91GPSTE Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 On the way home today my car just died. The battery is good, starter cranks but no start. There is fuel in the tank. I scanned for trouble codes but there are none. I am thinking it might be ignition coil. Would that throw a code? How would I test it? If it's not the coil any ideas what it could be? How do I check if it's getting fuel? Now I got no wheels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88red4cyl Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Does the tach move when cranking the car? Did it sputter before it died or just shut off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ns87 Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Coil wouldn't throw a code. And the car should run if only one coil died. Press that schrader valve on the fuel rail and see if fuel squirts out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Euro Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 x2 on the shrader valve on the fuel rail. It has a cap that looks like a tire valve stem cap. On the right side of the plenum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 spark test. use a screwdriver atop the manifold. I'm betting crank sensor. hope it's not nebojsaed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93CutlassSupreme Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 If the car will run on starting fluid you have a fuel problem. Do you have spark? Connect a spark plug to plug wire, ground the spark plug, and crank the engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 If the car will run on starting fluid you have a fuel problem. Do you have spark? Connect a spark plug to plug wire, ground the spark plug, and crank the engine. exactly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! cept I'd use whatever you have hand first. thats why i always stick a screwdriver in the wire end to test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CSI_MuNkY Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 I say check fuel. When mine died on my way to parents place I had no idea what it was, turned out to be a short in the wire going from the fuse block to the sending unit. Any bad fuses? Mine kept blowing... Jamie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOT2B GM Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Listen to see if the fuel pump cycles when you turn the ignition to Run from off. If it doesn't, your fuel pump is dead. If you have access to a fuel pressure gauge, check your fuel pressure at the rail as others have mentioned. Basically you gotta figure out if its fuel or spark first tho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91GPSTE Posted February 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Ok, I definitely have spark. When I pull a plug wire and jam a screw driver in there then try to touch the coil or ground, I see spark and I get a jolt. lol Fuel pump is working, I can hear it. I also have fuel coming into the fuel rail. I disconnected one of the fuel lines in the engine bay that is coming from the back. Then I cranked the engine and fuel poured out. However, there is no fuel in the engine itself. I pulled a plug out and it was dry so I don't know wtf is going on. My injectors are working now? Maybe my PCM shit itself but I thought that would through a code. What is this crank sensor issue that was mentioned? When it died, the car felt like it shifted into lower gear so I thought my transmission shit itself. Then I noticed the engine dying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOT2B GM Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Maybe the pump is still working, but isn't producing enough pressure for the fuel to atomize or whatever.......I'd be checking pressure with a gauge to see if its within spec. If you have good spark that eliminates plugs, wire, coils, ICM and CPS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GutlessSupreme Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Check all of your underhood fuses in the passenger side box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOT2B GM Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 good idea Tony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91GPSTE Posted February 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Ok well I just checked the injectors and they are working. Would the spark plugs be wet if there is not enough fuel pressure? Fuses look fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Euro Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 FPR? My Lumina's FPR too a crap about a year ago and I had spark, fuel to the rails...but it just boom died on the interstate Do you smell gas at all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91GPSTE Posted February 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 I don't smell gas at all. My next step would be to go rent a pressure tester. Also, I want to see if I can pull a plug out and crank it without a plug and see if fuel gets in there without compression. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManicMechanic Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Does it turn over normally or really quickly? Perhaps the timing chain snapped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOT2B GM Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 I don't smell gas at all. My next step would be to go rent a pressure tester. Also, I want to see if I can pull a plug out and crank it without a plug and see if fuel gets in there without compression. If you were closer I'd just loan you mine, but I think Canadian Tire might loan them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiderw31 Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Like everyone else has said, verify fuel and spark. This is a '91 STE, right? Is it the 3.4? If so, pull the front timing belt inspection cover (just a few 8mm bolts) and inspect the timing belt; have someone crank it while you look at it, and see if it broke or if it is loose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOT2B GM Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 its a 3.1 mpfi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Euro Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Does it turn over normally or really quickly? Perhaps the timing chain snapped. God that's what I feared when trying to diagnose my Lumina in the 45mph wind, 35* day on the side of the interstate. I hope it's not the timing chain!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91GPSTE Posted February 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Someone asked if RPM needle moved when I crank it. It moved down below 0 when I crank it. It's a 3.1, seems to crank the way it would normally crank. I pulled the plug and tried firing it up and I don't smell any fuel. I don't think it's getting into the chamber. Another thing I noticed is that my DIC shows "Check Fuel" warning but the tank is half full. Where does it get the information about it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiderw31 Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 its a 3.1 mpfi Well OK then. ...my DIC shows "Check Fuel" warning but the tank is half full. Where does it get the information about it? Dunno exactly where the info comes from, but mine does that occasionally. Seems to have no bearing on how much fuel is acutally in the car, and it doesn't change the way it runs. It's been a while since I looked had a car with the 2.8/3.1 MPFI, but if you pull the oil fill cap, can you see any of the rockers? If so, that would let you know if you lost the timing chain; you wouldn't be able to see them move. Honestly, what you are describing sounds almost exactly what I experienced a few weeks ago when my ICM died on me, but then you say you have spark so I dunno... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted To Boost Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 I bet it is your Crank Position Sensor, the same exact thing happened to Krenzy's TGP when he was at my house. His car was getting spark, but it wasn't at the correct time because of the CPS, so it would not start. Replacement of the $20 sensor fixed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91GPSTE Posted February 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 Anyone have a pic of the sensor on the engine so I know what to look for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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