Shadow96SE Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 The starter in my wife's 94 coupe with the 3.1 died this morning, ended up going out and getting a new one along with a new battery. Tossed both in, went to start the car and it won't fire. I only unhooked the 3 cables going to the starter, along with the battery cables, and made sure they all got hooked back up properly. The car ran fine before the starter went out, and now it sounds like the fuel pump isn't kicking on. Is there something I am overlooking that I may have knocked loose, or do I need to reset something? Tried some starting fluid, in gas the pump wasn't pushing gas, but it didn't even attempt to fire. Could I have knocked something loose dealing with the ignition? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich_e777 Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 Put a test light on the small terminal and see if it has power when cranking. Double check all connections. Do you have power in the rest of the car? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schurkey Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 Plugs fouled? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow96SE Posted February 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 Plugs fouled? I'll have to check the plugs tomorrow, didn't cross my mind to check them. Entire car has power (seems to anyway), cranks right up, but won't fire on it's own or boosted with starting fluid. Car ran fine, with no issues popping up over past few weeks aside from the starter grinding occasionally. Here's what happened as far as my wife can remember. Leaves work, car won't turn over. Calls roadside assistance, some dude comes out with a jumper pack, tries to jump it, nothing. Tells her the battery is prolly shot and leaves. Noone else tried to start it after him, until I got the battery/starter replaced. What I am wondering, is could this guy have ruined something with the jumper pack? I know they're pretty straight forward, but I tell ya, some of these guys my insurance sends out for roadside don't seem to be very bright. The lack of noise coming from the fuel pump is really concerning as it's never seemed to have an issue before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schurkey Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 Check all fuses? Do you have spark? Do you have pressure at the fuel test port? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nas Escobar Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 Could I have knocked something loose dealing with the ignition? By any chance, do you have a pellet on your key? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow96SE Posted February 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 Check all fuses? Do you have spark? Do you have pressure at the fuel test port? All fuses looked ok, checked ones inside car as well as the ones by the coolant reservoir. Didn't check for spark, but assumed I wasn't getting any when the starting fluid did nothing, will check tomorrow when it gets warmer. I was going to check the fuel port, but for the life of me I couldn't find the damn thing, been a while since I've been under the hood but I looked all over that fuel line and didn't see it, was a bit frazzled at that point though. By any chance, do you have a pellet on your key? I do, but the security light isn't flashing or anything. Does it's initial startup flash then stays off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich_e777 Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 You can test for fuel pressure at the shrader valve from the passenger side of the engine bay, its located on the rear fuel rail behind the P/S pump. Do you have power in the car? When you put your ignition key in and turn the car "ON" but not to "start" what happens? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nas Escobar Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 All fuses looked ok, checked ones inside car as well as the ones by the coolant reservoir. Didn't check for spark, but assumed I wasn't getting any when the starting fluid did nothing, will check tomorrow when it gets warmer. I was going to check the fuel port, but for the life of me I couldn't find the damn thing, been a while since I've been under the hood but I looked all over that fuel line and didn't see it, was a bit frazzled at that point though. I do, but the security light isn't flashing or anything. Does it's initial startup flash then stays off. When VATS failed, the security light doesn't come on from what I'm told. Sometimes VATS acts goofy and it will do this to you. It will make it so you don't have fuel or spark. Can you hear the fuel pump prime? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow96SE Posted February 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 (edited) When VATS failed, the security light doesn't come on from what I'm told. Sometimes VATS acts goofy and it will do this to you. It will make it so you don't have fuel or spark. Can you hear the fuel pump prime? Pump doesn't prime, just checked the fuel line pressure and nothing came out of the valve, so not even gonna bother checking for spark, since that doesn't matter at this point. In the process of doing the 30 minute reset with the key, but not too hopeful. The car had issues before where you'd turn the key and it'd do nothing at all, not even crank (figured it was a dead spot in the starter), but would eventually start if ya left it for a while.. the security light always stayed on though. Now it cranks fine, but the light goes off, and apparently it is not pumping fuel. I still cannot understand how just changing the starter and battery would cause this. Edit: Well the vats reset procedure didn't work.. go figure. I'm no mechanic and really getting tired of messing with this piece of junk, so think i might just send it to a shop. Edited February 17, 2015 by Shadow96SE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nas Escobar Posted February 18, 2015 Report Share Posted February 18, 2015 If you feel up for it. there is a "VATS fix" but this would render your car without an anti theft system. It's pretty easy to do (the wire is under the kick panel) and should take about an hour including finding out your ohm rating but not your trip to radioshack. http://www.ls1lt1.com/forum/car-audio-electronics/35118-how-bypass-your-vats-write-up.html I got it off a Camaro forum because I couldn't find it here but the principle is similar, (except the trunk release, I think that's in the glove box on the GP) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow96SE Posted February 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 Ok, since it warmed up a bit today, even though we got 6" of snow.. decided to mess with the car again. Took out every single fuse in the car, checked them, found none bad. Figured wth, put the key in, turned it, and heard the fuel pump kick on. WTF. I literally did nothing but pull and replace the same fuses the car already had. Figured I might as well push my luck, and turned the key to start it.. damn thing fired right up. Not only that, but she has has low oil/coolant lights on forever, figured it was just bad sensors as levels were fine.. None of them are on now, neither is the service engine soon light. I don't understand it.. but I guess I'll take it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow96SE Posted February 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 (edited) What's weird, is I checked the fuses before and it did nothing.. maybe because I took them all out at once and since they were out longer something reset? No idea.. EDIT: and now it's back to not starting again.. what the hell.. Edited February 21, 2015 by Shadow96SE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatguy Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 My 95 would intermittently do this also. Check the battery wire at the alternator. Unhook the wire, then make sure the lug is tight in the alternator and reconnect. If not that, make sure all of the grounds are clean and good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow96SE Posted February 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 I've checked all grounds, all fuses, replaced fuel pump relay. Bypassed VATS, verified there was no issues with the module. What's weird is the car will prime the fuel pump, fire up and run for a little bit then dies, won't start after that and pump won't prime. Let it sit a while, pump primes again, and repeat same process. This is leading me to think maybe it's the fuel pump? I know it's getting spark and the plugs are fine, because it does fire up randomly and runs with no misses til it runs out of fuel. Verified there is no pressure being stored in the fuel rails. My '01 just had to go in the shop cause it decided to dump antifreeze everywhere, so still can't get this one in, nor afford it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amistydj Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 Ok, since it warmed up a bit today, even though we got 6" of snow.. decided to mess with the car again. Took out every single fuse in the car, checked them, found none bad. Figured wth, put the key in, turned it, and heard the fuel pump kick on. WTF. I literally did nothing but pull and replace the same fuses the car already had. Figured I might as well push my luck, and turned the key to start it.. damn thing fired right up. Not only that, but she has has low oil/coolant lights on forever, figured it was just bad sensors as levels were fine.. None of them are on now, neither is the service engine soon light. I don't understand it.. but I guess I'll take it. Thats good but just so you know the check engine and low oil light will all come back up on the dash after a few hundred miles if you dont get them fixed. For the low oil light try checking the oil pressure switch which should be right next to the oil filter. Mine had been oil through it for a while and got that replaced yeaterday now no more light and no oil leak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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