am not CIS heavy, but I think you will find when you have running issues to check and verify timing first.

Briano1234 said

Vacuum leaks, and wonky fuel pumps come to mind.

You have CIS?  you mentioned injectors.

Start with the Basics, that the car is in time.
The Finger on the tranny is at 0tdc,
The Distributor rotor is in the middle of the Hash stamped in the frame of the diz.
The Dimple on the back of the cam is even with the Valve cover tin, (Not the rebar).

Then are your fuel pumps whinning?
If the car will run on ether (which isn't a good thing).
Then you usually have a fueling issue or Vacuum leaks from hades.

Here is a good how to do a R&R for the injectors and clean them for a good spray pattern.
CIS Injector Cleaning, Seal and Holder Replacement

What is the Duty-cycle on the thing.

Timing, Fuel delivery, and Air….

On the back side of the throttle body is a brass 7mm screw, if you can turn that with your fingers, then you have a bad o-ring.  Count the number of Turns that it takes to remove it, write that value down. Run to a good hardware store and get a replacement o-ring.  Wrap the threads and threads only with about 3 wraps of teflon tape, then return the screw to the count, you will usually need a wrench… That is one vacuum leak everyone misses.

Check your fuel pressures, as the 86 CIS has an in-tank pump, as well as an external and if it was whinning, then the main pump was working harder than it was supposed to, because of an interruption of fuel to the external swirlpot.  You have to have 3/4 to 1/2 tank to inspect it…. I have seen the interconnect hose or (vibration dampner) dissolve and hole, so the in-tank pump isn't feeding the swirl pot.

Don't go changing a lot of stuff, test it first.  In the Bentley and or Haynes there are a lot of things you can test to eliminate them as a cause, which saves you a lot of time and monies.

There is the aux air regulator that is attached to the back side of the tank, there is a screw that you can remove, if fuel weeps out it is bad.

I am not CIS heavy, but I think you will find when you have running issues to check and verify timing first.

Thanks man! The fuel pumps where already replaced and hoses. I'll try all the stuff you listed tonight