Motor won't start, run me through the checklist

[GT Wagon]

Uggh ! Like having a clutch line blow two weeks ago wasn't bad enough. Here I am making a quick run across the border from Canada to the US at 9am thinking I'll be back home before 11:00. Just as I cross the St. Lawrence river over this huge bridge the car loses power coming down the other side.

I put it in neutral and cranked it, then dropped it back in gear and still it wouldn't catch. From a dead stop all it would do is crank, no catch. Nothing like walking through US customs to explain why I have a dead car 100 feet in front of them.

I bought a jerry can and bought in some fuel (had a feeling it wasn't the problem but worth a try). Ended up calling the wife to come by with the Forester and we towed it back home. Try explaining to customs on the other side why you're towing a car across the border.....

Anyways I'm borowing an OBDII reader tomorow. My 97 GT has thrown CEL's almost weekly since I bought it last fall. Its always misfire in one or more cyl. Usually the light goes out, last week its been on the whole time. Probably something else now.

So, from the little I know you require fuel/spark/electricity to work a motor. Run me through the troubleshooting process of what I need to check and how to do so since I really don't have a clue.

[Manarius]

So. You're driving along and it quits. How is the turnover? Is it really fast, or does it crank like normal? That could say timing belt.

Start with the basics: Spark plugs and fuel. Make sure you're getting fuel and that it's getting lit by the plugs. Check the wires and coil pack.

[GT Wagon]

I was thinking of timing belt as well. It appears to turn over at a normal rate from what I remember and also compared to the Forester. How much faster would it crank if its the belt ? Records show a new timing belt installed at 150km, car has 220km (Dec 2003)

I'm basic enough I need to know how to test for spark/fuel. For spark do I just pull a wire from the spark plug and see if it will put a spark against the manifold with someone else cranking it ? Do the same from the coil pack ?

[Manarius]

If the car sparks, then the coil pack isn't broke (the coil pack makes the spark).

How much faster would it turn? Well, not a whole lot. It would just turn over more freely than it normally would...like there's nothing catching (because there literally wouldn't be).

If you have a GT though, I believe that's interference and if it were the timing belt the car probably wouldn't even turn over now.